5 Ways to tackle dairy ammonia emission |
Particles formed can deposit deep in the lungs and may result in increased morbidity or mortality in related diseases(Anderson et al. 2003).
Approximately 94 % of ammonia emissions in Europe results from the agriculture and livestock sectors. They come not only from fecal waste but also from the use of nitrogen fertilizers, which accounts for almost 15% of the total.
This article focuses on the impact of ammonia emission on biodiversity.
Sources of Ammonia
Impact of Ammonia
Nitrogen is abundant in livestock feeds, which enhances milk or egg production, however excess nitrogen is excreted. Excreted nitrogen in the fecal matter, often volatizes as ammonia into the atmosphere.
A gradual increase in nitrogen supply to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems may result in eutrophication (Walker et al. 2000). Eutrophication is defined as excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or any water body, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and a depletion of oxygen.
Moreover, ammonia may be toxic to the natural environment due to loss in species sensitive to increase in ammonia. A major effect of ammonia pollution on biodiversity is the impact of nitrogen accumulation on plant species diversity and composition within affected habitats, resulting in species invasion in an area that thrive in ammonia saturated environments.
Subsequently, changes in species composition due to high nitrogen content in the environment may trigger susceptibility of plants to frost, drought and pathogens. This negatively, affects the agriculture sector.
Strategic ways to tackle excessive ammonia emission
In conclusion, ammonia emissions are a subject under discussion in the agricultural sector, hence strategies to counter this are underway. Let’s help reduce ammonia emission every-way possible on our rangelands.
References
Anderson, N., Strader, R., & Davidson, C. (2003). Airborne reduced nitrogen: ammonia emissions from agriculture and other sources. Environment International, 29(2-3), 277-286.
Walker, J. T., Aneja, V. P., & Dickey, D. A. (2000). Atmospheric transport and wet deposition of ammonium in North Carolina. Atmospheric Environment, 34(20), 3407-3418.