What is International
Nitrogen Initiative?
The international nitrogen
initiative was established in 2003 to review the current understanding of the Nitrogen
cycle and to interact with decision maker and practitioners to identify
management options that optimize the use of nitrogen fertilizers.
This included at the same time minimizing the negative effects of nitrogen on human health and the environment because of food and energy production.
This included at the same time minimizing the negative effects of nitrogen on human health and the environment because of food and energy production.
INI is a global network of
scientists, created and sponsored by scientific Committee on Problems of
Environment (SCOPE) and the International Geosphere – Biosphere Program (IGBP),
with regional centers in Europe.
Regions included- INI
is coordinated by steering committee, led by chair and six regional
center's directors representing, North America, South Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin
America and East Asia. INI is also currently sustained partner of Future Earth
(an international organization that works to accelerate transformations to
global sustainability through research and innovation).
How does the nitrogen cycle
work?
 |
| The Nitrogen Cycle |
The nitrogen cycle is
crucial biogeochemical cycle- it is a process where chemical elements or
molecules moves throughout the essentially recycling. Once a cycle starts, it
eventually returns to its starting position, completing a circle wherein the
element/molecule comes to the state it started from.
That recycles the element
nitrogen into its various usable forms. It is very similar to other cycles,
such as the water and oxygen cycles. As such, the nitrogen cycle is extremely
important in sustaining Earth’s plentiful ecosystem.
Nitrogen by itself is quite
inert – (does not reach) or it does not directly get mixed into soil so it must
be converted into forms that organisms can make use of. For example- plants use
nitrogen in form of urea.
The Presence-
Everywhere the nitrogen
cycles are vital portion of the world’s ecosystem, just as important as the
oxygen, carbon, phosphorus, and water cycles. As a cycle, it moves
throughout nearly everything on the planet. It happens in plants, animals,
bacteria, the atmosphere, water, anywhere.
How does the nitrogen cycle
impact on human and environment?
As human change the way to
live in the planet, the way that nitrogen moves around the Earth also changes.
Nitrogen atoms may seem small enough to be easily overlooked. Recent changes in
the nitrogen cycles are causing effect on natural environment and human health.
Lakes are
clogged with aquatic weed. Dead zones have formed areas of the oceans
where animals cannot survive. Air pollutants that contain nitrogen are
decreasing air quality and greenhouses gases. To grow crops people have been
transforming nitrogen from the atmosphere into nitrogen from the atmosphere in
to nitrogen fertilizers and then adding the fertilizers to the plants. Nitrogen
from fertilizers sinks into soil, often creating conditions that favor the
growth of weeds rather than native plants.
How do INI work to
control nitrogen cycle impact?
1 It helps in promoting
upcoming meetings, publications and projects
2 It also works in developing
strategies to raise awareness with policy makers, governments, various stakeholders
and the public for the benefits of improving nitrogen management.
3 It gets involved in coordinating
regional efforts to improve nitrogen management globally.
The INI holds a conference
every three years, inviting members of the international nitrogen community
to meet up and discuss ideas and exchange knowledge on nitrogen issues. The
last INI conference was held in Melbourne, in December 2016
with the aim to reducing nutrient losses while producing food and energy for
all our human family while reducing nitrogen’s negative effects on the
environment and human health.
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