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Ecosystem services altered by human changes in the nitrogen cycle: a new perspective for US decision making
Author(s) -
Compton Jana E.,
Harrison John A.,
Dennis Robin L.,
Greaver Tara L.,
Hill Brian H.,
Jordan Stephen J.,
Walker Henry,
Campbell Holly V.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01631.x
Subject(s) - ecosystem services , environmental science , ecosystem , recreation , damages , biodiversity , environmental resource management , clean water act , bay , ecosystem health , productivity , clean air act , business , water quality , natural resource economics , air pollution , ecology , geography , biology , economics , macroeconomics , archaeology , political science , law
Ecology Letters (2011) 14 : 804–815 Abstract Human alteration of the nitrogen (N) cycle has produced benefits for health and well‐being, but excess N has altered many ecosystems and degraded air and water quality. US regulations mandate protection of the environment in terms that directly connect to ecosystem services. Here, we review the science quantifying effects of N on key ecosystem services, and compare the costs of N‐related impacts or mitigation using the metric of cost per unit of N. Damage costs to the provision of clean air, reflected by impaired human respiratory health, are well characterized and fairly high (e.g. costs of ozone and particulate damages of $28 per kg NO x ‐N). Damage to services associated with productivity, biodiversity, recreation and clean water are less certain and although generally lower, these costs are quite variable (< $2.2–56 per kg N). In the current Chesapeake Bay restoration effort, for example, the collection of available damage costs clearly exceeds the projected abatement costs to reduce N loads to the Bay ($8–15 per kg N). Explicit consideration and accounting of effects on multiple ecosystem services provides decision‐makers an integrated view of N sources, damages and abatement costs to address the significant challenges associated with reducing N pollution.