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"description": "Phosphorus is essential to human health and vital for food production. But are we using up phosphorus faster than we can economically extract it?", "datePublished": "2013-04-01T10:32:09-04:00", "dateModified": "2019-03-22T07:29:05-04:00", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Renée Cho", "url": "https://news.climate.columbia.edu/author/renee-cho/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "State of the Planet", "url": "https://news.climate.columbia.edu/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sotp.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cropped-sotp-site-icon-1.png" } }, "image": "https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-300x214.jpg", "articleBody": "[caption id=\"attachment_35348\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"600\"] Fertilizing a corn field in Iowa. Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture[/caption]\r\n\r\nPhosphorus, the 11th most common element on earth, is fundamental to all living things. It is essential for the creation of DNA, cell membranes, and for bone and teeth formation in humans. It is vital for food production since it is one of three nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) used in commercial fertilizer. Phosphorus cannot be manufactured or destroyed, and there is no substitute or synthetic version of it available. There has been an ongoing debate about whether or not we are running out of phosphorus. Are we approaching peak phosphorus? In other words, are we using it up faster than we can economically extract it?\r\n\r\nIn fact, there is plenty of phosphorus left on Earth. Animals and humans excrete almost 100 percent of the phosphorus they consume in food. In the past, as part of a natural cycle, the phosphorus in manure and waste was returned to the soil to aid in crop production. Today phosphorus is an essential component of commercial fertilizer. Because industrial agriculture moves food around the world for processing and consumption, disrupting the natural cycle that returned phosphorus to the soil via the decomposition of plants, in many areas fertilizer must now be continually applied to enrich the soil’s nutrients.\r\n\r\nMost of the phosphorus used in fertilizer comes from phosphate rock, a finite resource formed over millions of years in the earth’s crust. Ninety percent of the world’s mined phosphate rock is used in agriculture and food production, mostly as fertilizer, less as animal feed and food additives. When experts debate peak phosphorus, what they are usually debating is how long the phosphate rock reserves, i.e. the resources that can economically be extracted, will hold out.\r\n\r\nPedro Sanchez, director of the Agriculture and Food Security Center at the Earth Institute, does not believe there is a phosphorus shortage. “In my long 50-year career, “ he said, “once every decade, people say we are going to run out of phosphorus. Each time this is disproven. All the most reliable estimates show that we have enough phosphate rock resources to last between 300 and 400 more years.”\r\n\r\nIn 2010, the International Fertilizer Development Center determined that phosphate rock reserves would last for several centuries. In 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey revised its estimates of phosphate rock reserves from the previous 17.63 billion tons to 71.65 billion tons in accordance with IFDC’s estimates. And, according to Sanchez, new research shows that the amount of phosphorus coming to the surface by tectonic uplift is in the same range as the amounts of phosphate rock we are extracting now.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_35351\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"] Global meat consumption from 1961 to 2009. Photo credit: FAO[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe duration of phosphate rock reserves will also be impacted by the decreasing quality of the reserves, the growing global population, increased meat and dairy consumption (which require more fertilized grain for feed), wastage along the food chain, new technologies, deposit discoveries and improvements in agricultural efficiency and the recycling of phosphorus. Moreover, climate change will affect the demand for phosphorus because agriculture will bear the brunt of changing weather patterns. Most experts agree, however, that the quality and accessibility of currently available phosphate rock reserves are declining, and the costs to mine, refine, store and transport them are rising.\r\n\r\nNinety percent of the phosphate rock reserves are located in just five countries: Morocco, China, South Africa, Jordan and the United States. The U.S., which has 25 years of phosphate rock reserves left, imports a substantial amount of phosphate rock from Morocco, which controls up to 85 percent of the remaining phosphate rock reserves. However, many of Morocco’s mines are located in Western Sahara, which Morocco has occupied against international law. Despite the prevalence of phosphorus on earth, only a small percentage of it can be mined because of physical, economic, energy or legal constraints.\r\n\r\nIn 2008, phosphate rock prices spiked 800 percent because of higher oil prices, increased demand for fertilizer (due to more meat consumption) and biofuels, and a short-term lack of availability of phosphate rock. This led to surging food prices, which hit developing countries particularly hard.\r\n\r\nWith a world population that is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and require 70 percent more food than we produce today, and a growing global middle class that is consuming more meat and dairy, phosphorus is crucial to global food security. Yet, there are no international organizations or regulations that manage global phosphorus resources. Since global demand for phosphorus rises about 3 percent each year (and may increase as the global middle class grows and consumes more meat), our ability to feed humanity will depend upon how we manage our phosphorus resources.