IMPACT OF EXCESSIVE NITROGEN FERTILIZERS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND

ASSOCIATED MITIGATION STRATEGIES.

Muhammad.Tariq Bashir 1, , Salmiaton Binti Ali1*, Moinuddin Ghauri 2Azni Adris 1,Razif Haroon1

1
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang,

Selangor, Malaysia 2Department of Chemical Engineering, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Defence

Road, Off Raiwind Road, Lahore-Pakistan

ABSTRACT

The soaring rise in the anthropological production of nitrogen (N) fertilizers has been notable in
the field of crop production. Despite several advantages the world is deriving from the use of
reactive N, many environmental hazards including water and soil acidification, pollution of
groundwater surface and other water mineral resources and accelerated ozone depletion have
arisen as a result of the recurring use of excessive environmental N. The purpose of this paper is
to highlight the impact of N in the environment. In addition, mention is made of management
practices, such as manure storage and handling solutions, livestock management, pasture
management for reduced N losses, balanced N application rates, proper irrigation strategies,
efficient N cycling at the field level, runoff, drainage and wastewater management and other
mitigation strategies. Conclusively, the use of Varian’s Mathematical model, a model that
dutifully delineates system theory in deterring over-fertilization will be considered.

KEYWORDS: Atmospheric Deposition, Wet Deposition, Watershed, Nitrate, excessive-

fertilization

INTRODUCTION

It is quite unmysterious that humans have profoundly altered the global nitrogen (N) cycle in an

effort to feed a growing population of over 7 billion people, because nitrogen is an essential plant

and animal nutrient. The friendly friendship of agricultural and industrial effluents, have

increased the amount of reactive nitrogen circulating annually on land arithmetically. Nitrogen is

1
a significant natural element, essential for the growth and survival of plants and animal. In

reactive form, it is added to agricultural production processes with animal feedstuffs. Also, as

fertilizers, its application is of immense usage to crops and pastures. Virtually, it is capable of

being fixed through biological processes by certain plants, a technique which is as old as nature.

Resultantly, the presence of nitrogen fertilizer in the agricultural system actually raises

agricultural products above reproach, or essentially, agricultural products have become markedly

marketable in recent years. Excess of nitrogen is egested into the environment in reactive forms –

such as nitrate (NO3), ammonia (NH3), and nitrogen oxides (NOx and N2O). The dissemination of

these effluents into the air, aquatic systems and soils, results in an avalanche of hazards such as

surface and ground water eutrophication, acidification of soils, air quality degradation, and

enhancement of global climate change, impairing human and environmental health. Despite the

colossal volume of books and other useful publications that have been written on the danger of

reactive N, yet there is not a satisfactory solution to this ‘necessary evil’. Therefore, nitrogen

pollution remains a monumental challenge to the global environment and to the policy makers in

both industrialized and developing countries (Giles, 2005, Tilman et al., 2001). Governmental

involvement has had very little impact on the use of reactive N. In actual fact, the rule of law has

not actually been an effective deterrent to this overt misnomer. Today, a very good proportion of

human managed land and waterways is dedicated to agriculture (Rost et al, 2009; Malagnoux,

2007) and the increase in global fertilizer production and use over the last century has immensely

capacitated agricultural production to tower above the ever-increasing needs for food, fibre and

energy of a widening population, but sadly, it is often accompanied by escorts vicious to the

environment.. Attempt at surmounting low yield has fostered and fueled the intensification of

production systems, occasioning new challenges ranging from soil deterioration and erosion to

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loss of biovariegation and pollution of drinking water (de Klein & Monaghan, 2011,). Notably,

excessive nitrogen (N) in the environment is a global calamity which calls for global concern

(Stark & Richards, 2008).. Although arguably other factors contribute to this mayhem, yet

agriculture stands head and shoulder above them, especially, it chiefly causes climate change

through the emission of green house gases and leaching. . It is not only the case that agricultural

production is basically carried out on the wings of soils; they also form the terminal between

agricultural activities, water and atmosphere. The perspicacious maintenance of this bond is a

cogent factor in determining and manipulating the extent of N loss from agricultural systems

(Stark & Richards, 2008).

