Lessons from temporal and spatial patterns in global use of N and P fertilizer on cropland.

ABSTRACT: In recent decades farmers in high-income countries and China and India have built up a large reserve of residual soil P in cropland. This reserve can now be used by crops, and in high-income countries the use of mineral P fertilizer has recently been decreasing with even negative soil P budgets in Europe. In contrast to P, much of N surpluses are emitted to the environment via air and water and large quantities of N are transported in aquifers with long travel times (decades and longer). N fertilizer use in high-income countries has not been decreasing in recent years; increasing N use efficiency and utilization of accumulated residual soil P allowed continued increases in crop yields. However, there are ecological risks associated with the legacy of excessive nutrient mobilization in the

SUBMITTER: Bouwman AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5234009 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature