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Updated: May 19, 2026
10:49
Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading
Published on: March 6, 2014
Net anthropogenic phosphorus inputs (NAPI) index application in Mainland China
Yuguo Han1, Xinxiao Yu, Xiaoxue Wang
1School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China. yghan@bjfu.edu.cn
Chemosphere
|August 16, 2012
Summary
Net anthropogenic phosphorus input (NAPI) in China increased from 1981 to 2009, driven by population and economic growth. Fertilizer use is the largest phosphorus source, with significant regional variations.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Biogeochemistry
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Phosphorus (P) is a critical nutrient, and understanding its anthropogenic inputs is vital for environmental management.
- Previous studies have highlighted the growing phosphorus footprint, necessitating detailed regional assessments.
- Anthropogenic effects on nutrient cycles, particularly phosphorus, require continuous monitoring and analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a new understanding of phosphorus sources and their contribution to net anthropogenic phosphorus input (NAPI).
- To establish a foundation for exploring anthropogenic effects on phosphorus input.
- To analyze trends and geographical variations in NAPI across Mainland China.
Main Methods:
- Estimation of NAPI based on an inventory of phosphorus fertilizer use, food and feed consumption, and net flux of non-food phosphorus.
- Analysis of temporal trends in NAPI from 1981 to 2009.
- Geographical analysis of NAPI per unit area and per person across Mainland China.
Main Results:
- NAPI in Mainland China showed a significant upward trend from 1981 to 2009, correlating with population and economic development.
- Phosphorus fertilizer was the dominant source of NAPI (57.35-83.73%), followed by non-food P and P in food/feed.
- Significant geographical disparities in NAPI were observed, with higher input per area in the southeast and higher input per person in Tibet.
Conclusions:
- Total population is the primary factor influencing changes in NAPI.
- The year 2000 marked a critical transition point for phosphorus balance, shifting towards net output.
- Declining grain production rate per unit of fertilizer suggests potential inefficiencies in phosphorus utilization.
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01:21The Phosphorus Cycle
Unlike carbon, water, and nitrogen, phosphorus is not present in the atmosphere as a gas. Instead, most phosphorus in the ecosystem exists as compounds, such as phosphate ions (PO43-), found in soil, water, sediment and rocks. Phosphorus is often a limiting nutrient (i.e., in short supply). Consequently, phosphorus is added to most agricultural fertilizers, which can cause environmental problems related to runoff in aquatic ecosystems.
01:42Phosphoinositides and PIPs
Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing a glycerol backbone with two fatty acid chains and a phosphate attached to a myoinositol sugar ring. The inositol head group extends into the cytoplasm, where it is modified by adding phosphate groups to form phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs.
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
01:06Primary Production
The total amount of energy acquired by primary producers in an ecosystem is called gross primary production (GPP). However, of this energy, producers use some for metabolic processes, and some is lost as heat, decreasing the amount of energy available to the next trophic level. The remaining usable amount of energy is called the net primary productivity (NPP). In terrestrial ecosystems, NPP is driven by climate, while light penetration and nutrient availability drive NPP in aquatic ecosystems.