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH EXCESSIVE N IN THE ENVIRONMENT

The long term effect of excess application of N often results in the eutrophication of surface

water, a problem popularly known to be highly noxious to water-bodies. Drainage canal have

been a vehicle for the conveyance of nitrate and Phosphate effluents from paddy fields into rivers

and lakes.. It is usually noticeable when paddling dispenses ponded water. Though percolation

has purifying tendencies through soil layers, however, leaching maneuvers its way out and

proves a massive deterrent of the system. . Traditional fixation of nitrogen biologically is a

technique which though friendly to the environment, yet cannot cope with the present increasing

demand for food; resultantly, in order to better the yield of agricultural crops, addition of N

fertilizer to agricultural ecosystems has been resorted to, which has witnessed a tragic increase in

the last 50 years (Altieri et al., 2012). This agricultural practice has markedly modified the N

cycle. It is a recurring cycle. High inputs have been followed by large outputs. Losses of N form

agricultural system have been largely through leaching.. ; As a result, , N is now considered an

3
incalculable contaminant..Despite the beneficial role synthetic N fertilizers have played in

fostering the increase of agricultural crop and livestock production, there are undeniable facts

showing the destructive effects of excessive usage of N in the environment, world over.

Excessive rainfall and irrigation are the two friendly factors furthering fertilizer farther into the

soil beyond the reach of the root zone. Successful succession seals the contamination of the

groundwater. Rain and irrigation, the highly prized harbingers of groundwater contamination,

occasions the nitrate fertilizers on the surface of the soil to react, the reaction causes some

nitrogen loss to the atmosphere (Compton et al. 2011). Luo et al (2010) also concedes the fact

that natural efforts such as heavy watering and rainfall of good magnitude also wash away

excess surface nitrate fertilizer, polluting waterways Hypoxia (low levels of dissolved oxygen),

relative to algal bloom , is noted to be caused by excessive levels of nitrates in waterways, can

even become toxic to warm-blooded animals at higher concentrations (10 mg/L) or higher) if

unchecked (Boman et al., 2002; Steinman et al., 2007). Explicably, the deluging detriment of

overt environmental N are acidification of soils and water resources, eutrophication of coastal

marine ecosystems, loss of biodiversity in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and deterioration of

N-loving weeds, skyrocketed greenhouse gas levels due to emissions of N2O, lessening of

stratospheric ozone, overt ozone-induced injury to crop, forest and other ecosystems, and

increased atmospheric cloudiness and production of airborne particulate matter (Howarth et al,

2002). It has been the uniform assertion of all that much damage is infiltrating the environment,

though stealthily, by the prime presence of excessive N. Research during the last few decades has

brought about an illumination touching the consociation of nitrogen inputs and nitrogen demand

by plant communities, a towering tenet which will someday bring about the emancipation of our

beloved environment. Nitrogen generally fuels and facilitates the good growth of plants, but

4
plant species have differing nitrogen-response value, due to their inherent growth rates

dichotomy and their responses to other associated changes, such as acidification and nutrient

imbalances As it appears, every farmer must be seriously schooled in the salient art of fertilizer

application, most importantly, rate of fertilizer needed by plants relative to their proper

functioning must be ascertained, without hampering the health of the environment.

Impact of N loss on water for consumption

. Nitrogen, is no doubt the most essential element for plant growth and animal nutrition,. Nitrate

(NO3-) is the major inorganic form of N in most soils. This radical is quite bonds not with the

predominantly negatively charged soil colloids, therefore, it enjoys much mobility in soil

water. .Excessive application of Nitrogen to soils beyond plant uptake and upkeep evidently

results in high level of NO3 in groundwater through leaching. Elevated concentrations of NO3 in

drinking water may lead to methemoglobinemia in infants, the formation of carcinogenic

nitrosamines in the human stomach, and hypertension (U.S. EPA, 1990). . It was also seen that

NO3 led the van of contaminants, with 52% of a 94,600 community water systems testing

positive to detectable concentrations and 1.2% exceeding the drinking water standard of 10 mg

