Nitrogen Footprints and the Role
of Soil Enzymes
Claudia M. d. S. Cordovil, Joana Marinheiro, João Serra, Soraia Cruz,
Eve Palmer, Kevin Hicks, and Jan-Willem Erisman
Abstract
In a climate change scenario soil microbial population is affected by the impacts
on soil biotic and abiotic factors, with a strong influence on soil microorganisms
affecting enzyme production and activity. This influences soil organic matter
turnover and nutrient cycling in soil. Nitrogen is one of the most, if not the most
important, nutrient for all living organisms. Besides its vital role in maintenance
of life on Earth and need to maintain nitrogen availability to produce enough
food for the world population, nitrogen losses into the environment cause
negative effects in all environmental compartments. To quantify the impact of
each individual contribution to nitrogen pollution a concept of nitrogen-footprint
was created, to measure nitrogen lost as a result of food and energy consumption.
Enzymes play a role in the response of soils to nitrogen pollution and the
mitigation and adaptation to climate change effects on nitrogen-footprint.
Enzymes are affected by abiotic factors alterations driven by climate change but
may alter their activity as a result of human actions, e.g. agricultural
C. M. d. S.Cordovil (&) Á J. Marinheiro Á J. Serra Á S. Cruz
Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia,
Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal
e-mail: cms@isa.ulisboa.pt
E. Palmer Á K. Hicks
Department of Environment and Geography, Stockholm Environment Institute,
University of York, York, UK
J.-W. Erisman
Louis Bolk Institute, Bunnik, The Netherlands
University Leiden, Van Steenis, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden,
P.O.Box 9500, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. J. G. Moura et al. (eds.), Enzymes for Solving Humankind's Problems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58315-6_5
133
of Soil Enzymes
Claudia M. d. S. Cordovil, Joana Marinheiro, João Serra, Soraia Cruz,
Eve Palmer, Kevin Hicks, and Jan-Willem Erisman
Abstract
In a climate change scenario soil microbial population is affected by the impacts
on soil biotic and abiotic factors, with a strong influence on soil microorganisms
affecting enzyme production and activity. This influences soil organic matter
turnover and nutrient cycling in soil. Nitrogen is one of the most, if not the most
important, nutrient for all living organisms. Besides its vital role in maintenance
of life on Earth and need to maintain nitrogen availability to produce enough
food for the world population, nitrogen losses into the environment cause
negative effects in all environmental compartments. To quantify the impact of
each individual contribution to nitrogen pollution a concept of nitrogen-footprint
was created, to measure nitrogen lost as a result of food and energy consumption.
Enzymes play a role in the response of soils to nitrogen pollution and the
mitigation and adaptation to climate change effects on nitrogen-footprint.
Enzymes are affected by abiotic factors alterations driven by climate change but
may alter their activity as a result of human actions, e.g. agricultural
C. M. d. S.Cordovil (&) Á J. Marinheiro Á J. Serra Á S. Cruz
Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia,
Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal
e-mail: cms@isa.ulisboa.pt
E. Palmer Á K. Hicks
Department of Environment and Geography, Stockholm Environment Institute,
University of York, York, UK
J.-W. Erisman
Louis Bolk Institute, Bunnik, The Netherlands
University Leiden, Van Steenis, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden,
P.O.Box 9500, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. J. G. Moura et al. (eds.), Enzymes for Solving Humankind's Problems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58315-6_5
133