4:45 PM - 5:00 PM
[ACG39-12] Research on terrestrial ecosystems necessary for achieving the sustainable nitrogen use
★Invited Papers
Keywords:Sustainability, Nitrogen, Nitrogen pollution, Nitrogen management, Nitrogen cycling, Nitrogen issue
Human activity has created serious global environmental issues such as the climate change due to global warming by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, and the mass extinction due to heavy land use changes and natural resource consumption. Climate change is one of the top priority issues, which is approximated as “carbon issue” because of the largest contribution of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, substances other than carbon are also deeply involved in the global environmental issues including climate change. Nitrogen (N) is the best example.
Reactive N (Nr, N compounds other than dinitrogen [N2]) anthropogenically created from N2 has provided human great benefits as fertilizers and materials since the initiation of the Haber–Bosch process in earth 20th century. However, huge amount of Nr is lost to the environment from human society because of its low N use efficiency, ca. 20 % for the whole system, that causes N pollution via global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, air pollution, water pollution, eutrophication, and acidification and then threatens human and ecosystem health. This is the tradeoff called “N issue”. A new usage of ammonia as fuel is highlighted very recently with respect to decarbonization; however, combusted ammonia turns to nitrogen oxides causing air pollution. The N issue is a comprehensive problem covering many environmental issues. A measure to address an issue might worsen other issue(s). We need to gather expertise on each issue to create collective intelligence to address the various issues totally. Based on this principle, sustainable nitrogen use, maintaining the benefits of nitrogen use and mitigating the threats of nitrogen pollution, should be achieved.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UK Centre of Ecology and Hydrology have implemented the International Nitrogen Management System project (INMS; October 2017–June 2023; https://www.inms.international/) to connect scientific knowledge with international policy The presenter has been contributing to INMS as co-leads of several activities and an editor of the International Nitrogen Assessment scheduled for publication in the mid 2023. It is expected that the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2; 28 February–2 March 2022) organized by UNEP will adopt the resolution of sustainable N management that suggests halving the global N waste by 2030 and establishing the Inter-convention Nitrogen Coordination Mechanism (INCOM).
Terrestrial ecosystems are closely related to the N issue as a source of Nr (arable lands in particular), a converter of Nr to N2 (depuration of N pollution), and endpoints of N pollution (biodiversity and ecological functions). What is necessary research to fill the knowledge gaps on the N issue? The following three aspects will be discussed in the presentation; 1, ability of N2 creation from Nr via denitrification and anammox; 2, unknowns in the N cycling within terrestrial ecosystems, atmosphere–land interactions, and terrestrial–aquatic interactions; and 3, response of terrestrial ecosystems to too much or too little N. Themes common to the three aspects are to expand point data to areal information, to link observation with numerical modeling, and to apply remote sensing technology to research on terrestrial N cycling.
It is necessary to create collective intelligence to address the N issue, that cannot be achieved by a single discipline, by cooperating with research groups digging their expertise deeply and a research group that comprehends the findings and identifies knowledge gaps in a manner of interdisciplinarity. A framework of “pan-project” that connects ongoing programs and projects might be effective. The presenter has been forming an inter- and trans-disciplinary project funded by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature. He is looking forward to discussing with participants and expecting future collaborations.
Reactive N (Nr, N compounds other than dinitrogen [N2]) anthropogenically created from N2 has provided human great benefits as fertilizers and materials since the initiation of the Haber–Bosch process in earth 20th century. However, huge amount of Nr is lost to the environment from human society because of its low N use efficiency, ca. 20 % for the whole system, that causes N pollution via global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, air pollution, water pollution, eutrophication, and acidification and then threatens human and ecosystem health. This is the tradeoff called “N issue”. A new usage of ammonia as fuel is highlighted very recently with respect to decarbonization; however, combusted ammonia turns to nitrogen oxides causing air pollution. The N issue is a comprehensive problem covering many environmental issues. A measure to address an issue might worsen other issue(s). We need to gather expertise on each issue to create collective intelligence to address the various issues totally. Based on this principle, sustainable nitrogen use, maintaining the benefits of nitrogen use and mitigating the threats of nitrogen pollution, should be achieved.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UK Centre of Ecology and Hydrology have implemented the International Nitrogen Management System project (INMS; October 2017–June 2023; https://www.inms.international/) to connect scientific knowledge with international policy The presenter has been contributing to INMS as co-leads of several activities and an editor of the International Nitrogen Assessment scheduled for publication in the mid 2023. It is expected that the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2; 28 February–2 March 2022) organized by UNEP will adopt the resolution of sustainable N management that suggests halving the global N waste by 2030 and establishing the Inter-convention Nitrogen Coordination Mechanism (INCOM).
Terrestrial ecosystems are closely related to the N issue as a source of Nr (arable lands in particular), a converter of Nr to N2 (depuration of N pollution), and endpoints of N pollution (biodiversity and ecological functions). What is necessary research to fill the knowledge gaps on the N issue? The following three aspects will be discussed in the presentation; 1, ability of N2 creation from Nr via denitrification and anammox; 2, unknowns in the N cycling within terrestrial ecosystems, atmosphere–land interactions, and terrestrial–aquatic interactions; and 3, response of terrestrial ecosystems to too much or too little N. Themes common to the three aspects are to expand point data to areal information, to link observation with numerical modeling, and to apply remote sensing technology to research on terrestrial N cycling.
It is necessary to create collective intelligence to address the N issue, that cannot be achieved by a single discipline, by cooperating with research groups digging their expertise deeply and a research group that comprehends the findings and identifies knowledge gaps in a manner of interdisciplinarity. A framework of “pan-project” that connects ongoing programs and projects might be effective. The presenter has been forming an inter- and trans-disciplinary project funded by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature. He is looking forward to discussing with participants and expecting future collaborations.