NO3-N per liter (10 ppm).Furthermore, Nielsen et al (1982) reported that nitrogen loss to surface

water may occur as direct runoff, or by infiltration through the root zone and discharge to surface

water through seepage or tile-drainage systems. In the former case, most of the N is in

ammonium form, and N loss is enhanced with reduced soil infiltration capacity, steeper

topography, increased N concentration at the soil surface from manure and fertilizer application,

and a limited riparian zone. In the latter case, most of the N is in nitrate form, and the factors

which enhance surface-water contamination include high fertilizer or manure application rates,

cropping systems with low efficiency of N utilization, and tile drainage systems. Generally,

5
much damage has been done by the use of reactive N to the water bodies as a whole (Nielsen et

al (1982). Fenn et al (2003) also noted that excessive nitrogen has some deleterious effects in

Domestic Water Supplies.. Admittedly, excessive concentration of Nitrogen is risky to surface

water, by and large, it stealthily culminates into algae and aquatic plants preponderancy and

proliferation, thus endangering the whole aquatic life. Algae bloom, the heinous harbinger of

hypoxia has been found relatively exorbitant to expel and difficult to deter. (Lee et al, 1980)

argued that planktonic algae surely shortens filter runs and releases organic compounds that

cause tastes and odors, sometimes, these compounds pointedly presage trihalomethane (THM)

and haloacetic acid (HAA),the former is a chloroform-like compound while the latter is a

chlorinated organic acid.

Impact of N loss on air

The quantification in the air of emissions or emission rates from point and non-point sources has

attracted a lot of attention by researchers in the developed countries. Yet, the accurate

quantification of these emissions is difficult since so many factors (time of year and day,

temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar intensity and other weather conditions and fertilizer

properties or characteristics) in concert play roles in the generation and dispersion of these

emission. Most nitrogenous fertilizer manufacturing facilities emit air typically consisting of

greenhouse gases (GHGs – typically CO2 and NO), sundry emissions and other gaseous

inorganic compounds, especially particulate matter less than 10 microns in aerodynamic

diameter (PM10) from drilling are considered to be very noxious to the atmosphere. Process

emissions from ammonia plants consisting mainly of natural gas, hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide

(CO2), Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) , ammonia (NH3), and carbon monoxide (CO), diffuses into the

atmosphere thus leaving a trail behind. Fugitive emissions of NH 3 from storage tanks, valves,

6
flanges, it eventually get into the environment by some natural processes thus contaminating the

environment. Again, emission data for contaminants such as nitrous oxide is still quite

unsubstantive, there are no standardized methods for the collection, measurement and calculation

of such constituents, occasioning significant variability and large ranges in the published

literature (Casey et al., 2006). Non-routine emissions associated with process upsets or accidents

have the possibility of polluting the atmosphere (EPA, 2005). The effects of reactive nitrogen on

Ozone are profound, heightening havoc at every elevation. The escalating effects of N 2O are seen

hitherto, fostering the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere (Field, 2004). Once it diffuses into

the atmosphere, other nitrogen gases such as NO x and ammonia concertedly generate particulates

having the capability to penetrate deep into the lungs, contributing to respiratory and other

systemic diseases. NOx, which results from the application of nitrogen fertilizers, burning of

biomass and fossil fuels, contributes to the formation of smog and ground-level ozone which

itself is a lung irritant. Nitrogen oxide is vastly inherent in urban or industrial air pollution,

which tends to cause the irritation of human lung tissues and lowers resistance to influenza or

other respiratory infections (Bernard et al., 2001). In areas like the northeastern United States

where automobiles is chiefly predominant than do agriculture, oxidized forms of nitrogen is

increasingly being released into the atmosphere (EPA, 2005). Elevated ozone levels also hamper

plant leaves and lead to a decline in crop yields (Wang et al., 2007). Without much ado, it is

undoubted that the atmosphere is seriously suffering from pollutants with traces of nitrogen

related compounds.

