title: Fertilizing nature: a tragedy of excess in the commons.
abstract: Globally, we are applying excessive nitrogen (N) fertilizers to our agricultural crops, which ultimately causes nitrogen pollution to our ecosphere. The atmosphere is polluted by N₂O and NO(x) gases that directly and indirectly increase atmospheric warming and climate change. Nitrogen is also leached from agricultural lands as the water-soluble form NO₃⁻, which increases nutrient overload in rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing "dead zones", reducing property values and the diversity of aquatic life, and damaging our drinking water and aquatic-associated industries such as fishing and tourism. Why do some countries show reductions in fertilizer use while others show increasing use? What N fertilizer application reductions could occur, without compromising crop yields? And what are the economic and environmental benefits of using directed nutrient management strategies?
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Allen G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Good
authors.forename: Perrin H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Beatty
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005308:Fertilizers; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D009584:Nitrogen