Comments on: Nitrogen air pollution affects atmosphere, forests, water

By: Tommy

Tommy — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:08:26 +0000

Most aquatic ecosystems are Phosphorus limited, not Nitrogen limited. P is the key nutrient pollutant for surface waters.

Surprised there was no discussion of the impacts of CAFOs on the nitrogen cycle, particularly the addition of toxic nitrates to groundwater. All in all a bad article….not up to the usual quality of the GL Echo.

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By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:19:11 +0000

This is the biggest crock of bull I’ve ever read on this site. Start with a pair of unproven hypotheses, then work them 2 different ways and come up with conclusions that could mean different things. Therefore, the researchers get to keep their jobs because, obviously, more studies are needed. Throw in a few worms here, some suppressed wildfires there and it’s a true calamity. Nitrogen is 78% of the atmosphere. We are just going to have to accept living with it in its various forms.

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By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 23:24:39 +0000

Don’t forget the impact of green rain on wildfires. Sadly we’ll have to live with wild fires, as long as we refuse to acknowledge that not only carbon dioxide and temperature stimulates plant growth, but more important the increase of reactive nitrogen in the atmosphere. Although the atmosphere consists out of 80% nitrogen gas, this form of nitrogen is not available, due to the strong bond between the two atoms. Other forms, like nitrogen oxides and ammonia, many caused by human activities, are ‘reactive’ and can be used as fertilizer for plant growth, which will not happen when still part of the air. However, this will change when it rains and this reactive nitrogen is dissolved in the water and this “green’ rain will fertilize the plant growth where it comes down.
So during wet weather conditions you will get excessive growth, while during dry weather this growth (grasses and brush) will become kindle wood for the hard to control wild and range fires. Now often so hot that also large trees will catch fires and root systems are destroyed that keep the soil together. When it rains again this will cause soil erosion and in some locations, mud slides. These large nitrogen molecules in the air also cause global warming, but since that does not exist, neither does ‘green’ rain.

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By: David Poulson

David Poulson — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:57:04 +0000

The impact of the consumption of leaf litter by invasive earthworms is interesting. Most people think the worms are good for the environment. Few realize that they are an invasive species.
Echo reported on that issue here: http://greatlakesecho.org/2011/09/26/the-underground-master-of-invasive-species-%E2%80%93-earthworms/

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By: Harold

Harold — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:21:36 +0000

In regard to leaf litter, isn’t consumption of leaf litter by nonnative earthworms a greater threat than minimally decreased decomposition due to increased nitrogen? The only thing that seems clear is that there are no clear answers about various cause/effect relationships. But…that’s the nature of science. Our understanding of this blue marble is always evolving.

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