Impact of N loss on aquatic systems

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The advent of synthetic fertilizers earlier in the 20th century practically was a boon to

agricultural production, yet it is not without its bane (Miller, 2006). Runoff and leaching from

agricultural lands, proximate to surface waters, can deteriorate surface water quality (Tilman et

al., 2002; Carter, 2000). If channelized flow develops, surface flow of runoff water encounters

very negligible filtration before discharge into adjacent waters, also subsurface flow in

groundwater seeps into the adjacent surface water body, thus releasing massive amount of

nitrates and other noxious compound into the waterways, if combined with sulfate, it results in

an episodic acidification of streams (Cestti et al., 2003). Advantageously, if water containing

NO3- flows into a wetland, some very good amounts of N can be denitrified by natural processes

and lost to the atmosphere subsequently reducing N levels reaching the adjacent surface waters

(Evanylo & Beegle, 2006). Cultural eutrophication persistently hampers the nutrient retention

capacity of impoundments because of the urge for urbanization in the tropics. That is also why

atmospheric deposition of nitrogen in some ecosystems may stimulate the unhealthy growth of

some plants at the expense of others. Freshwater streams, ponds, and lakes rapidly respond to the

water and chemical inputs from rainstorms and snowmelt, this surface reaction has some intrinsic

effect on the aquatic system. Rarely, when the ground is frozen, some headwater streams carry a

measure of nitrate, sulfate, and acidity providentially resulting from rain or melting snow.

Typically, precipitation soaks into the ground inducing nitrate and ammonium into the nitrogen

cycle, in the presence of some physical and chemical decomposition of some plant and animal

debris. The role of Nitrogen in this complex cycle is controlled by factors such as soil type,

temperature, microbial activity, and plant needs. Researchers have found that years of nitrogen

deposition does have a cumulative effect on the amount of nitrogen carried by stream flow from

8
some watersheds (Strassler et al., 1999). Rainstorms and snowmelt can flush accumulated nitrate

from soils into these streams.

N loss: Its effects on human and animal systems

Human needs have drastically altered the nitrogen cycle resulting in unintended impacts on

climate, ecosystem functions, and human health (Galloway et al., 2002; Compton et al., 2011).. It

is undeniably true that nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ammonia (NH3) in the atmosphere chemically

and physically coalesce, leading to serious human health problems .Eventually, these compounds

settle out of the atmosphere and deposit into ecosystems. NOx has been noticed to drive the

photochemical production of ozone, a powerful oxidant that has been statistically associated with

health impacts. This is an issue interfacing air quality and water quality. In coastal estuaries, the

atmosphere substantially outsources nitrogen. In excess, this can lead to algal blooms ,

proliferation of toxic protozoa, increased availability of reactive nitrogen (Nr) leading to

intensification of animal production systems , increment in gaseous emissions and N leaching

(Zygmunt 2000).

Another suggested approach is the use of mathematical models in reducing nitrogen loss given

the high incidence of improper handling of fertilizers and agrochemicals particularly in

developing countries (Henriques, et al., 1997). Varian’s mathematical model may be used to

analyze this issue of Nitrogen misuse by farmers. It was coined from the mathematical method

propounded by H.R Varian within the school of Information Management at UC Berkeley

(Varian and Tygar, 1998) and it is adapted herein to shed light on the components tending to

promote overt Nitrogen circulation in the environment. Careful deciphering of its imports may

9
give insight into the causes and ways to resolve associated components in order to break out

from this necessary evil -excess Nitrogen in the environment. This model, when critically

analyzed, has a tendency to predict and resolve the overt misuse of reactive N by farmers in

developing nations and perhaps other regions of the world. The model also advanced that users

of reactive fertilizers have varying capabilities.

Equation 1:

O =  [ P (v) - (c1 + c2 )]

where:
O = Over-fertilization Motivation
P = the probability of not failing to over-fertilize.
v = the value of success for over-fertilization
c1 = the cost of over-fertilization
c2 = the consequences of over-fertilization.

