Evidence, causes, and consequences of declining nitrogen availability in terrestrial ecosystems

Rachel E. Mason; Joseph M. Craine; Nina K. Lany; Mathieu Jonard; Scott V. Ollinger; Peter M. Groffman; Robinson W. Fulweiler; Jay Angerer; Quentin D. Read; Peter B. Reich; Pamela H. Templer; Andrew J. Elmore

doi:10.1126/science.abh3767

Evidence, causes, and consequences of declining nitrogen availability in terrestrial ecosystems

Rachel E. Mason, Joseph M. Craine, Nina K. Lany, Mathieu Jonard, Scott V. Ollinger, Peter M. Groffman, Robinson W. Fulweiler, Jay Angerer, Quentin D. Read, Peter B. Reich, Pamela H. Templer, Andrew J. Elmore

Forest Resources

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

118 Scopus citations

Abstract

The productivity of ecosystems and their capacity to support life depends on access to reactive nitrogen (N). Over the past century, humans have more than doubled the global supply of reactive N through industrial and agricultural activities. However, long-term records demonstrate that N availability is declining in many regions of the world. Reactive N inputs are not evenly distributed, and global changes—including elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and rising temperatures—are affecting ecosystem N supply relative to demand. Declining N availability is constraining primary productivity, contributing to lower leaf N concentrations, and reducing the quality of herbivore diets in many ecosystems. We outline the current state of knowledge about declining N availability and propose actions aimed at characterizing and responding to this emerging challenge.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	eabh3767
Journal	Science
Volume	376
Issue number	6590
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abh3767
State	Published - Apr 15 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) under funding received from the National Science Foundation (NSF) DBI-1639145 (R.E.M., Q.D.R., and A.J.E.). Long-term nitrogen studies at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest have been supported by the NSF Long-Term Ecological Research program since 1988 (P.M.G.). Work on this paper was also supported, in part, by the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (J.A.); US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station (N.K.L.); NSF grants 1638688, 1920908, and 832210 (S.V.O.); and RI Sea Grant (R.W.F.).

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 The Authors.

Publisher link

10.1126/science.abh3767

Find It

Find It at U of M Libraries

Cite this

@article{35ec69fe62d643429545da0b69db0f64,

title = "Evidence, causes, and consequences of declining nitrogen availability in terrestrial ecosystems",

abstract = "The productivity of ecosystems and their capacity to support life depends on access to reactive nitrogen (N). Over the past century, humans have more than doubled the global supply of reactive N through industrial and agricultural activities. However, long-term records demonstrate that N availability is declining in many regions of the world. Reactive N inputs are not evenly distributed, and global changes—including elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and rising temperatures—are affecting ecosystem N supply relative to demand. Declining N availability is constraining primary productivity, contributing to lower leaf N concentrations, and reducing the quality of herbivore diets in many ecosystems. We outline the current state of knowledge about declining N availability and propose actions aimed at characterizing and responding to this emerging challenge.",

author = "Mason, {Rachel E.} and Craine, {Joseph M.} and Lany, {Nina K.} and Mathieu Jonard and Ollinger, {Scott V.} and Groffman, {Peter M.} and Fulweiler, {Robinson W.} and Jay Angerer and Read, {Quentin D.} and Reich, {Peter B.} and Templer, {Pamela H.} and Elmore, {Andrew J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) under funding received from the National Science Foundation (NSF) DBI-1639145 (R.E.M., Q.D.R., and A.J.E.). Long-term nitrogen studies at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest have been supported by the NSF Long-Term Ecological Research program since 1988 (P.M.G.). Work on this paper was also supported, in part, by the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (J.A.); US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station (N.K.L.); NSF grants 1638688, 1920908, and 832210 (S.V.O.); and RI Sea Grant (R.W.F.). Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors.",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1126/science.abh3767",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "376",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6590",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence, causes, and consequences of declining nitrogen availability in terrestrial ecosystems

AU - Mason, Rachel E.

AU - Craine, Joseph M.

AU - Lany, Nina K.

AU - Jonard, Mathieu

AU - Ollinger, Scott V.

AU - Groffman, Peter M.

AU - Fulweiler, Robinson W.

AU - Angerer, Jay

AU - Read, Quentin D.

AU - Reich, Peter B.

AU - Templer, Pamela H.

AU - Elmore, Andrew J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) under funding received from the National Science Foundation (NSF) DBI-1639145 (R.E.M., Q.D.R., and A.J.E.). Long-term nitrogen studies at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest have been supported by the NSF Long-Term Ecological Research program since 1988 (P.M.G.). Work on this paper was also supported, in part, by the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (J.A.); US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station (N.K.L.); NSF grants 1638688, 1920908, and 832210 (S.V.O.); and RI Sea Grant (R.W.F.). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 The Authors.

PY - 2022/4/15

Y1 - 2022/4/15

N2 - The productivity of ecosystems and their capacity to support life depends on access to reactive nitrogen (N). Over the past century, humans have more than doubled the global supply of reactive N through industrial and agricultural activities. However, long-term records demonstrate that N availability is declining in many regions of the world. Reactive N inputs are not evenly distributed, and global changes—including elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and rising temperatures—are affecting ecosystem N supply relative to demand. Declining N availability is constraining primary productivity, contributing to lower leaf N concentrations, and reducing the quality of herbivore diets in many ecosystems. We outline the current state of knowledge about declining N availability and propose actions aimed at characterizing and responding to this emerging challenge.

AB - The productivity of ecosystems and their capacity to support life depends on access to reactive nitrogen (N). Over the past century, humans have more than doubled the global supply of reactive N through industrial and agricultural activities. However, long-term records demonstrate that N availability is declining in many regions of the world. Reactive N inputs are not evenly distributed, and global changes—including elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and rising temperatures—are affecting ecosystem N supply relative to demand. Declining N availability is constraining primary productivity, contributing to lower leaf N concentrations, and reducing the quality of herbivore diets in many ecosystems. We outline the current state of knowledge about declining N availability and propose actions aimed at characterizing and responding to this emerging challenge.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128304566&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85128304566&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.abh3767

DO - 10.1126/science.abh3767

M3 - Review article

C2 - 35420945

AN - SCOPUS:85128304566

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 376

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6590

M1 - eabh3767

ER -

Evidence, causes, and consequences of declining nitrogen availability in terrestrial ecosystems

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Publisher link

Find It

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this