Global Phosphorus Flows and Environmental Impacts from a Consumption Perspective

Liu, Yi; Villalba, Gara; Ayres, Robert U.; Schrøder, Hans

doi:10.1111/j.1530-9290.2008.00025.x

Cited by 302 publications

(203 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…We used global values from Liu et al (36) for P supply from weathering (1.6 Tg·y −1 ) and atmospheric deposition (0.4 Tg·y −1 ). These values were more conservative compared with 2 Tg·y −1 (weathering) and 1-2 Tg·y −1 (atmospheric deposition) estimated by Smil (2).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Residual soil phosphorus as the missing piece in the global phosphorus crisis puzzle

Sattari

Bouwman

Giller

et al. 2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

542

434

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Phosphorus (P) is a finite and dwindling resource. Debate focuses on current production and use of phosphate rock rather than on the amounts of P required in the future to feed the world. We applied a two-pool soil P model to reproduce historical continental crop P uptake as a function of P inputs from fertilizer and manure and to estimate P requirements for crop production in 2050. The key feature is the consideration of the role of residual soil P in crop production. Model simulations closely fit historical P uptake for all continents. Cumulative inputs of P fertilizer and manure for the period 1965-2007 in Europe (1,115 kg·ha −1 of cropland) grossly exceeded the cumulative P uptake by crops (360 kg·ha −1 ). Since the 1980s in much of Europe, P application rates have been reduced, and uptake continues to increase due to the supply of plant-available P from residual soil P pool. We estimate that between 2008 and 2050 a global cumulative P application of 700-790 kg·ha −1 of cropland (in total 1,070-1,200 teragrams P) is required to achieve crop production according to the various Millennium Ecosystem Assessment scenarios [Alcamo J, Van Vuuren D, Cramer W (2006) Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Scenarios, Vol 2, pp 279-354]. We estimate that average global P fertilizer use must change from the current 17.8 to 16.8-20.8 teragrams per year in 2050, which is up to 50% less than other estimates in the literature that ignore the role of residual soil P.food security | global crop production | phosphorus depletion | hysteresis S ignificant improvements in agricultural productivity and efficiency of resource use are required to secure food production for the projected world population in 2050 (1). Food production needs to grow faster than the global population due to changing human diets (i.e., increasing per-capita consumption of meat) and production of biofuels. This challenge can be managed through significant improvements in agricultural productivity and phosphorus (P) fertilizer use efficiency.P is essential for plant growth and often a major limiting nutrient in agriculture (1-3). Many studies have raised concern about rapid depletion of the world's P reserves (4, 5). Recently, it was suggested that global P production will peak by 2033 (5). In contrast, other studies conclude that almost half of the currently available P resources will be depleted by 2100 (6), or that P rock reserves will be available for the next 300-400 y (7).Resource use efficiency, including strategies such as recycling of human P sewage sludge and other waste materials containing P, and reducing runoff and erosion, will be important to improve the sustainability of human P cycle (6).Readily available P in the soil solution provides most of the plantavailable P. The two main factors that control the availability of P to plant roots are the concentration of phosphate ions in the soil solution and the P-buffer capacity, i.e., the ability of the soil to replenish these ions when plant roots remove them (3). Soils differ in their buffering capaci...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Residual soil phosphorus as the missing piece in the global phosphorus crisis puzzle

Sattari

Bouwman

Giller

et al. 2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

542

434

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Despite considerable advances in the development of spatially explicit global nitrogen balances (e.g., ref. 16), most previous global P balance studies have relied on globally or regionally aggregated data (4,5,17,18), limiting our ability to infer spatial patterns of surpluses and deficits. The only spatially explicit global P balance study that we are aware of used estimates of inputs and outputs based primarily on regional or national agricultural statistics distributed over four aggregated cropping systems by using the IMAGE model (19).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Agronomic phosphorus imbalances across the world's croplands