According to this model, motivation for farmers to over-fertilize (0), is a function of the

probability of not failing to over-fertilize (P), multiplied by the value of success to over-fertilize

(v), less the sum of the costs and consequences to the misusers (c1 + c2). Now, applying Varian’s

model, the problem of excessive fertilization could be resolved by resolving each system into its

components. Serious analysis of each component provides a clue into the problem of over-

fertilization, a statement which had its root in system’s theory (Umpleby & Dent, 1999). Applied

to the current situation, with the probability of not failing to over-fertilize high (given the easy

access to over-fertilize) and with the value of success prized by overt fertilizer users, according

to Varian's model, P and v amplify the effects of each other. More so, with costs and

consequences to those who indulge in over-fertilization low, there is little to deter motivation to

10
indulge in over-fertilization behavior. The examination of this expression reveals that, to change

the outcome, either P, the probability of not failing to over-fertilize can be lowered, or costs and

consequences to the users of excessive fertilizers, represented by (c1 + c2) can be increased.

Previous mitigation measures have focused on lowering (P) by increasing other management

practices that could deter or probably circumvent the excessive circulation of excessive fertilizers

in the environment. Analysis of previous mitigation measures indicated a never-ending rate of

circulation of fertilizer in the environment. Raising the value of (c1 + c2) may be an alternative

strategy.

In actual fact, the main inducing components are easily identifiable; some means to inhibit over-

fertilizer motivation (M) however must be identified. The conditions and characteristics of over-

fertilization and their effects are examined to identify components that might be leveraged to

change the tide. This definitely agrees with the System theory, which says that the solution to a

system is outside the system (Umpleby & Dent, 1999).

TABLE 1: CONDITIONS CHARACTERIZING OVERT-USERS VS. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

TIME COSTS CONSEQUENCES

E ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Open-ended Open-ended Open-ended

OVERT MISUSERS At their discretion Nominal Nominal

Interpreting this table, it is glaring that the environmental impact is getting increased and that

over-fertilization recurring occurs at any time, subject to the judgment of fertilizer users.

11
Concentrations and amounts of usage is usually at the disposal of the farmers. In such situation,

there are no incentives to improve on the usage of fertilizer. Users burst into usage at their

discretion, with nominal expenses, leading to the detriment of the environment. Research into the

cause of environmental pollution through Nitrogen usage especially in the North of China

showed that though China is faced with the need to cater for 22 percent of the world population,

yet there is a sad increase in the usage of fertilizer, resulting in the pollution of the environment.

Researchers inferred that since the past six decades, between 1949 and 1990, nitrogen fertilizer

truly increased and enhanced the rates of crop production and the storage of soil carbon;

however, from 1990 onward, they noticed a sharp decline in the rate of soil carbon storage crop

production (Tian et al., 2012). In the 1990s, nitrogen fertilizer contributed to 53 percent of crop

production, but since then contributed to 49 percent, even though more of it was being used,

suggesting that excessive application of fertilizer had very little effect (Tian et al., 2012). Far

from increasing agricultural yield, nitrogen fertilizers have been severely wasted in recent years.

In fact, nitrogen input far exceeded nitrogen demands of plants and microbes, excess nitrogen is

being egested as waste through leaching and other processes, thus deteriorating the environment.

INCREASING THE COST OF OVER-FERTILIZATION

Over-fertilization actually has little cost. Lowered cost of over-fertilization has been the bane,

responsible for continued over-fertilization. Also, government and some other non-profit

organizations, in an attempt to boost agricultural productivity provide farmers with much

fertilizer, without considering their farming needs. Farmers often incur very little cost in their

attempt at disbursing much fertilizer while farming thereby polluting the environment. Without

much ado, it may be argued that as long as the cost of over-fertilization remains low, very little

could be done to curb the problem of over-fertilization. In some developing countries,

12
 government programmes are often designed to disburse lots of fertilizers to farmers without

educating them on the proper application techniques. There is really no measure to fight the ease

at which fertilizer is procured by farmers. In actual fact, one of the measures that could be put in

place to regiment the usage of fertilizer, at least to some large extent, is by increasing the

consequence (c2). Increasing Costs (c1 ) does not appear to be an immediate candidate for

intervention (Table 2).

