Nitrogen footprints: Regional realities and options to reduce nitrogen loss to the environment.
Nitrogen (N) management presents a sustainability dilemma: N is strongly linked to energy and food production, but excess reactive N causes environmental pollution. The N footprint is an indicator that quantifies reactive N losses to the environment from consumption and production of food and the use of energy. The average per capita N footprint (calculated using the N-Calculator methodology) of ten countries varies from 15 to 47 kg N capita-1year-1. The major cause of the difference is the protein consumption rates and food production N losses. The food sector dominates all countries' N footprints. Global connections via trade significantly affect the N footprint in countries that rely on imported foods and feeds. The authors present N footprint reduction strategies (e.g., improve N use efficiency, increase N recycling, reduce food waste, shift dietary choices) and identify knowledge gaps (e.g., the N footprint from nonfood goods and soil N process).
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Kita-9, Nishi-9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0809, Japan. shiba@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp.
Hideaki
H
Shibata
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Clark Hall, 291 McCormick Road, P.O. Box 400123, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4123, USA.
James N
JN
Galloway
Department of Natural Resources & the Environment, The Sustainability Institute, 107 Nesmith Hall, 131 Main Street, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
Allison M
AM
Leach
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Clark Hall, 291 McCormick Road, P.O. Box 400123, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4123, USA.
Lia R
LR
Cattaneo
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Clark Hall, 291 McCormick Road, P.O. Box 400123, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4123, USA.
Laura
L
Cattell Noll
Louis Bolk Institute, Hoofdstraat 24, 3972, LA, Driebergen, The Netherlands.|VU University, de Boelenlaan 1085, 1081, HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jan Willem
JW
Erisman
Department of Land Management, School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China.
Baojing
B
Gu
Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
Xia
X
Liang
Division of Biogeochemical Cycles, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, 3-1-3, Kannondai, Tsukuba, 305-8604, Japan.
Kentaro
K
Hayashi
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetic and Developmental Biology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, 286 Huaizhong Road, Shijiazhuang, 050021, Hebei, People's Republic of China.
Lin
L
Ma
Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830, Tjele, Denmark.
Tommy
T
Dalgaard
Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830, Tjele, Denmark.
Morten
M
Graversgaard
Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
Deli
D
Chen
Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan.
Keisuke
K
Nansai
Division of Life and Environmental Sciences, Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Takeda 4-4-37, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400-8510, Japan.
Junko
J
Shindo
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan.
Kazuyo
K
Matsubae
Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya, Yokohama, 240-8501, Japan.
Azusa
A
Oita
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong-Hwa University, No.1, Sec. 2, DaHsueh Rd., Shoufeng, Hualien, 97401, Taiwan.
Ming-Chien
MC
Su
Division of Biogeochemical Cycles, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, 3-1-3, Kannondai, Tsukuba, 305-8604, Japan.
Shin-Ichiro
SI
Mishima
Department of Environmental Assessment, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, Westerduinweg 3, 1755 LE, Petten, The Netherlands.
Albert
A
Bleeker
D058572:Carbon Footprint; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D006801:Humans; D009584:Nitrogen; D017672:Nitrogen Compounds; D058458:Nitrogen Cycle
D017672:Nitrogen Compounds; D009584:Nitrogen
Nitrogen cycle; Nitrogen effects; Nitrogen footprint; Nitrogen use efficiency