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, most phosphorus is wasted. Only 20 percent of the phosphorus in phosphate rock reaches the food consumed globally. Thirty to 40 percent is lost during mining and processing; 50 percent is wasted in the food chain between farm and fork; and only half of all manure is recycled back into farmland around the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_35352\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"235\"] Eutrophication in the Caspian Sea. Photo credit: Jeff Schmaltz, NASA[/caption]\r\n\r\nMost of the wasted phosphorus enters our rivers, lakes and oceans from agricultural or manure runoff or from phosphates in detergent and soda dumped down drains, resulting in eutrophication. This is a serious form of water pollution wherein algae bloom, then die, consuming oxygen and creating a “dead zone” where nothing can live. Over 400 coastal dead zones at the mouths of rivers exist and are expanding at the rate of 10 percent per decade. In the United States alone, economic damage from eutrophication is estimated to be $2.2 billion a year.\r\n\r\nAs the quality of phosphate rock reserves declines, more energy is necessary to mine and process it. The processing of lower grade phosphate rock also produces more heavy metals such as cadmium and uranium, which are toxic to soil and humans; more energy must be expended to remove them as well. Moreover, increasingly expensive fossil fuels are needed to transport approximately 30 million tons of phosphate rock and fertilizers around the world annually.\r\n\r\nSanchez says that while there is no reason to fear a phosphorus shortage, we do need to be more efficient about our use of phosphorus, especially to minimize eutrophication. The keys to making our phosphorus resources more sustainable are to reduce demand and find alternate sources. We need to:\r\n\r\n \tImprove the efficiency of mining\r\n \tIntegrate livestock and crop production; in other words, use the manure as fertilizer\r\n \tMake fertilizer application more targeted\r\n \tPrevent soil erosion and agricultural runoff by promoting no-till farming, terracing, contour tilling and the use of windbreaks\r\n \tEat a plant based diet\r\n \tReduce food waste from farm to fork\r\n \tRecover phosphorus from human waste\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_35354\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"] Cow dung to be used as fertilizer drying in Punjab. Photo credit: Gopal Aggarwal http://gopal1035.blogspot.com[/caption]\r\n\r\nPhosphorus can be reused. According to some studies, there are enough nutrients in one person’s urine to grow 50 to 100 percent of the food needed by another person. NuReSys is a Belgian company whose technology can recover 85 percent of the phosphorus present in wastewater, and turn it into struvite crystals that can be used as a slow fertilizer.\r\n\r\nNew phosphorus-efficient crops are also being developed. Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute discovered a gene that makes it possible for rice plants to grow bigger roots that absorb more phosphorus. The overexpression of this gene can increase the yield of rice plants when they are grown in phosphorus-poor soil. Rice plants with this gene are not genetically modified, but are being bred with modern techniques; they are expected to be available to farmers in a few years.\r\n\r\nA breed of genetically modified Yorkshire pigs, called the Enviropig, has been developed by the University of Guelph in Canada to digest phosphorus from plants more efficiently and excrete less of it. This results in lower costs to feed the pigs and less phosphorus pollution, since pig manure is a major contributor to eutrophication. Last spring, however, the Enviropigs were euthanized after the scientists lost their funding.\r\n\r\nThe Agriculture and Food Security Center is working on food security in Africa and attempting to eliminate hunger there and throughout the tropics within the next two to three decades.\r\n\r\nIn the mountains of Tanzania along Lake Manyara, Sanchez’ team has discovered deposits of “minjingu,” high-quality phosphate rock that is cheaper and just as efficient as triple super phosphate (a highly concentrated phosphate-based fertilizer) in terms of yields of corn per hectare.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_35356\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"] Minjingu Mines & Fertilisers Ltd.. Photo credit: IFDC Photography[/caption]\r\n\r\nMinjingu deposits are formed by the excreta and dead bodies of cormorants and other birds that roost and die in the mountains, forming biogenic rock phosphate or guano deposits. Guano, the feces and urine of seabirds (and bats), has a high phosphorus content, and in the past was often used as fertilizer.\r\n\r\nSanchez’ researchers have also discovered a common bush called the Mexican Sunflower that is an efficient phosphorus collector. It grows by the side of the road, fertilized by the excreta dumped there by farmers. The farmers cut it down and use it as green manure, an organic phosphorus fertilizer which helps grow high-quality crops like vegetables.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_35357\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"] Mexican Sunflower. Photo credit: John Tann[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe Agriculture and Food Security Center team also helps farmers contain erosion and runoff by encouraging them to keep some vegetative cover, either alive or dead, on the soil year-round. This is done through intercropping, leaving crop residue in the fields, contour planting on slopes or terracing.\r\n\r\n“There is no data to support the idea of peak phosphorus,” said Sanchez. “Just fears. New deposits are continually being discovered. We also have more efficient extraction that is getting more phosphate rock out of land-based sediments. And there is an enormous 49-gigaton deposit of phosphorus in the continental shelf from Florida to Maritime Canada that scientists have known about for years. Now there is some experimental extraction going on off the coast of North Carolina.”\r\n\r\nPedro Sanchez, author of Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics published in 1976, which continues to be a bestseller, is currently working on Tropical Soils Science, an update of his previous work. It will be published by 2015.