Soil Acidification

Model-Based Analysis of the Long-Term Effects of Fertilization Management on Cropland Soil Acidification, Zeng, M., W. de Vries, L.T.C. Bonten, Q. Zhu, T. Hao, X. Liu, M. Xu, X. Shi, F. Zhang, and J. Shen, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2017, 51 (7), pp 3843–3851, Publication Date (Web): March 6, 2017 (Article), DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b05491.

An important topic within Chapter 18 are issues related to soil acidification. This paper investigates agricultural soil acidification in China related to the over-application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers. The authors goal is to understand better the long-term impacts of different fertilization practices on intensive cropland soil acidification, which are largely unknown.

Environmental problems associated with soils

Nitrogen pollution and source identification in the Haicheng River basin in northeast China, Bu H., W. Meng, Y. Zhang, Science of the Total Environment 409 (2011) 3394–3402 (Published by Elsevier, June 2011)

This paper is similar in nature to our section discussing nitrate pollution from agriculture in the United Kingdom. This recent paper (or case study) nicely identifies the various sources of nitrogen, including chemical nitrogen fertilizers, animal wastes, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater and their seasonal influences.