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Global phosphorus shortage will be aggravated by soil erosion

Author

Listed:
  • Christine Alewell

    (University of Basel)

  • Bruno Ringeval

    (ISPA, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, INRAE)

  • Cristiano Ballabio

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre)

  • David A. Robinson

    (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales)

  • Panos Panagos

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre)

  • Pasquale Borrelli

    (University of Basel
    Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University)

Abstract

Soil phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural systems will limit food and feed production in the future. Here, we combine spatially distributed global soil erosion estimates (only considering sheet and rill erosion by water) with spatially distributed global P content for cropland soils to assess global soil P loss. The world’s soils are currently being depleted in P in spite of high chemical fertilizer input. Africa (not being able to afford the high costs of chemical fertilizer) as well as South America (due to non-efficient organic P management) and Eastern Europe (for a combination of the two previous reasons) have the highest P depletion rates. In a future world, with an assumed absolute shortage of mineral P fertilizer, agricultural soils worldwide will be depleted by between 4–19 kg ha−1 yr−1, with average losses of P due to erosion by water contributing over 50% of total P losses.

Suggested Citation

  • Christine Alewell & Bruno Ringeval & Cristiano Ballabio & David A. Robinson & Panos Panagos & Pasquale Borrelli, 2020. "Global phosphorus shortage will be aggravated by soil erosion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-18326-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18326-7
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    1. Remus Prăvălie & Pasquale Borrelli & Panos Panagos & Cristiano Ballabio & Emanuele Lugato & Adrian Chappell & Gonzalo Miguez-Macho & Federico Maggi & Jian Peng & Mihai Niculiță & Bogdan Roșca & Cristi, 2024. "A unifying modelling of multiple land degradation pathways in Europe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Maksym Łaszewski & Michał Fedorczyk & Sylwia Gołaszewska & Zuzanna Kieliszek & Paulina Maciejewska & Jakub Miksa & Wiktoria Zacharkiewicz, 2021. "Land Cover Effects on Selected Nutrient Compounds in Small Lowland Agricultural Catchments," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Braeden Van Deynze & Scott M. Swinton & David A. Hennessy, 2022. "Are glyphosate‐resistant weeds a threat to conservation agriculture? Evidence from tillage practices in soybeans," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(2), pages 645-672, March.
    4. Nguyen Hong Duc & Pankaj Kumar & Pham Phuong Lan & Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Khaled Mohamed Khedher & Ali Kharrazi & Osamu Saito & Ram Avtar, 2023. "Hydrochemical indices as a proxy for assessing land-use impacts on water resources: a sustainable management perspective and case study of Can Tho City, Vietnam," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 117(3), pages 2573-2615, July.
    5. Sartori, Martina & Ferrari, Emanuele & M'Barek, Robert & Philippidis, George & Boysen-Urban, Kirsten & Borrelli, Pasquale & Montanarella, Luca & Panagos, Panos, 2024. "Remaining Loyal to Our Soil: A Prospective Integrated Assessment of Soil Erosion on Global Food Security," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    6. Xiuzhi Chen & Yue Hou & Thomas Kastner & Liu Liu & Yuqian Zhang & Tuo Yin & Mo Li & Arunima Malik & Mengyu Li & Kelly R. Thorp & Siqi Han & Yaoze Liu & Tahir Muhammad & Jianguo Liu & Yunkai Li, 2023. "Physical and virtual nutrient flows in global telecoupled agricultural trade networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Beatrice Garske & Antonia Bau & Felix Ekardt, 2021. "Digitalization and AI in European Agriculture: A Strategy for Achieving Climate and Biodiversity Targets?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-21, April.
    8. Muntwyler, Anna & Panagos, Panos & Morari, Francesco & Berti, Antonio & Jarosch, Klaus A. & Mayer, Jochen & Lugato, Emanuele, 2023. "Modelling phosphorus dynamics in four European long-term experiments," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    9. Malhotra, Milan & Aboudi, Kaoutar & Pisharody, Lakshmi & Singh, Ayush & Banu, J. Rajesh & Bhatia, Shashi Kant & Varjani, Sunita & Kumar, Sunil & González-Fernández, Cristina & Kumar, Sumant & Singh, R, 2022. "Biorefinery of anaerobic digestate in a circular bioeconomy: Opportunities, challenges and perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    10. Sen Chakraborty, Kritika & Chakraborty, Avinandan & Berrens, Robert P., 2023. "Valuing soil erosion control investments in Nigerian agricultural lands: A hedonic pricing model," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    11. Meier, Sebastián & Campos, Pedro & Morales, Arturo & Jobet, Claudio & López-Olivari, Rafael & Palma-Millanao, Rubén & Matus, Iván & Aponte, Humberto & Cartes, Paula & Khan, Naser & Lavanderos, Laura &, 2024. "Genotypic responses to phosphorus and water management in winter wheat: Strategies to increase resource use efficiency and productivity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    12. Nikola Sagapová, 2022. "From environmental thinking in economics to bioplastics: promising material for a sustainable (bio)economy," Economics Working Papers 2022-01, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Economics.
    13. Roland W. Scholz & Gerald Steiner, 2022. "The role of transdisciplinarity for mineral economics and mineral resource management: coping with fallacies related to phosphorus in science and practice," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 35(3), pages 745-763, December.
    14. Bruno, Daniel & Sorando, Ricardo & Álvarez-Farizo, Begoña & Castellano, Clara & Céspedes, Vanessa & Gallardo, Belinda & Jiménez, Juan J. & López, M. Victoria & López-Flores, Rocío & Moret-Fernández, D, 2021. "Depopulation impacts on ecosystem services in Mediterranean rural areas," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    15. Panpan Ji & Jianhui Chen & Ruijin Chen & Jianbao Liu & Chaoqing Yu & Fahu Chen, 2024. "Nitrogen and phosphorus trends in lake sediments of China may diverge," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.

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