TheEcologyoftheNitrogenCycle

Manypeoplelearntherudimentsofthenitrogencyclewhileatschool,butthedetailsofthevariousprocessesinthecyclearestillnotwidelyunderstood.Someofthemareofgreatcurrentinterest,suchastheuseofnitrogenfixingcropstofeedanincreasingworldpopulationandtheproblemsofpollutionofgroundwatersbynitrates.Denitrification(formingnitrogengas)asawayofgettingridofwastefromhumanandintensivelyfarmedanimals.Thisbookdescribesthegeneralprocessesofthenitrogencycle,thengivesexamplesofhowthecycleismodifiedunderparticularecologicalandgeographicalconditions.Theseexamplesaredrawnfromallthemajorareasoftheworld,andtheimpactofmanviaagriculture,forestryandfuelcombustionisdiscussed.Numerousreferencesareincluded.Thebookprovidesabackgroundforallthosewhosespecialistinterestsinteractwithnitrogencycling,whethertheyareinvolvedinresearchorhaveresponsibilityformanagingtheenvironment.