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Ecosystem services altered by human changes in the nitrogen cycle: a new perspective for US decision making Ecology Letters
Citation:
COMPTON, J. E., J. A. Harrison, R. L. Dennis, T. L. Greaver, B. H. Hill, S. J. Jordan, H. Walker, AND H. V. Campbell. Ecosystem services altered by human changes in the nitrogen cycle: a new perspective for US decision making Ecology Letters. ECOLOGY LETTERS. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, 14(8):804-815, (2011).
Impact/Purpose:
The human alteration of the nitrogen (N) cycle has yielded many benefits, but also has altered ecosystems and degraded air and water quality in many areas.
Description:
The human alteration of the nitrogen (N) cycle has yielded many benefits, but also has altered ecosystems and degraded air and water quality in many areas. Here we explore the science available to connect the effects of increasing N on ecosystem structure and function to ecosystem services, focusing on the provision of clean air and water, production of food and materials, and climate regulation. While an ecosystem services approach has not yet proven useful for large-scale environmental decisions, we argue that this approach could be applied to inform decisions surrounding N pollution. Our review indicates that construction of a complete accounting framework incorporating all impacts of N on ecosystem services and human well-being is currently challenging, however, a great deal of science exists that can connect the effects of N inputs to issues valued by the public in order to inform decision-making related to N management and policy.