A shift in sulfur-cycle manipulation from atmospheric emissions to agricultural additions
A shift in sulfur-cycle manipulation from atmospheric emissions to agricultural additions
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DOI：
10.1038/s41561-020-0620-3
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发表时间：
2020-08-10
影响因子：
18.3
通讯作者：
Driscoll, Charles T.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hinckley, Eve-Lyn S.;Crawford, John T.;Driscoll, Charles T.
燃烧化石燃料导致了对全球硫循环的显著但无意的操纵。二氧化硫和活性硫向大气中的排放已经造成了广泛的健康和环境影响，并最终导致了减少硫排放的呼声。然而，人类对硫循环的改变还远未结束。使用来自美国各地的四个对比案例研究，我们展示了如何高水平的硫添加到农田作为肥料和农药，并构成一个主要的但研究不足的环境扰动。长期向农作物中添加硫可能会对土壤和下游水生生态系统的健康造成类似的后果，就像在历史上受酸雨影响的地区所观察到的那样，但尚未广泛探讨这种级联效应。对硫循环的新一轮研究将需要研究气候、水文和其他元素循环在改变农业源区内和下游的硫过程和流动中的综合作用。这类研究不仅包括科学家，还包括农民、监管当局和土地管理者，他们都在开发监测和减轻环境和人类健康影响的方法。根据一项文献综述和来自美国的四个案例研究，故意将硫作为肥料和杀虫剂施用到农田上可能会造成类似于历史上酸雨事件的环境损害。
Burning fossil fuels has resulted in a prominent yet unintended manipulation of the global sulfur cycle. Emissions of sulfur dioxide and reactive sulfur to the atmosphere have caused widespread health and environmental impacts and have led, ultimately, to calls to decrease sulfur emissions. However, anthropogenic modification of the sulfur cycle is far from over. Using four contrasting case studies from across the United States, we show how high levels of sulfur are added to croplands as fertilizers and pesticides and constitute a major yet under-studied environmental perturbation. Long-term sulfur additions to crops probably cause similar consequences for the health of soil and downstream aquatic ecosystems as those observed in regions historically impacted by acid rain, yet the cascade of effects has not been broadly explored. A new wave of research on the sulfur cycle will require studies that examine the integrated roles of climate, hydrology and other element cycles in modifying sulfur processes and flows within and downgradient of agricultural source areas. Such research must include not only scientists, but also farmers, regulating authorities and land managers who are engaged in developing approaches to monitor and mitigate environmental and human health impacts.Deliberate application of sulfur onto croplands as fertilizer and pesticide probably causes environmental damage similar to historical acid rain events, according to a literature review and four case studies from the United States.