The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075)
Management of the non-renewable resource phosphorus (P) is critical to agricultural sustainability. The global P cycle is currently disturbed beyond planetary boundaries, mostly due to large excess P use in the agriculture of industrialized countries, while P is lacking in the Global South. The traj...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2020-01-01
|
| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab82cc |
| _version_ | 1797747522672787456 |
|---|---|
| author | J Le Noë N Roux G Billen S Gingrich K -H. Erb F Krausmann V Thieu M Silvestre J Garnier |
| author_facet | J Le Noë N Roux G Billen S Gingrich K -H. Erb F Krausmann V Thieu M Silvestre J Garnier |
| author_sort | J Le Noë |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Management of the non-renewable resource phosphorus (P) is critical to agricultural sustainability. The global P cycle is currently disturbed beyond planetary boundaries, mostly due to large excess P use in the agriculture of industrialized countries, while P is lacking in the Global South. The trajectories of P management and their effects on future sustainable agriculture were investigated for the case of France from 1850 to 2015 based on empirical data and simulations of two coupled biogeochemical models. Here we show that while French cropland soils have accumulated significant amounts of P, mainly sourced from former colonies or protectorates, P reserves in grassland soils have been depleted. Scenario calculations indicate that current P reserves may on average allow for another 60 years of agricultural production without mineral P application. In the light of a possible upcoming P scarcity, this time frame offers an opportunity for a transition towards regionally closed P loops and enhanced sustainability, allowing for fairer international distribution of P resources in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:51:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5dfa84cf7cd848cc888bf0e27e0e58fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:51:48Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-5dfa84cf7cd848cc888bf0e27e0e58fb2023-08-09T15:06:57ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262020-01-0115606402210.1088/1748-9326/ab82ccThe phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075)J Le Noë0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8816-5800N Roux1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4758-4870G Billen2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4413-4169S Gingrich3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7891-8688K -H. Erb4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8335-4159F Krausmann5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9995-2372V Thieu6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5753-8624M Silvestre7J Garnier8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9416-9242Milieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les Hydrosystèmes et les Sols, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , EPHE, Paris, France; Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Vienna, AustriaMilieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les Hydrosystèmes et les Sols, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , EPHE, Paris, France; Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Vienna, AustriaMilieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les Hydrosystèmes et les Sols, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , EPHE, Paris, FranceInstitute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Vienna, AustriaMilieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les Hydrosystèmes et les Sols, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , EPHE, Paris, FranceFédération Ile-de-France de Recherche pour l’Environnement (FIRE FR 3020), CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Paris, FranceMilieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les Hydrosystèmes et les Sols, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , EPHE, Paris, FranceManagement of the non-renewable resource phosphorus (P) is critical to agricultural sustainability. The global P cycle is currently disturbed beyond planetary boundaries, mostly due to large excess P use in the agriculture of industrialized countries, while P is lacking in the Global South. The trajectories of P management and their effects on future sustainable agriculture were investigated for the case of France from 1850 to 2015 based on empirical data and simulations of two coupled biogeochemical models. Here we show that while French cropland soils have accumulated significant amounts of P, mainly sourced from former colonies or protectorates, P reserves in grassland soils have been depleted. Scenario calculations indicate that current P reserves may on average allow for another 60 years of agricultural production without mineral P application. In the light of a possible upcoming P scarcity, this time frame offers an opportunity for a transition towards regionally closed P loops and enhanced sustainability, allowing for fairer international distribution of P resources in the future.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab82ccphosphoruslegacyagriculturemodellingtrajectoriesscenario |
| spellingShingle | J Le Noë N Roux G Billen S Gingrich K -H. Erb F Krausmann V Thieu M Silvestre J Garnier The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075) Environmental Research Letters phosphorus legacy agriculture modelling trajectories scenario |
| title | The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075) |
| title_full | The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075) |
| title_fullStr | The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075) |
| title_short | The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850–2075) |
| title_sort | phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro ecological transition france 1850 2075 |
| topic | phosphorus legacy agriculture modelling trajectories scenario |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab82cc |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jlenoe thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT nroux thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT gbillen thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT sgingrich thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT kherb thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT fkrausmann thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT vthieu thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT msilvestre thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT jgarnier thephosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT jlenoe phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT nroux phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT gbillen phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT sgingrich phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT kherb phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT fkrausmann phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT vthieu phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT msilvestre phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 AT jgarnier phosphoruslegacyoffersopportunitiesforagroecologicaltransitionfrance18502075 |