\r\n\r\nCorrection: This post was updated on March 22, 2019 to remove a statement that phosphorus is a renewable resource.", "wordCount": 1743, "inLanguage": "en", "url": "https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/", "articleSection": "Agriculture, Earth Sciences", "keywords": "eutrophication, fertilizer, food security, Phosphorus" }</script> <script> document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { const cookiesAgreed = document.cookie.split(";").some((item) => item.trim().startsWith("sotpCookies=")); if(!cookiesAgreed){ const notice = document.getElementById("cookie-notice"); notice.classList.remove("hide"); document.getElementById("cookies-agree").addEventListener("click", () => { notice.classList.add("hide"); document.cookie = `sotpCookies=1;expires=${new Date(new Date().getTime()+1000*60*60*24*365).toGMTString()};path=/;SameSite=Lax`; }); } }); </script> <meta name="description" content="Phosphorus is essential to human health and vital for food production. 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1.56h4.26c-.86 5.53-1.68 10.56-2.66 16-.78 4.26-1.48 6.55-2.5 8.07a8.7 8.7 0 0 1-1.68 1.76l-.49-.49a4.4 4.4 0 0 0-3-1.68 1.89 1.89 0 0 0-1.91 1.56 3.67 3.67 0 0 0 3.8 2.5 6.3 6.3 0 0 0 4.34-2c2.3-2 3.36-5.28 4.22-9.66 1-5.16 1.89-10.77 2.74-16l5.29.16.33-2.17h-5.29c0-.16 0-.28.08-.45 1-6.26 2.87-8.56 5-9.5l.65.78c1.32 1.6 2 2.25 3.24 2.25.74 0 1.31-.41 1.6-1.39-.33-1.51-2.21-3-4.63-3m-25.67 29.64c-2.3 0-3.94-1.76-3.94-6.06.04-6.1 3.04-11.1 6.88-11.1 2.22 0 3.77 1.72 3.77 6.14 0 5.49-2.7 11.06-6.71 11.06m-.45 1.64c5.73 0 10.48-6.19 10.48-13.31 0-4.63-2.79-7.17-6.64-7.17-5.81 0-10.68 5.9-10.68 13.27 0 4.67 3 7.21 6.84 7.21" class="sotp-svg"/></svg></a> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-sotp-line"/> <p class="wp-block-site-tagline">News from the Columbia Climate School</p></div> </div> </header> <main class="has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-template-part"><div class="sotp-post-head wp-block-template-part"><div style="font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.773), 1.3rem);text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:.7rem" class="taxonomy-category has-link-color wp-elements-c9238197804c5e52f6d6759a7695b19c wp-block-post-terms has-text-color has-primary-color"><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/category/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a><span class="wp-block-post-terms__separator">, </span><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/category/earth-sciences/" rel="tag">Earth Sciences</a></div> <h1 style="margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);" class="wp-block-post-title">Phosphorus: Essential to Life—Are We Running Out?</h1> <div class="wp-block-post-author has-large-font-size"><div class="wp-block-post-author__content"><p class="wp-block-post-author__name"><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/author/renee-cho/" target="_self">Renée Cho</a></p></div></div> <div class="wp-block-post-date"><time datetime="2013-04-01T14:32:09-04:00">April 1, 2013</time></div></div> <div class="entry-content wp-block-post-content is-layout-flow wp-block-post-content-is-layout-flow"><figure id="attachment_35348" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35348" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><picture><source srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-325x232.avif 325w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-650x464.avif 650w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-768x549.avif 768w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-1300x929.avif 1300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield.avif 2100w" sizes="(max-width: 714px) calc(100vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 650px" type="image/avif"></source><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="wp-image-35348 size-large" src="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-600x428.jpg" alt="applying phosphorus fertilizer" width="600" height="428" srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-600x428.jpg 600w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fertilizingcornfield-300x214.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 714px) calc(100vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 650px"></picture><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35348" class="wp-caption-text">Fertilizing a corn field in Iowa. Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture</figcaption></figure> <p>Phosphorus, the 11th most common element on earth, is fundamental to all living things. It is essential for the creation of DNA, cell membranes, and for bone and teeth formation in humans. It is vital for food production since it is one of three nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) used in commercial fertilizer. Phosphorus cannot be manufactured or destroyed, and there is no substitute or synthetic version of it available. There has been an ongoing debate about whether or not we are running out of phosphorus. Are we approaching <i>peak phosphorus? </i>In other words, are we using it up faster than we can economically extract it?</p> <p>In fact, there is plenty of phosphorus left on Earth. Animals and humans excrete almost 100 percent of the phosphorus they consume in food. In the past, as part of a natural cycle, the phosphorus in manure and waste was returned to the soil to aid in crop production. Today phosphorus is an essential component of commercial fertilizer. Because industrial agriculture moves food around the world for processing and consumption, disrupting the natural cycle that returned phosphorus to the soil via the decomposition of plants, in many areas fertilizer must now be continually applied to enrich the soil’s nutrients.</p> <p>Most of the phosphorus used in fertilizer comes from phosphate rock, a finite resource formed over millions of years in the earth’s crust. Ninety percent of the world’s mined phosphate rock is used in agriculture and food production, mostly as fertilizer, less as animal feed and food additives. When experts debate peak phosphorus, what they are usually debating is how long the phosphate rock <i>reserves, </i>i.e. the resources that can economically be extracted, will hold out.</p> <p>Pedro Sanchez, director of the <a href="http://agriculture.columbia.edu">Agriculture and Food Security Center</a> at the Earth Institute, does not believe there is a phosphorus shortage. “In my long 50-year career, “ he said, “once every decade, people say we are going to run out of phosphorus. Each time this is disproven. All the most reliable estimates show that we have enough phosphate rock resources to last between 300 and 400 more years.”