The Big Impact
Amanda Moreno/Morgan Hankins
How do nitrogen-rich fertilizers impact the environment and the nitrogen cycle?
The Beginning of Fertilizers
In 1913, fertilizers came into the commercial business after a chemist refined the Harbor Process.
Some of the Effects
-The lakes are being clogged with aquatic weeds
-Nitrogen washes into the water ways causing a surplus of nutrients
-Algae clouds the water (making it green)
-Slimy algal scum coats shallow rocks
-Causes dead zones in the oceans (Lack of oxegyn, to low for animal survival)
-150 dead zones around the world
-Acid Rain and ground level ozone (pollutes the air)
What is Happening
Due to humans use of nitrogen and nitrogen-rich fertilizers, the Earth is slowly dying. There has been a growth in the amount of acid rain and the greenhouse effect, causing ground level o-zone and polluting our air.
Air
Just an example of what our air looks like in some places
Water
The fertilizers may only be a small part of why our Earth is polluted but that small impact makes a huge difference.
Acid Rain
The Acid Rain has eroded this statue.
The Aquatic Effect
In excess use of nitrogen-rich fertilizers in run off and ground water is causing bodies of water to be clogged with fecal pathogens, dropping in oxygen levels and killing aquatic life. There are 150 recorded dead zones throughout the worlds oceans.