Table 2 Identifying a candidate for intervention

TIME COSTS(C1 ) CONSEQUENCES (C2).

ENVIRONMENTAL Open-ended Open-ended Open-ended

IMPACT

At their discretion Nominal None

OVERT MISUSERS

Developing strategies that focus on, increasing consequences to the use of excess fertilizer (c2)

from "None" to something more significant is suggested. Increased consequences can be

introduced from outside the system through legal intervention. In order to circumvent this

disorder, by blocking the energy fueling the overt usage of fertilizer, thus, the growth rate of

excess fertilizers in the environment could be limited. If the goal is to disrupt the escalation cycle

of excess fertilization application, by introducing legal consequences (c2) to those that over-use,

using the previously described mathematical model, overt application motivation will decrease

13
and the disparities between over-users and the environment would begin to come into balance.

(Figure 3)

Figure 3: Legal intervention

Prosecuting offenders of the law through the legal system is ideas old as man. The

criminal justice system is based on the concept that consequences for criminal behavior are an

effective deterrent. Agreeably, if the legal consequence could be raised, chances abound that

adequate regulatory measures would be taken by farmers before applying fertilizer. However, in

this case, associating a particular act of overuse of fertilizer with perceived effect on the

environment, most of which may not be substantiated by documentary evidence may prevent a

challenge of using this approach for excessive nitrogen fertilizer application by farmers. For

example, as Casey et al (2006) argues for the quantification of emissions or emission rates from

point and non-point sources. Despite attracting a lot of attention by researchers in the developed

countries, accuracy in the quantification of these emissions is difficult to achieve since so many

factors (time of year and day, temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar intensity and other

weather conditions and fertilizer properties or characteristics) in concert play roles in the

generation and dispersion of these emissions.. The long-term impacts of these constituents on the

environment are also not substantiated and many are based on the theory of precautionary

principle.

14
Apart from the legal interventions, adequate institution need to be put in place to ensure that

fertilizer should be sold only after a certificate indicating soil testing has been carried out to

allow for proper consideration of the soil requirements. Particularly in developing countries,

farmers just apply fertilizers without much knowledge of the soil sample. There should be public

awareness on the importance of soil testing. Although nitrogen is an important plant nutrient, its

availability is not always measured in soil tests because unlike the other major nutrients

potassium and phosphorus, nitrogen fluctuates considerably with rainfall and soil texture. This

must be taken into consideration in any soil testing regime warranting that multiple samples

rather than grab samples be considered.

Some other management strategies are also available to reduce N Loss into the environment. Till

date, balancing the amount of N needed for optimum plant growth while minimizing the

NO3 that is transported to ground and surface waters poses a major challenge hindering nutrient

use efficiency in agriculture (Dinnes et al., 2002). Proven management strategies found tooth

reduce soil N loss include, application of nitrification or urease inhibitors, manure storage and

handling solutions, livestock management, pasture management for reduced N losses, balanced

N application rates, upgrading the existing irrigation to use water more efficiently..To achieve

efficient N cycling at the field level, sedimentation ponds can be put up to collect surface runoff

from fields and allow sediments to settle out, while aquatic plants growing in the pond can take

up excess nutrients, artificial wetlands can be constructed to treat dirty water that is collected

from farm yard runoff. Strips of grass and/or trees slow down the rate of water runoff from the

field, increasing percolation rate, thus enhancing plants capillary capabilities and denitrification

by soil microorganisms (Osborne & Kovacic, 2006). Far from over-flogging the issue, human

activities, over some couple of decades, particularly industrialization, the progeny of civilization,