</p> <p>In 2010, the International Fertilizer Development Center determined that phosphate rock reserves would last for several centuries. In 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey revised its estimates of phosphate rock reserves from the previous 17.63 billion tons to 71.65 billion tons in accordance with IFDC’s estimates. And, according to Sanchez, new research shows that the amount of phosphorus coming to the surface by tectonic uplift is in the same range as the amounts of phosphate rock we are extracting now.</p> <figure id="attachment_35351" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35351" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><picture><source srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009-325x186.avif 325w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009-650x373.avif 650w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009-768x441.avif 768w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009.avif 1208w" sizes="(max-width: 714px) calc(50vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 325px" type="image/avif"></source><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-35351" src="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009-300x172.png" alt="Global meat consumption from 1961 to 2009. Photo credit: FAO" width="300" height="172" srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009-300x172.png 300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009-600x344.png 600w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Global-meat-consumption-1961-2009.png 1208w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 714px) calc(100vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 400px"></picture><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35351" class="wp-caption-text">Global meat consumption from 1961 to 2009. Photo credit: FAO</figcaption></figure> <p>The duration of phosphate rock reserves will also be impacted by the decreasing quality of the reserves, the growing global population, increased meat and dairy consumption (which require more fertilized grain for feed), wastage along the food chain, new technologies, deposit discoveries and improvements in agricultural efficiency and the recycling of phosphorus. Moreover, climate change will affect the demand for phosphorus because agriculture will bear the brunt of changing weather patterns. Most experts agree, however, that the quality and accessibility of currently available phosphate rock reserves are declining, and the costs to mine, refine, store and transport them are rising.</p> <p>Ninety percent of the phosphate rock reserves are located in just five countries: Morocco, China, South Africa, Jordan and the United States. The U.S., which has 25 years of phosphate rock reserves left, imports a substantial amount of phosphate rock from Morocco, which controls up to 85 percent of the remaining phosphate rock reserves. However, many of Morocco’s mines are located in Western Sahara, which Morocco has occupied against international law. Despite the prevalence of phosphorus on earth, only a small percentage of it can be mined because of physical, economic, energy or legal constraints.</p> <p>In 2008, phosphate rock prices spiked 800 percent because of higher oil prices, increased demand for fertilizer (due to more meat consumption) and biofuels, and a short-term lack of availability of phosphate rock. This led to surging food prices, which hit developing countries particularly hard.</p> <p>With a world population that is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and require 70 percent more food than we produce today, and a growing global middle class that is consuming more meat and dairy, phosphorus is crucial to global food security. Yet, there are no international organizations or regulations that manage global phosphorus resources. Since global demand for phosphorus rises about 3 percent each year (and may increase as the global middle class grows and consumes more meat), our ability to feed humanity will depend upon how we manage our phosphorus resources.</p> <p>Unfortunately, most phosphorus is wasted. Only 20 percent of the phosphorus in phosphate rock reaches the food consumed globally. Thirty to 40 percent is lost during mining and processing; 50 percent is wasted in the food chain between farm and fork; and only half of all manure is recycled back into farmland around the world.</p> <figure id="attachment_35352" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35352" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><picture><source srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-325x414.avif 325w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-650x827.avif 650w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-768x977.avif 768w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-1300x1655.avif 1300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-scaled.avif 1886w" sizes="(max-width: 714px) calc(50vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 325px" type="image/avif"></source><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-35352" src="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-235x300.jpg" alt="Eutrophication in the Caspian Sea. Photo credit: Jeff Schmaltz, NASA" width="235" height="300" srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-235x300.jpg 235w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Caspian-471x600.jpg 471w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 714px) calc(100vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 400px"></picture><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35352" class="wp-caption-text">Eutrophication in the Caspian Sea. Photo credit: Jeff Schmaltz, NASA</figcaption></figure> <p>Most of the wasted phosphorus enters our rivers, lakes and oceans from agricultural or manure runoff or from phosphates in detergent and soda dumped down drains, resulting in <a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/tag/eutrophication/">eutrophication</a>. This is a serious form of water pollution wherein algae bloom, then die, consuming oxygen and creating a “dead zone” where nothing can live. Over 400 coastal dead zones at the mouths of rivers exist and are expanding at the rate of 10 percent per decade. In the United States alone, economic damage from eutrophication is estimated to be $2.2 billion a year.