The European nitrogen assessment : sources, effects and policy perspectives

1. publ.

Cambridge

2011

LI, 612 S.

zahlr. Ill., graph. Darst. und Kt.

Monographie

978-1-107-00612-6

16655

171866

Presenting the first continental-scale assessment of reactive nitrogen in the environment, this book sets the related environmental problems in context by providing a multidisciplinary introduction to the nitrogen cycle processes. Issues of upscaling from farm plot and city to national and continental scales are addressed in detail with emphasis on opportunities for better management at local to global levels. The five key societal threats posed by reactive nitrogen are assessed, providing a framework for joined-up management of the nitrogen cycle in Europe, including the first cost-benefit analysis for different reactive nitrogen forms and future scenarios. Incorporating comprehensive maps, a handy technical synopsis and a summary for policy makers, this landmark volume is an essential reference for academic researchers across a wide range of disciplines, as well as stakeholders and policy makers. It is also a valuable tool in communicating the key environmental issues and future challenges to the wider public.Features • Identifies the five key threats of reactive nitrogen to the environment and illustrates these with location maps to highlight those areas at greatest risk • Presents policy makers and environmental managers with the key information on costs and benefits to support integrated management decisions in the future • Creates a framework for a global strategy on managing reactive nitrogen in the environment • Supplementary online resources include core datasets, a glossary and additional references: www.cambridge.org/ena1. Assessing our nitrogen inheritance Part I. Nitrogen in Europe: The Present Position: 2. The European nitrogen problem in a global perspective 3. Benefits of nitrogen for food fibre and industrial production 4. Nitrogen in current European policies 5. The challenge to integrate nitrogen science and policies Part II. Nitrogen Processing in the Biosphere: 6. Nitrogen processes in terrestrial ecosystems 7. Nitrogen processes in aquatic ecosystems 8. Nitrogen processes in coastal and marine ecosystems 9. Nitrogen processes in the atmosphere Part III. Nitrogen Flows and Fate at Multiple Scales: 10. Nitrogen flows in farming systems across Europe 11. Nitrogen flows and fate in rural landscapes 12. Nitrogen flows and fate in urban landscapes 13. Nitrogen flows from European watersheds to coastal marine waters 14. Atmospheric transport and deposition of nitrogen in Europe 15. Geographic variation in terrestrial nitrogen budgets across Europe 16. Integrating nitrogen fluxes at the European scale Part IV. Key Societal Threats of Nitrogen: 17. Nitrogen as a threat to European water quality 18. Nitrogen as a threat to European air quality 19. Nitrogen as a threat to the European greenhouse balance 20. Nitrogen as a threat to European terrestrial biodiversity 21. Nitrogen as a threat to European soil quality Part V. European Nitrogen Policies and Future Challenges: 22. Costs and benefits of nitrogen in the environment 23. Developing integrated approaches to nitrogen management 24. Future scenarios of nitrogen in Europe 25. Coordinating European nitrogen policies between directives and international conventions 26. Societal choice and communicating the European nitrogen challenge