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Hotspots of nitrogen deposition in the world's urban areas: a global data synthesis
Author(s) -
Decina Stephen M,
Hutyra Lucy R,
Templer Pamela H
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
frontiers in ecology and the environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.918
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1540-9309
pISSN - 1540-9295
DOI - 10.1002/fee.2143
Subject(s) - deposition (geology) , ecosystem , urbanization , geography , china , environmental science , urban ecosystem , rural area , environmental chemistry , environmental protection , ecology , chemistry , biology , medicine , archaeology , pathology , paleontology , sediment
Human activities have altered the global nitrogen (N) cycle, elevating rates of atmospheric N deposition up to tenfold above pre‐industrial levels, with consequences for ecosystem function and human health. To date, most N deposition studies have been carried out in rural areas; however, there has been a recent surge of N deposition studies conducted in urban ecosystems due to the increased recognition that humans are greatly altering the N cycle in these environments. We synthesized data from 174 publications over a period of 40 years that examined rates of N deposition in urban and nearby rural areas worldwide. Results of this meta‐analysis help to quantify urban N deposition, demonstrate that total N deposition in cities is predominately composed of chemically reduced – as opposed to oxidized – forms of N like ammonia, and identify regional hotspots of urban N deposition, particularly in China. These findings highlight the need to examine and address the N cycle in cities as the world continues to urbanize.