The Mediterranean region as a paradigm of the global decoupling of N and P between soils and freshwaters

The global socio-economic and agricultural expansion is accompanied by large inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on land and by a serious alteration of the water cycle and water quality. The Mediterranean basin represents a paradigmatic region to study the entangled nutrient and water challeng...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Romero, Estela|||0000-0003-3115-7572, Ludwig, Wolfgang, Sadaoui, Mahrez|||0000-0002-0736-5948, Lassaletta, Luis|||0000-0001-9428-2149, Bouwman, A. F.|||0000-0002-2045-1859, Beusen, Arthur|||0000-0003-0104-8615, van Apeldoorn, Dirk|||0000-0003-0636-1977, Sardans i Galobart, Jordi|||0000-0003-2478-0219, Janssens, Ivan|||0000-0002-5705-1787, Ciais, Philippe|||0000-0001-8560-4943, Obersteine, Michael, Peñuelas, Josep|||0000-0002-7215-0150
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:299964
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/299964
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1029/2020GB006874
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Climatic gradient
N, P biogeochemical cycles
Nutrient imbalances
Water management
Water scarcity
Descripción
Sumario:The global socio-economic and agricultural expansion is accompanied by large inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on land and by a serious alteration of the water cycle and water quality. The Mediterranean basin represents a paradigmatic region to study the entangled nutrient and water challenges because the region, where many of the world's climatic and socio-economic gradients are present, is predicted to suffer severe water stress in the coming decades yet at the same time agricultural intensification and population are increasing in many rim countries. We here describe the biogeochemical budgets of N and P in 549 river basins for the 2000-2009 period, analyzing how the climatic gradient and water management practices affect the fluxes of N and P and their stoichiometric ratios. Average land inputs are 3,600 kg N km-2 yr-1 and 470 kg P km-2 yr-1, with a significant variation between basins (.