Climate change causes phosphorus loss

Crop growth, including Canna, can be adversely affected if predicted changes in rainfall patters over the coming years prove to be true, according to research published in the journal Biology and Fertility of Soils.

Scientists from North Wyke Research, in the UK, say they have determined for the first time how the rate at which dried soil is rewetted affects the amount of phosphorus lost from the soil into surface water and subsequently into the surrounding environment.

For those short of biology facts, phosphorus (P) is an essential part of the process of photosynthesis. It helps with the transformation of solar energy into chemical energy; proper plant maturation; withstanding stress. Phosphorus effects rapid growth, encourages blooming and root growth. It often comes from fertilizer, bone meal, and superphosphate.

Dr Martin Blackwell, one of the project leaders, said the study's preliminary results show the changing climate might limit the ability to mitigate phosphorus losses at certain times of the year, especially summer.

"This is really worrying because high phosphorus concentrations in surface waters can lead to harmful algal blooms, which can be toxic, cause lack of oxygen during their decay and disrupt food webs," said Blackwell. "This can also affect the quality of water for drinking and result in the closure of recreational water sport facilities."

Enough is enough

In what was described as a watershed moment, more than 2,500 leading environmental experts agreed a statement that called on governments to act before the planet becomes an unrecognisable – and, in places, impossible – place to live.

At an emergency climate summit in Copenhagen, scientists agreed that "worst case" scenarios were already becoming reality and that, unless drastic action was taken soon, "dangerous climate change" was imminent.

In a strongly worded message that, unusually for academics, appealed directly to politicians, they said there was "no excuse for inaction" and that "weak and "ineffective" governments must stand up to big business and "vested interests".

Steps should be "vigorously and widely implemented", they said, to reduce greenhouse gases. Failure to do so would result in "significant risk" of "irreversible climatic shifts", the statement added.

The plea came as Lord Stern, the former chief economist of the World Bank whose report two years ago drew attention to the possible results of global warming, told the conference that unless politicians grasped the gravity of the situation it would be "devastating".

Increases in average temperatures of six degrees by the end of the century were an increasing possibility and would produce conditions not seen on Earth for more than 30 million years, he said.

That could mean massive rises in sea level, whole areas devastated by hurricanes and others turned into uninhabitable desert, he claimed, forcing billions of people to leave their homelands.

He told the summit that politicians continued to underestimate the impact of climate change and that scientists needed to redouble their efforts to get them to understand. "Much of southern Europe would look like the Sahara. Many of the major rivers of the world, serving billions of people, would dry up in the dry seasons or re-route.

"What would be the implication? Hundreds of millions of people would have to move, probably billions. What would be the implication of that? Extended conflict, social disruption, war essentially, over much of the world for many decades."

Prof Kevin Anderson, the research director at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in Manchester, said: "Scientists have lost patience with carefully constructed messages being lost in the political noise. We are now prepared to stand up and say enough is enough."

Less than 100 months to act

The Prince of Wales is to deliver a major speech on climate change to Brazilian business leaders as he continues his tour of South America.

Charles will issue a dire environmental warning to the world and say how nations have "less than 100 months to act" before the damage caused by climate change becomes irreversible.

The world is experiencing an economic slowdown but in his speech in Rio de Janeiro, the prince will say that in a recession people must not lose sight of the importance of continuing to combat global warming and protect the environment.

Charles will also talk about the importance of the business community joining the fight against climate change.

The address follows a series of speeches over the past 12 months where the prince has highlighted his growing concerns about the state of the planet.

Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are touring South America and have already visited Chile and will spend a further three days in Brazil before travelling to Ecuador and its Galapagos islands.