The invisible pollutant: 200 million
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Most nitrogen is a harmless gas that makes up 78% of the air we breathe. Reactive forms of nitrogen are more of a challenge, such as those found in fertilisers essential to help our crops grow. When excess nitrogen escapes into the environment, it can become a major pollutant, damaging ecosystems, air quality and human health.
In this episode, Alice and Sue visit Whim Bog, a peatland research site 20 km south of Edinburgh that is globally unique and managed by UKCEH. There, site manager Dr Matt Jones explains how 25 years of research have revealed the impacts of nitrogen pollution on the environment.
Nearby at the woodland experiment site, Glencorse, Dr Ajinkya Deshpande discusses research on the effects of ammonia throughout the woodland canopy, including mosses and lichens. They also hear about a sister project in Sri Lanka investigating how tropical species respond to nitrogen pollution.
UKCEH environmental physicist Professor Mark Sutton highlights the global significance of the issue, explaining how changes to agricultural practices can reduce nitrogen losses to the environment while conserving resources and reducing pollution. He also outlines solutions that could help deliver a future where pollution mitigation and food security go hand in hand.
Hosts: Sue Nelson and Alice Hope
Producer: Rachael Buchanan
Counting the Earth is a Boffin Media Production for the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
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