</p> <p>As the quality of phosphate rock reserves declines, more energy is necessary to mine and process it. The processing of lower grade phosphate rock also produces more heavy metals such as cadmium and uranium, which are toxic to soil and humans; more energy must be expended to remove them as well. Moreover, increasingly expensive fossil fuels are needed to transport approximately 30 million tons of phosphate rock and fertilizers around the world annually.</p> <p>Sanchez says that while there is no reason to fear a phosphorus shortage, we do need to be more efficient about our use of phosphorus, especially to minimize eutrophication. The keys to making our phosphorus resources more sustainable are to reduce demand and find alternate sources. We need to:</p> <ul> <li>Improve the efficiency of mining</li> <li>Integrate livestock and crop production; in other words, use the manure as fertilizer</li> <li>Make fertilizer application more targeted</li> <li>Prevent soil erosion and agricultural runoff by promoting no-till farming, terracing, contour tilling and the use of windbreaks</li> <li>Eat a plant based diet</li> <li>Reduce food waste from farm to fork</li> <li>Recover phosphorus from human waste</li> </ul> <figure id="attachment_35354" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35354" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><picture><source srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2-325x244.avif 325w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2-650x488.avif 650w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2-768x576.avif 768w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2-1300x975.avif 1300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2.avif 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 714px) calc(50vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 325px" type="image/avif"></source><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-35354" src="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2-300x225.jpg" alt="Cow dung to be used as fertilizer drying in Punjab. Photo credit: Gopal Aggarwal http://gopal1035.blogspot.com" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2-300x225.jpg 300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2-600x450.jpg 600w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CowdungdryingPunjab2.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 714px) calc(100vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 400px"></picture><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35354" class="wp-caption-text">Cow dung to be used as fertilizer drying in Punjab. Photo credit: Gopal Aggarwal http://gopal1035.blogspot.com</figcaption></figure> <p>Phosphorus can be reused. According to some studies, there are enough nutrients in one person’s urine to grow 50 to 100 percent of the food needed by another person. <a href="http://www.nuresys.org">NuReSys</a> is a Belgian company whose technology can recover 85 percent of the phosphorus present in wastewater, and<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0KK-olGirs"> turn it into struvite crystals </a>that can be used as a slow fertilizer.</p> <p>New phosphorus-efficient crops are also being developed. Scientists at the <a href="//wwww.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=10048">International Rice Research Institute </a>discovered a gene that makes it possible for rice plants to grow bigger roots that absorb more phosphorus. The overexpression of this gene can increase the yield of rice plants when they are grown in phosphorus-poor soil. Rice plants with this gene are not genetically modified, but are being bred with modern techniques; they are expected to be available to farmers in a few years.</p> <p>A breed of genetically modified Yorkshire pigs, called the Enviropig, has been developed by the University of Guelph in Canada to digest phosphorus from plants more efficiently and excrete less of it. This results in lower costs to feed the pigs and less phosphorus pollution, since pig manure is a major contributor to eutrophication. Last spring, however, the Enviropigs were euthanized after the scientists lost their funding.</p> <p>The Agriculture and Food Security Center is working on food security in Africa and attempting to eliminate hunger there and throughout the tropics within the next two to three decades.</p> <p>In the mountains of Tanzania along Lake Manyara, Sanchez’ team has discovered deposits of “minjingu,” high-quality phosphate rock that is cheaper and just as efficient as triple super phosphate (a highly concentrated phosphate-based fertilizer) in terms of yields of corn per hectare.</p> <figure id="attachment_35356" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35356" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><picture><source srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu-325x244.avif 325w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu-650x488.avif 650w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu-768x576.avif 768w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu.avif 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 714px) calc(50vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 325px" type="image/avif"></source><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-35356" src="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu-300x225.jpg" alt="Minjingu Mines & Fertilisers Ltd.. Photo credit: IFDC Photography" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu-300x225.jpg 300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu-600x450.jpg 600w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Minjingu.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 714px) calc(100vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 400px"></picture><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35356" class="wp-caption-text">Minjingu Mines & Fertilisers Ltd.. Photo credit: IFDC Photography</figcaption></figure> <p>Minjingu deposits are formed by the excreta and dead bodies of cormorants and other birds that roost and die in the mountains, forming biogenic rock phosphate or guano deposits. Guano, the feces and urine of seabirds (and bats), has a high phosphorus content, and in the past was often used as fertilizer.