Fertilisers 'reducing diversity' (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Mark Kinver
Science and environment reporter, BBC News

Scientists have identified why excessive fertilisation of soils is resulting in a loss of plant diversity.

Extra nutrients allow fast growing plants to dominate a habitat, blocking smaller species' access to vital sunlight, researchers have found.

As a result, many species are disappearing from affected areas.

A team from the University of Zurich, writing in Science, warned that tighter controls were needed in order to prevent widespread biodiversity loss.

Estimates suggest that the global level of nitrogen and phosphorous available to plants has doubled in the past 50 years.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8026552.stm

[phantom power]

1. K+R

[Dogmudgeon]

2. And yet, soil nutrients have fallen dramatically

Perhaps there is also some selection going on, based on the ability of the plant to quickly monopolize micronutrients in its area.

What a shame that profit-driven agriculture benefits from that.

--d!