MacDonald

Bennett

Potter

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

735

462

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Increased phosphorus (P) fertilizer use and livestock production has fundamentally altered the global P cycle. We calculated spatially explicit P balances for cropland soils at 0.5°resolution based on the principal agronomic P inputs and outputs associated with production of 123 crops globally for the year 2000. Although agronomic inputs of P fertilizer (14.2 Tg of P·y −1 ) and manure (9.6 Tg of P·y −1 ) collectively exceeded P removal by harvested crops (12.3 Tg of P·y −1 ) at the global scale, P deficits covered almost 30% of the global cropland area. There was massive variation in the magnitudes of these P imbalances across most regions, particularly Europe and South America. High P fertilizer application relative to crop P use resulted in a greater proportion of the intense P surpluses (>13 kg of P·ha −1 ·y −1 ) globally than manure P application. High P fertilizer application was also typically associated with areas of relatively low P-use efficiency. Although manure was an important driver of P surpluses in some locations with high livestock densities, P deficits were common in areas producing forage crops used as livestock feed. Resolving agronomic P imbalances may be possible with more efficient use of P fertilizers and more effective recycling of manure P. Such reforms are needed to increase global agricultural productivity while maintaining or improving freshwater quality.agriculture | eutrophication | nutrient balances | phosphorus depletion D isparities between the nutrients applied to agricultural soils via fertilizer or manure and the nutrients removed by harvested crops result in nutrient imbalances that can influence environmental quality and productivity of agricultural systems (1). Growing consumption of inorganic phosphorus (P) fertilizers derived from mining of nonrenewable phosphate rock (2) has contributed to major increases in crop yields since the 1950s (3). Concurrent growth in fertilizer use and livestock production has more than tripled global P flows to the biosphere over preindustrial levels (4), resulting in P accumulation in some agricultural soils that acts as a driver of eutrophication in freshwater and coastal systems (5-7). At the same time, limited availability of P fertilizers in other regions has contributed to prolonged P deficits that can deplete soil P and limit crop yields (8-10). Although agricultural P surpluses and deficits have been documented for several regions (e.g., refs. 11 and 12), there is still limited understanding of the spatial patterns of P imbalances at the global scale.Patterns of nutrient imbalances across agricultural systems may reflect contrasting agricultural practices, economic development, and broader agricultural policies (1, 13). Understanding agricultural P use is key to managing global phosphate rock reserves (14) and mitigating the risk for potentially irreversible eutrophication of lakes (15). Despite considerable advances in the development of spatially explicit global nitrogen balances (e.g., ref. 16), most previous global P balance studi...

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“…12 Alguns pesquisadores afirmam que o fósforo disponível a partir de excrementos humanos em 2009 (1,68 milhões de toneladas de P) seria suficiente para suprir 22% da demanda mundial. 5,92,93 Nas estações de tratamento de esgotos, que operam tanto em regime aeróbio como anaeróbio, é produzido um resíduo semi-sólido denominado de lodo de esgoto ou biossólido que contém grande quantidade de matéria orgânica, nitrogênio e fósforo, dentre outros elementos químicos. 93 Os solos destinados às práticas agrícolas têm sido um destino frequente para o lodo de esgoto, atendendo a argumentos econômicos de disposição e capacidade de condicionamento e fertilização de solos.…”

Section: A Busca Pela Sustentabilidadeunclassified

“…Alguns pesquisadores afirmam que o esterco é um importante reservatório de P passível de reutilização, podendo suprir 50% do uso de fósforo destinado à agricultura na Europa Ocidental e 25% nos Estados Unidos. 4,5,92 O cenário de estímulo à utilização de esterco animal é favorável em função da escassez e tendência de aumento do preço dos fertilizantes químicos fosfatados, bem como do crescente número de animais na pecuária, chegando a aproximadamente 23 bilhões de animais no ano de 2014, reforçando a importância do emprego do esterco animal como fonte de fósforo. 118,119 Dados disponíveis na literatura mostram que caso a prática de recuperação de fosfato a partir de resíduos bovinos fosse aplicada, o Canadá não teria a necessidade de importar fertilizantes.…”

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