Reducing phosphorus losses from agricultural land to surface water

• Published in: Current opinion in biotechnology Vol. 89; p. 103181
• Main Authors: McDowell, Richard W, Haygarth, Philip M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2024
• Subjects: agricultural land; algae; biotechnology; cost effectiveness; Europe; eutrophication; intensive farming; people; phosphorus; remediation; runoff; soil; subsurface flow; surface water; topography; Europe

Phosphorus (P) enrichment of water impairs its quality by stimulating algal growth and eutrophication, affecting an estimated 1.7 billion people. Remediation costs are substantial, estimated at $1 billion annually in Europe and $2.4 billion in the USA. Agricultural intensification over the past 50 y...