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In its natural state, nitrogen exists primarily as a gas (N2) in the atmosphere, making up about 78% of the air we breathe. Nitrogen finds extensive usage across various sectors, primarily in the agriculture industry, and transportation. Its versatility stems from its ability to form numerous compounds, each with unique properties and applications.
Human activities account for over one-third of N 2 O emissions, most of which are due to the agricultural sector. [2] This article is intended to give a brief review of the history of anthropogenic N inputs, and reported impacts of nitrogen inputs on selected terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Because these processes keep nitrogen concentrations relatively stable in most ecosystems, a large influx of nitrogen from agricultural runoff can cause serious disruption. [19] A common result of this in aquatic ecosystems is eutrophication , which in turn creates hypoxic and anoxic conditions – both of which are deadly and/or damaging to ...
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates world demand for nitrogen fertilizers increased by 1.7% annually between 2011 and 2015, an increase of 7.5 million tonnes. Regional increases of nitrogen fertilizer use are expected to be 67% by Asia, 18% by the Americas, 10% by Europe, 3% by Africa, and 1% by Oceania.
Globally, nitrogen balances are quite inefficiently distributed with some countries having surpluses and others deficits, causing especially a range of environmental issues in the former. For most countries around the world, the trade-off between closing yield gaps and mitigating nitrogen pollution is small or non-existent. [12]
Indirect emissions on the other hand come from the conversion of non-agricultural land such as forests into agricultural land. [5] [6] Furthermore, there is also fossil fuel consumption for transport and fertilizer production. For example, the manufacture and use of nitrogen fertilizer contributes around 5% of all global greenhouse gas ...
The negative impact of agriculture is an old issue that remains a concern even as experts design innovative means to reduce destruction and enhance eco-efficiency. [2] Animal agriculture practices tend to be more environmentally destructive than agricultural practices focused on fruits, vegetables and other biomass. The emissions of ammonia ...
Livestock produces the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and demands around 30% of agricultural freshwater needs, while only supplying 18% of the global calorie intake. Animal-derived food plays a larger role in meeting human protein needs, yet is still a minority of supply at 39%, with crops providing the rest.