Phosphorus in Agriculture: 100 % Zero


Book Description

The title ‘Phosphorus in Agriculture: 100 % Zero’ is synonymous for make-or-break. And it stands up to the promise. This book sends an important message as it delivers background information, intrinsic hypotheses, validation approaches and legal frameworks, all for balanced phosphorus fertilization in agriculture. This implies firstly that the phosphorus requirement of crop is fully satisfied by applying exclusively fertilizers which contain the nutrient in completely available form. Secondly, environmental demands through eutrophication and hazardous contaminants must not be compromised. The book identifies equally knowledge gaps and deficits in the transformation and implementation of research into practice. Bottom line is that research delivers the tools for a sustainable phosphorus management while legal frameworks are insufficient.










Eutrophication: causes, consequences and control


Book Description

Eutrophication continues to be a major global challenge to water quality scientists. The global demand on water resources due to population increases, economic development, and emerging energy development schemes has created new environmental challenges to global sustainability. Eutrophication, causes, consequences, and control provides a current account of many important aspects of the processes of natural and accelerated eutrophication in major aquatic ecosystems around the world. The connections between accelerated eutrophication and climate change, chemical contamination of surface waters, and major environmental and ecological impacts on aquatic ecosystems are discussed. Water quality changes typical of eutrophication events in major climate zones including temperate, tropical, subtropical, and arid regions are included along with current approaches to treat and control increased eutrophication around the world. The book provides many useful new insights to address the challenges of global increases in eutrophication and the increasing threats to biodiversity and water quality.




Phosphorus Loss from Soil to Water


Book Description

Eutrophication, caused by phosphorus enrichment, is not a new environmental problem. The persistence of eutrophication in an era when many point-source phosphorus inputs have been curtailed has turned the focus of attention to agricultural phosphorus. A workshop was held in Ireland in 1995 to discuss factors controlling phosphorus losses to water from agriculture. This book presents the proceedings of the workshop and consists of 18 chapters by the invited speakers and three chapters with the 45 poster papers displayed at the workshop.




Clean Coastal Waters


Book Description

Environmental problems in coastal ecosystems can sometimes be attributed to excess nutrients flowing from upstream watersheds into estuarine settings. This nutrient over-enrichment can result in toxic algal blooms, shellfish poisoning, coral reef destruction, and other harmful outcomes. All U.S. coasts show signs of nutrient over-enrichment, and scientists predict worsening problems in the years ahead. Clean Coastal Waters explains technical aspects of nutrient over-enrichment and proposes both immediate local action by coastal managers and a longer-term national strategy incorporating policy design, classification of affected sites, law and regulation, coordination, and communication. Highlighting the Gulf of Mexico's "Dead Zone," the Pfiesteria outbreak in a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, and other cases, the book explains how nutrients work in the environment, why nitrogen is important, how enrichment turns into over-enrichment, and why some environments are especially susceptible. Economic as well as ecological impacts are examined. In addressing abatement strategies, the committee discusses the importance of monitoring sites, developing useful models of over-enrichment, and setting water quality goals. The book also reviews voluntary programs, mandatory controls, tax incentives, and other policy options for reducing the flow of nutrients from agricultural operations and other sources.




Water Quality


Book Description

This volume is of great importance to humans and other living organisms. The study of water quality draws information from a variety of disciplines including chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics, engineering, and resource management. University training in water quality is often limited to specialized courses in engineering, ecology, and fisheries curricula. This book also offers a basic understanding of water quality to professionals who are not formally trained in the subject. The revised third edition updates and expands the discussion, and incorporates additional figures and illustrative problems. Improvements include a new chapter on basic chemistry, a more comprehensive chapter on hydrology, and an updated chapter on regulations and standards. Because it employs only first-year college-level chemistry and very basic physics, the book is well-suited as the foundation for a general introductory course in water quality. It is equally useful as a guide for self-study and an in-depth resource for general readers.




Animal Manure


Book Description

The majority of meat, milk, and eggs consumed in the United States are produced in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO). With concentrated animal operations, in turn comes concentrated manure accumulation, which can pose a threat of contamination of air, soil, and water if improperly managed. Animal Manure: Production, Characteristics, Environmental Concerns, and Management navigates these important environmental concerns while detailing opportunities for environmentally and economically beneficial utilization.




Soils and Environmental Quality


Book Description

Aperpetual bestseller, this third edition remains the obvious choice for those instructors who strive to make their teaching applicable to contemporary issues. The three authors, all teaching professors distinguished in soil science, have updated this student favorite to include a greater number of even more relevant topics. Responding to requests, they have also placed an increased emphasis on management issues. As with previous editions, the third edition offers students in soil or environmental science an overview of soil science, hydrology, atmospheric chemistry, and pollutant classification. The text moves from the theoretical to the practical with an abundance of contemporary examples, such as an exploration of allowable pesticide concentrations in drinking water and an inquiry into soil contamination from the trace elements in organic by-products. Also considered are the use of soil carbon sequestration as a remedy for global climate change, and the effects of acid precipitation on forestation. NEW TO THE THIRD EDITION: · New chapters on nutrient management planning, and the environmental testing of soil, plants, water, and air · Additional and revised case studies that continue to relate academic content to real-life situations, while inspiring students with real –life challenges to solve · Eight-page color inset · Direct encouragement and links to fully access the Internet as a resource for the most up-to-date findings Always Relevant, Always Interesting The text also covers environmentally-related current events, fostering discussion of the political, economic, and regulatory aspects of environmental issues, the human side of environmental problems, the use and misuse of the scientific method, and potential bias in the presentation of facts. Students in soil science, environmental science, chemistry, biology, geology, and other disciplines will gain valuable insight from this multifaceted text.