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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
earth and planetary sciences
Intentional versus unintentional nitrogen use in the United States: Trends, efficiency and implications
Biogeochemistry, Volume 114, No. 1-3, Year 2013
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Description
Human actions have both intentionally and unintentionally altered the global economy of nitrogen (N), with both positive and negative consequences for human health and welfare, the environment and climate change. Here we examine long-term trends in reactive N (Nr) creation and efficiencies of Nr use within the continental US. We estimate that human actions in the US have increased Nr inputs by at least ~5 times compared to pre-industrial conditions. Whereas N2 fixation as a by-product of fossil fuel combustion accounted for ~1/4 of Nr inputs from the 1970s to 2000 (or ~7 Tg N year-1), this value has dropped substantially since then (to <5 Tg N year-1), owing to Clean Air Act amendments. As of 2007, national N use efficiency (NUE) of all combined N inputs was equal to ~40 %. This value increases to 55 % when considering intentional N inputs alone, with food, industrial goods, fuel and fiber production accounting for the largest Nr sinks, respectively. We estimate that 66 % of the N lost during the production of goods and services enters the air (as NOx, NH3, N2O and N2), with the remaining 34 % lost to various waterways. These Nr losses contribute to smog formation, acid rain, eutrophication, biodiversity declines and climate change. Hence we argue that an improved national NUE would: (i) benefit the US economy on the production side; (ii) reduce social damage costs; and (iii) help avoid some major climate change risks in the future. © 2012 The Author(s).
Authors & Co-Authors
Houlton, Benjamin Z.
United States, Davis
University of California, Davis
Boyer, Elizabeth
United States, University Park
Pennsylvania State University
Finzi, Adrien
United States, Boston
Boston University
Galloway, James N.
United States, Charlottesville
University of Virginia
Leach, Allison
United States, Charlottesville
University of Virginia
Liptzin, Daniel L.
United States, Davis
University of California, Davis
Melillo, Jerry M.
United States, Woods Hole
Marine Biological Laboratory
Rosenstock, Todd S.
Kenya, Nairobi
World Agroforestry Centre
Sobota, Dan
United States, Research Triangle Park
Us Epa National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
Townsend, Alan R.
United States, Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Statistics
Citations: 76
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 8
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1007/s10533-012-9801-5
ISSN:
01682563
e-ISSN:
1573515X
Research Areas
Environmental
Food Security