Nature Communications (Sep 2020)

Global phosphorus shortage will be aggravated by soil erosion

  • Christine Alewell,
  • Bruno Ringeval,
  • Cristiano Ballabio,
  • David A. Robinson,
  • Panos Panagos,
  • Pasquale Borrelli

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18326-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Phosphorus is an essential nutrient critical for agriculture, but because it is non-renewable its future availability is threatened. Here the authors show that across the globe most nations have net losses of phosphorus, with soil erosion as the major route of loss in Europe, Africa and South America.