</p> <p>Sanchez’ researchers have also discovered a common bush called the Mexican Sunflower that is an efficient phosphorus collector. It grows by the side of the road, fertilized by the excreta dumped there by farmers. The farmers cut it down and use it as green manure, an organic phosphorus fertilizer which helps grow high-quality crops like vegetables.</p> <figure id="attachment_35357" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35357" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><picture><source srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-325x244.avif 325w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-650x488.avif 650w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-768x576.avif 768w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-1300x975.avif 1300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-scaled.avif 2400w" sizes="(max-width: 714px) calc(50vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 325px" type="image/avif"></source><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-35357" src="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-300x225.jpg" alt="Mexican Sunflower. Photo credit: John Tann" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-300x225.jpg 300w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/MexicanSunflower-600x450.jpg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 714px) calc(100vw - calc(clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 2rem) * 2)), 400px"></picture><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35357" class="wp-caption-text">Mexican Sunflower. Photo credit: John Tann</figcaption></figure> <p>The Agriculture and Food Security Center team also helps farmers contain erosion and runoff by encouraging them to keep some vegetative cover, either alive or dead, on the soil year-round. This is done through intercropping, leaving crop residue in the fields, contour planting on slopes or terracing.</p> <p>“There is no data to support the idea of peak phosphorus,” said Sanchez. “Just fears. New deposits are continually being discovered. We also have more efficient extraction that is getting more phosphate rock out of land-based sediments. And there is an enormous 49-gigaton deposit of phosphorus in the continental shelf from Florida to Maritime Canada that scientists have known about for years. Now there is some experimental extraction going on off the coast of North Carolina.”</p> <p><i>Pedro Sanchez, author of </i>Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics<i> published in 1976, which continues to be a bestseller, is currently working on </i>Tropical Soils Science<i>, an update of his previous work. It will be published by 2015.</i></p> <p><em>Correction: This post was updated on March 22, 2019 to remove a statement that phosphorus is a renewable resource.</em></p> </div> <div class="wp-block-template-part"> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" style="margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)"/> <div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex"> <p class="has-contrast-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size">Tags:</p> <div class="taxonomy-post_tag has-link-color wp-elements-eaa5e46eae309eb18d05c46f6c8575dd wp-block-post-terms has-medium-font-size"><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/tag/eutrophication/" rel="tag">eutrophication</a><span class="wp-block-post-terms__separator">, </span><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/tag/fertilizer/" rel="tag">fertilizer</a><span class="wp-block-post-terms__separator">, </span><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/tag/food-security/" rel="tag">food security</a><span class="wp-block-post-terms__separator">, </span><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/tag/phosphorus/" rel="tag">Phosphorus</a></div></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" style="margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)"><em>Related Posts</em></h3> <div class="wp-block-query is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow"><ul class="columns-3 wp-block-post-template is-layout-grid wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-1 wp-block-post-template-is-layout-grid"><li class="wp-block-post post-102047 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-agriculture category-natural-disasters tag-cs-highlights tag-ei-highlights tag-floods tag-food-security tag-international-research-institute-for-climate-and-society tag-lamont-doherty tag-research"> <figure class="related-post-img wp-block-post-featured-image"><a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2022/10/17/flooding-significantly-impacts-african-food-security-says-study/" target="_self"><picture><source srcset="https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/bonsaaso-014-200x150.avif 200w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/bonsaaso-014-400x300.avif 400w, https://media.news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/bonsaaso-014-800x600.avif 800w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) calc(100vw - 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I’m ... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2062945' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2062945'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="November 17, 2023 9:29 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 1 year ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Just a thought. I’m quoting a line I heard recently, “Phosphorus cannot be created and cannot be destroyed”. Your question answers itself. </p> <p>This would mean that phosphorus will never run out and is in fact a renewable resource. The caveat to that is because we have not yet researched exactly how to renew phosphorous cheaply the cost of renewing phosphorus will will climb exponentially.</p> <p>There is a supply and demand curve going on. When the cheap supply of phosphorus rock becomes too expensive to use then the entire globe will snap into gear to find a phosphorus renewal technology that is so cheap we won’t need to use the rocks any more. </p> <p>(Think Spence diamonds, the diamond companies started to make a better quality diamond in a factory when the cost of ethical diamonds in a mine became economically uncertain)</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2062945_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2060167_0' class='comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Ahmad Mahdavi' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/70436b569ab0060d8245c605c01c1413?