Lecture

Atmospheric Deposition of Nitrogen

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Description

This lecture explores the past and future changes in atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and its consequences on ecosystems. It discusses the impact of human activities on nitrogen inputs to terrestrial and marine ecosystems, focusing on eutrophication, acidification, and atmospheric acidity. The lecture also covers global chemistry-transport modeling studies on the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen, the role of atmospheric acidity, and the potential consequences for ecosystems. Recent efforts in improving global atmospheric deposition data through measurement-model fusion activities are also highlighted.

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Biology

Ecology: Ecosystems

Related concepts (32)

Aquatic ecosystem

An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem found in and around a body of water, in contrast to land-based terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems contain communities of organisms—aquatic life—that are dependent on each other and on their environment. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems may be lentic (slow moving water, including pools, ponds, and lakes); lotic (faster moving water, for example streams and rivers); and wetlands (areas where the soil is saturated or inundated for at least part of the time).

Marine ecosystem

Marine ecosystems are the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems and exist in waters that have a high salt content. These systems contrast with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover more than 70% of the surface of the Earth and account for more than 97% of Earth's water supply and 90% of habitable space on Earth. Seawater has an average salinity of 35 parts per thousand of water. Actual salinity varies among different marine ecosystems.

Ecosystem

An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the system through photosynthesis and is incorporated into plant tissue. By feeding on plants and on one another, animals play an important role in the movement of matter and energy through the system. They also influence the quantity of plant and microbial biomass present.

River ecosystem

River ecosystems are flowing waters that drain the landscape, and include the biotic (living) interactions amongst plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and chemical interactions of its many parts. River ecosystems are part of larger watershed networks or catchments, where smaller headwater streams drain into mid-size streams, which progressively drain into larger river networks. The major zones in river ecosystems are determined by the river bed's gradient or by the velocity of the current.

Eutrophication

Eutrophication is the process by which an entire body of water, or parts of it, becomes progressively enriched with minerals and nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. It has also been defined as "nutrient-induced increase in phytoplankton productivity". Water bodies with very low nutrient levels are termed oligotrophic and those with moderate nutrient levels are termed mesotrophic. Advanced eutrophication may also be referred to as dystrophic and hypertrophic conditions.

Related lectures (38)

Plant Nutrient Flows: Impacts of Global Change

Covers elemental ecology, nitrogen deposition impacts on tree growth, and experimental insights into nitrogen flows in grasslands.

Anoxia in (sur)face environments

Delves into the effects of anoxia in surface environments, discussing organic matter decay, eutrophication, water stratification, and redox zonation.

Nitrogen Cycle: Understanding Its Processes and Impacts

Covers the nitrogen cycle, its processes, and the impact of human activities on nitrogen levels in the environment.

Sediments, an archive of water quality

Delves into how lake sediments archive water quality and pollution history, offering valuable insights for historical and archaeological studies.

ReCLEAN: Nitrogen Impacts and Climate Nexus