Nitrogen Deposition and Terrestrial Biodiversity

Nitrogen deposition, along with habitat loss and climate change, constitute a major threat to Earth's biodiversity. Fossil fuel combustion and modern agriculture add more nitrogen to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems than all natural processes combined. Because nitrogen often limits productivity, this enrichment it likely to have major ecological impacts. In terrestrial ecosystems, nitrogen deposition can lead to increased growth of often weedy species, cation depletion in the soil, nutrient imbalances in plant tissue, and soil acidification among other effects. These processes often reduce plant biodiversity and homogenize communities, which can propagate through food webs and impact entire ecosystems.