Fertilizing nature: a tragedy of excess in the commons.

PLoS Biol

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Published: August 2011

Globally, we are applying excessive nitrogen (N) fertilizers to our agricultural crops, which ultimately causes nitrogen pollution to our ecosphere. The atmosphere is polluted by N₂O and NO(x) gases that directly and indirectly increase atmospheric warming and climate change. Nitrogen is also leached from agricultural lands as the water-soluble form NO₃⁻, which increases nutrient overload in rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing "dead zones", reducing property values and the diversity of aquatic life, and damaging our drinking water and aquatic-associated industries such as fishing and tourism. Why do some countries show reductions in fertilizer use while others show increasing use? What N fertilizer application reductions could occur, without compromising crop yields? And what are the economic and environmental benefits of using directed nutrient management strategies?

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156687PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001124DOI Listing

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