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Sustainable Management of Soil Phosphorus in a Changing World

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Adaptive Soil Management : From Theory to Practices

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is an important nutrient for flora and fauna, and is an essential element during energy transformation processes of the living world. Phosphate rock, which is the most common source of phosphorus, is globally used in various forms, in order to boost agricultural productivity and cover contemporary food demand. Its low price in combination with its abundance on several areas on our planet led to overexploitation phenomena and unsustainable phosphorus management, resulting in important environmental and socio-economic problems. Eutrophication, soil over-accumulation, nutrient depletion due to soil erosion processes, contamination of the extraction sites, reduction of global available resources, massive price fluctuations and food crisis are some of these phosphorus-related problems with a global impact. The uncertainties and the underlying risks prevailing due to improper use of phosphate resources denote that sustainable soil phosphorus management should be set amongst the top priorities in global level. The local adaptation of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship approach can be proved a very promising tool in order to develop a sound soil phosphorus management program. In Europe, despite the multi-dimensional problems caused by unsustainable phosphorus use of the previous decades, significant steps are taken to restore the problems and establish a framework focusing on natural resources and socio-economic system protection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources Management and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Athens, 11855, Greece

    Mina Karamesouti

  2. Soil Science Laboratory, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece

    Dionisios Gasparatos

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  1. Mina Karamesouti
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  2. Dionisios Gasparatos
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Correspondence to Mina Karamesouti or Dionisios Gasparatos .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Science, BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Amitava Rakshit

  2. Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Purushothaman Chirakuzhyil Abhilash

  3. Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    Harikesh Bahadur Singh

  4. Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology (Research), National Parks Board, Singapore, Singapore

    Subhadip Ghosh

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Karamesouti, M., Gasparatos, D. (2017). Sustainable Management of Soil Phosphorus in a Changing World. In: Rakshit, A., Abhilash, P., Singh, H., Ghosh, S. (eds) Adaptive Soil Management : From Theory to Practices. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3638-5_9

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