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nitrogen cycle
Trends
- 1Soil nitrogen vanishing faster than scientists assumed, isotopes suggest●We thought nitrogen stayed put, but isotopic clues reveal it's vanishing from our soils faster than we guessed. #Science
Researchers analysing natural 15N15N isotope abundances report that nitrogen is leaving soils faster than previously believed, challenging the long-held view that soil nitrogen largely stays in place. The isotopic evidence points to losses that current estimates may have underestimated, with implications for fertiliser use, agriculture and the global nitrogen cycle.
- 2Rare molecules reveal how nitrogen vanishes from ecosystems●How do scientists measure nitrogen disappearing from an ecosystem? A new Science study co-authored by SETI Institute Sen
A new study in Science co-authored by SETI Institute Senior Research Scientist Dale Andersen shows that rare nitrogen molecules containing two heavy isotopes can directly measure biological nitrogen loss in ecosystems. The method lets scientists trace denitrification across lakes, aquifers, and coastal waters, offering a clearer picture of how nitrogen cycles through and leaves natural systems.