The Australian Story of Phosphorus - Sustainability Implications of Global Fertilizer Scaricity for Australia
Cordell, D., White, S. (2008)
Published in: 2008
Publisher:
Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia
Author:
Cordell, D., White, S.
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Institute for Sustainable Futures - University of Technology Sydney
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Content - Summary
Why phosphorus? All living matter - including plants, animals and humans - require phosphorus to grow. We get phosphorus from the food that we eat, though where the phosphorus in our food comes from and how sustainable it is in the long term is often not widely discussed nor a topic of significant investigation. Additions of phosphorus fertilizer are essential for achieving high crop yields, especially in agricultural systems with naturally phosphorus deficient soils, such as Australia. Mining of phosphate-rich deposits of guano and phosphate rock have played an important part in feeding the world in the past 100 years, and supporting the Australian economy. However, increasing environmental, economic, geopolitical and social concerns about the short and long-term use of phosphate rock in agriculture means there is a need to start a conversation on what a sustainable phosphorus future might look like for Australia, how we might get there and what are the pertinent challenges that need to be addressed.
Bibliographic information
Cordell, D., White, S. (2008). The Australian Story of Phosphorus - Sustainability Implications of Global Fertilizer Scaricity for Australia. Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia
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