Human Activity May Have Compromised Earth's Stabilization Systems

Human activity may have compromised the planet. Scientists have found that nearly half of the processes that are crucial to maintaining the stability of Earth may be on the verge of swinging dangerously out of balance.

"People depend on food, and food production depends on clean water," said Elena Bennett, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This new data shows that our ability both to produce sufficient food in the future and to have clean water to drink and to swim in are at risk."

In order to better understand the processes that impact Earth, the researchers examined planetary boundaries, biosphere integrity, changes to the Earth's climate and the phosphorus-nitrogen cycle. The phosphorus-nitrogen cycle they found, in particular, has become significantly compromised.

There are two issues relating to the phosphorus-nitrogen cycle. One of the issues is that phosphorus, which is used as fertilizer, is in limited supply, and that supply is geopolitically concentrated. The second issue is that the excess of phosphorus-based fertilizers that drain into water sources can have disastrous effects on water. It can lead to the sudden growth of algae and cause decline or death in lake organisms.

"About half a million residents of the city of Toledo found out that their tap water had been contaminated with a toxin called microcystin last summer," said Bennett. "And in 2007 the Quebec government declared that more than 75 lakes were affected by toxins produced by blue-green algae. This kind of problem is likely to become more common."

The findings reveal that Earth may have reached a tipping point. While this cycle is being impacted, there are other parts of our planet that are also being affected. The study highlights the importance of taking steps to mitigate these factors now and in the future.

The findings are published in the journal Science.

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