The circulation and interactions of major elements such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, oxygen, and hydrogen are critical for the maintenance of the earth's ecosystems. Human activities including agriculture, industry, and urbanization alter element interactions and contribute to major environmental problems ranging from climate change and depletion of the ozone layer to acidification of soils to the destruction of coral reefs.
Interactions of the Major Biogeochemical Cycles is a new scientific assessment of element interactions in the biosphere. It provides an up-to-date review of biogeochemistry and its effects on earth's systems, with leading experts in biogeochemical cycling in atmospheric, land, freshwater, and marine environments offering chapters that summarize and synthesize information in each discipline.
The book opens with chapters on cross-cutting issues that have significance in understanding global change effects and their potential management. These chapters address:
* trends in element interactions in response to global change
- the effects of natural disturbances
- new approaches and methods for advancing our understanding of element interactions
- the potential for managing element interactions to address major environmental issues