Abstract
Food and energy production converts N2 to reactive N species that cascade through environmental reservoirs and in the process impact human and ecosystem health. This presentation will examine the impact of increased N mobilization on the global N cycle by contrasting N distribution in the late-19th century with those of the late-20th century. The presentation will give a general overview of regional differences and will conclude with a projection of the global N cycle for 2050.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Galloway, J. N., Aber, J. D., Erisman, J. W. et al., The nitrogen cascade, Bioscience, 2003, 53: 341–356.
Galloway, J. N., Dentener, F. J., Capone, D. G. et al., Nitrogen cycles: Past, present and future, Biogeochemistry, 2004, 70: 153–226.
Smil, V., Enriching the Earth, Cambridge: MIT Press, 2001.
Kramer, D. A., US Geological Survey Minerals information: Nitrogen statistics and information, 1999; http://minerals.usgs.gov/ minerals/pubs/commodity/nitrogen, 2003.
FAOSTAT, Agriculture: Towards 2015/2030, Technical Interim Report, 2000.
Smil, V., Nitrogen in crop production: An account of global flows, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 1999, 13: 647–662.
Müller, J., Geographical distribution and seasonal variation of surface emissions and deposition velocities of atmospheric trace gases, Journal of Geophysical Research, 1992, 97: 3787–3804.
Keeling, C. D., Global historical CO2 emissions, in Trends ’93: A Compendium of Data on Global Change (eds. Boden, T. A., Kaiser, D. P., Sepanski, R. J. et al.), Oak Ridge: ORNL/CDIAC, 1993, 501–504.
Holland, E. A., Lamarque, J. F., Bio-atmospheric coupling of the nitrogen cycle through NOx emissions and NOy deposition, Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 1997, 48: 7–24.
van Aardenne, J. A., Dentener, F. J., Klijn Goldewijk, C. G. M. et al., A 1°-1° resolution dataset of historical anthropogenic trace gas emissions for the period 1890–1990, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 2001, 15: 909–928.
Cleveland, C. C., Townsend, A. R., Schimel, D. S. et al., Global patterns of terrestrial biological nitrogen (N2) fixation in natural ecosystems, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 1999, 13: 623–645.
Lelieveld, J., Dentener, F., What controls tropospheric ozone? J. Geophys. Res., 2000, 105: 3531–3551.
Klein Goldewijk, C. G. M., Battjes, J. J., A hundred year (1890–1990) database for integrated environmental assessments (HYDE, version 1.1) Rept. 422514002, Bilthoven: Natl. Ist. of Pub. Health and the Environment, 1997.
Seitzinger, S. P., Kroeze, C., Styles, R. V., Global distribution of NB2BO emissions from aquatic systems: Natural emissions and anthropogenic effects, Chemosphere: Global Change Sci., 2000, 2: 267–279.
Mosier, A. R., Bleken, M. A., Chaiwanakupt, P. et al., Policy implications of human accelerated nitrogen cycling, Biogeochemistry, 2001, 52: 281–320.
Pope, C. A. III, Thun, M. J., Namboodiri, M. M. et al., Particulate air pollution as a predictor of mortality in a prospective study of U. S. adults, American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, 1995, 151: 669–674.
Follett, J. R., Follett, R. F., Utilization and metabolism of nitrogen by humans, in Nitrogen in the Environment: Sources, Problems and Management (eds. Follett, R., Hatfield, J. L.), New York: Elsevier, 2001, 65–92.
Wolfe, A., Patz, J. A., Nitrogen and human health: direct and indirect impacts, Ambio, 2002, 31: 120–125.
Aber, J. D., Magill, A., McNulty, S. G. et al., Forest biogeochemistry and primary production altered by nitrogen saturation, Water Air Soil Pollution, 1995, 85: 1665–1670.
Vitousek, P. M., Howarth, R. W., Likens, G. E. et al., Human alteration of the global nitrogen cycle: Causes and consequences, Issues in Ecol., 1997, 1: 1–17.
Howarth, R. W., Swaney, D. P., Butler, T. J. et al., Climatic control on eutrophication of the Hudson River Estuary, Ecosystems, 2000, 3: 210–215.
National Research Council, Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reducing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000.
Rabalais, N., Nitrogen in aquatic ecosystems, Ambio, 2002, 31: 102–112.
Cowling, E. B., Erisman, J. W., Smeulders, S. M. et al., Optimizing air quality management in Europe and North America: Justification for integrated management of both oxidized and reduced forms of nitrogen, Environmental Pollution, 1998, 102(Suppl. 1): 599–608.
Moomaw, W. R., Birch, B. L., Cascading Costs: An economic nitrogen cycle, Science in China, Ser. C, 2005, 48(Special Issue): 678–696.
Mosier, A. R., Syers, J. K., Freney, J. R., Agriculture and the Nitrogen Cycle: Assessing the Impacts of Fertilizer Use on Food Production and the Environment, Washington DC: Island Press, 2004.
Davidson, E. A., Seitzinger, S. P., FINAL REPORT. Workshop on Advanced Approaches to Quantify Denitrification, 2004; http:// iniforum.org/73.0.html.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Galloway, J.N. The global nitrogen cycle: Past, present and future. Sci. China Ser. C.-Life Sci. 48 (Suppl 2), 669–678 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03187108
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03187108