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/70436b569ab0060d8245c605c01c1413?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2060167" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> <a href='http://www.ut.ac.ir' rel='noreferrer ugc nofollow' target='_blank'>Ahmad Mahdavi</a> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Considering the very bad e... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2060167' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2060167'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="March 13, 2023 1:22 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 1 year ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Considering the very bad enforcement of laws and regulations in particular in agricultural sector in most developing countries we should be very worry about what is happening to our soils in developing countries, lots of HCH, POPs, Highly Hazardous Pesticides, Forever chemicals pressure on our soils then what will be left behind for our next generations, we need more actions from related Un agencies particularly from FAO. Last month in Feb. 2023 I talked in Zaragoza for the 14th International HCH and pesticide forum about <span>Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHP), these groups of pesticides stil in use in many developing countries are destroying whole soil biodiversity. A</span>lthough we already learned a lot from EPA and later in these recent years from ECHA, etc., but wondering to see that the most important World Environmental Agency allows exporting HHP from developed world to developing countries. Here in developing countries we are facing and suffering from HHP, every year many killed by HHP here. According to our last communications under SAICM there are strong evidences that EU also is exporting (perhaps the main exporter) HHP to developing countries.  </p> </div><div class='wpd-comment-last-edited'><i class='far fa-edit'></i>Last edited 1 year ago by Ahmad Mahdavi</div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2060167_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2032546_0' class='comment even thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Mjomba' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ff847bc0d527b9ff60c936dd3dd2cb3?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ff847bc0d527b9ff60c936dd3dd2cb3?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2032546" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Mjomba </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It seems Sanchez’s t... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2032546' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2032546'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="November 28, 2020 6:32 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 4 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>It seems Sanchez’s team were the first humans to set foot in the village of Minjingu in Tanzania. Didn’t they also discover an Agriculture Training College and factory for producing fertilizer also in the same village?</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2032546_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2031157_0' class='comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Mercy jepkoech' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1f5c194fa8853656edd9ed82ed6231cc?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1f5c194fa8853656edd9ed82ed6231cc?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2031157" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Mercy jepkoech </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Humans activities can caus... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2031157' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2031157'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="November 14, 2020 8:16 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 4 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Humans activities can cause climate change</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2031157_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2028897_0' class='comment even thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='IFEOMA JOY' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bd3f843b9945dc2fdb40e7b6d238fc38?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bd3f843b9945dc2fdb40e7b6d238fc38?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2028897" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> IFEOMA JOY </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Thanks for sharing educati... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2028897' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2028897'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="October 20, 2020 9:40 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 4 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Thanks for sharing educative details on Phosphorus with us. I think is high time we create awareness on phosphorus, how important it is to the ecosystem and how we can alternatively exploit it. The very aspect where you made mention of excretion and urine producing 100% of phosphorus large enough to produce another person’s food really caught my attention, thank you once again for taking us through this educative section.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2028897_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2028548_0' class='comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Niks' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4933f4201096f434f507ba9f08174550?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4933f4201096f434f507ba9f08174550?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2028548" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Niks </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It’s so sad that eve... