Nitrogen alarm, on our planet there is less and less

availability nitrogen On our planet it is significantly decreasing in some areas, while in other regions of the globe it is associated with an excessive presence of gas. This disturbing finding emerges from a study published in the journal Scienceconducted by scientists National Center for Social and Environmental Synthesis, from the University of Maryland and the City University of New York. team led by Rachel Masona new consequence can be attributed to climate change that could harm the health of ecosystems.

The authors explain that since the mid-20th century, many scientists have questioned the ecological consequences associated with excess nitrogen in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, but the new work suggests that some parts of the world may in fact be characterized by a lack of sufficient nitrogen. Gas. “There are places on Earth where there is an excessive presence of nitrogen – says Mason – and others where the contribution of human activity is not sufficient to maintain adequate levels of N2Nitrogen, in concentration in streams, lakes, and coastal water bodies, can cause eutrophication, areas of low oxygen, and harmful algal blooms.

“Having adequate levels of nitrogen – he adds Peter Grofmanco-author of the article and lecturer at the City University of New York – It is positive for plant growth, so much so that gardens and forests are more productive when fertilized with nitrogen-based materials. Our work highlights how the world is changing in complex and surprising ways. At the same time, these findings demonstrate the importance of long-term data and efforts to understand the effects of these changes on ecosystems and human health and well-being.“.

“The reduced availability of nitrogen also jeopardizes the carbon storage capacity of plants – hang up Andrew Elmorefrom the University of Maryland – Therefore models to estimate carbon storage capacity in biomass must take nitrogen availability into account. Further research on these dynamics will be necessary to better understand the interactions between ecosystems, the presence of nitrogen, and the health of associated life forms.“.