15
and intensification of farming practices, have directly, e.g. through fertilizer and manure

applications, or indirectly, e.g. through atmospheric N deposition, increased anthropogenic N

inputs into aquatic and soil habitats; nitrogen availability in water and soil environments has

increased to damaging levels, causing negative effects on climate, human health and the

environment at large (Hartmann et al., 2007). Also, however, he noted further that with real-time

monitoring of soil temperature and moisture, and weather forecasting now readily available,

there is a scope to further refine tactical fertilizer decisions relative to the temporal variability of

pasture responses to N and/or N loss risk. For example, applying fertilizer only when pasture

betterment is not hindered by low soil temperature or soil moisture and/or meticulous avoidance

of areas prone to risk. The advantage of improved fertilizer management is a function of systems

and a farm’s existing fertilizer N strategy, efficiency gains being greater on farms where N

fertilizer inputs are high (Motavalli et al., 2008). Soils with high leaching rate, soils with very

coarse textures and those subject to high percolation, pose high risk of nutrient loss to

groundwater and associated surface waters.. Nutrient management practices in fields typically

containing these soils should include such practices as split application of N on crops and the use

of cover crops must be chiefly indulged (Evanylo & Beegle, 2006). For irrigated lands, to

optimize water use efficiency and reduce leaching and runoff, time-controlled irrigation should

be used. These include the use of gypsum blocks, tensiometers, or computerized systems.

Indicators show the need for irrigation, also, rates of fertilizer to be applied and amounts of water

should be relative to soil type and water-retention capacity, thus reducing water and nutrient

losses. Slopping lands, lands with steep and long slopes, however occasions the surface loss of

applied nutrients. Slopes greater than 12% to 15% are prone to runoff losses of surface-applied N

and P (Smith & Alexander, 2000).

16
Another strategy is the slow and controlled release of fertilizer. This is formulated to either delay

nutrient availability after application or result in a longer period of plant availability over time in

contrast to conventional fertilizers, such as urea and ammonium nitrate (Compton et al., 2011).

The use of enhanced-efficiency N fertilizers is a novel management practices that can be

effective in reducing environmental N losses and increasing N-use efficiency. Profound

understanding of the factors affecting N loss and the technical-know-how relative to different

enhanced efficiency fertilizers is significant for determining their optimal use. Ongoing research

is exploring methods to diligently delineate the regions of fields in which there is a greater

probability for increased agronomic response and reduced environmental N loss relative to the

use of an enhanced-efficiency N fertilizer.

SUMMARY

In this paper, the impact of nitrogen fertilizers on the environment was highlighted. Again, far

from focusing on the problem of over-fertilization, pragmatic efforts have been made to proffer

solution to the problem of over-fertilization using Varian’s model. Solution to this arm-race must

be external, according to the notable system theory. Researchers have mostly focused on

increasing the Probability of not over-fertilizing (P), which has not actually proved an effective

deterrent. From the model, O =  [ P (v) - (c1 + c2 )], the only effective measure to circumvent the

problem of over-fertilization is by increasing c2 . Increasing the consequence (redress or

retaliation) for trespassers, when carefully enforced, serves as an effective deterrent. Also,

fertilizers should be disbursed to farmers after it is ascertained that they are well equipped as to

the method and manner of handling the fertilizers, most importantly, it must be relative to the soil

and crop requirement. In addition, quantification of the reductions in environmental N loss that

17
occurs with use of these enhanced-efficiency N fertilizers under diverse cropping systems and

environmental conditions would assist in the development of government-sponsored incentive

programs, designed to promote the use of environment-friendly management practices.

Information on nitrogen deposition is important to regulators, policymakers, and land managers,

responsible for the protection of air and water quality in natural and managed ecosystems. As

touching the aquatic systems, the vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems to changes in water quality,

the uncertainty about changes tolerant rate, and the few options for mitigating the effects of poor

water quality indicated that a precautionary approach is most suitable to protect the health of

aquatic ecosystems. This approach demands that active measure must be taken to avert or

minimize potential risks of undesirable impacts on the environment. Therefore, future research

which engenders an environmental evaluation of the bane and boons of enhanced-efficiency

fertilizers is significant to aid growers in making informed decisions whether the use of a

particular fertilizer product is effective for their specific site conditions. Lastly, environment-

friendly fertilizer and measures must be strictly adhered to, failure to which some measure of

sanction should be adequately administered without fear or favour, on the premise that any

benefit to the environment is benefit to all.

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