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2028548' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2028548'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="October 15, 2020 9:37 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 4 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>It’s so sad that even natural resources are soon can be gone. Phosphorus is important . But what to do when it’s gone</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-tool-wrap"> <div class="wpd-toggle wpd-hidden wpd_not_clicked" wpd-tooltip="Hide Replies"> <i class='fas fa-chevron-up'></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2028548_0'></div><div id='wpd-comm-2059577_2028548' class='comment even depth-2 wpd-comment wpd-reply wpd_comment_level-2'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='kgrfbfsx' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/373f095597a0de8e9e218d0ff9017746?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/373f095597a0de8e9e218d0ff9017746?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2059577" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> kgrfbfsx </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=i dont suppose that an ele... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2059577' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2059577'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-reply-to"> <i class='far fa-comments'></i> Reply to  <a href="#comment-2028548"> Niks </a> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="January 15, 2023 2:54 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 2 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>i dont suppose that an element will like just “disappear” from the earth. Phosphorus as an element will still be pretty much abundant, just much less accessible. I mean, its not like we are throwing out all the phosphorus we use out into space, but the concern here is that its inefficient and unsustainable. The phosphorus will still be here, but believe me, extracting phosphorus from piss is probably much much more easier than extracting phosphorus from landfills, corpses, decomposites and several km underground.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2059577_2028548'></div></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2025305_0' class='comment odd alt thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Dennis Njirika' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/23455cabe116010836d160972366b0f0?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/23455cabe116010836d160972366b0f0?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2025305" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Dennis Njirika </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Great work. I enjoyed read... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2025305' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2025305'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="August 19, 2020 5:25 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 4 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Great work. I enjoyed reading. Province is indeed good. Peak phosphorus might as well be a fantasy. Yet, man should encourage use of guano and other organic manure in agricultural production. Our ancestor used them, successfully. Understandably, the rapid increase in global population and consequently increased food demand makes the enhanced use of phosphorus more urgent, in the short run.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2025305_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2020587_0' class='comment even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Dr Sterling Colgate' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ed295f46e4f271fe93bf81b35a2797d7?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ed295f46e4f271fe93bf81b35a2797d7?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2020587" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Dr Sterling Colgate </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Where can you find a fluid... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2020587' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2020587'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="June 12, 2020 8:47 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 4 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Where can you find a fluids separation plant that would extract the minerals. I’m guessing Zinc would also be a valuable extract, since much of the bio-available dietary zinc (necessary for proper immune function) is not transported into the cell without a suitable Ionophore (like quercetin found in red berries such as elderberry), and simply excreted.</p> <p>Wonder how difficult it would be to build a fluids seperation facility. Seems like everyone is filled with piss and vinegar…may as well get rich with it and save the planet as well?</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2020587_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-2019695_0' class='comment odd alt thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Elizabeth' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ab3506966142622f7c79d6076673c4e3?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ab3506966142622f7c79d6076673c4e3?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2019695" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Elizabeth </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=how much of phosphorus do ... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2019695' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2019695'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="May 26, 2020 1:04 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 4 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>how much of phosphorus do we use yearly?</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2019695_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1985576_0' class='comment even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Ishaq ahmadi' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/497128105728701ca251ff43de8fcf52?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/497128105728701ca251ff43de8fcf52?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1985576" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> <a href='http://Eshaq' rel='noreferrer ugc nofollow' target='_blank'>Ishaq ahmadi</a> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Phosphorus is one of the v... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1985576' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1985576'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="December 31, 2018 10:36 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 6 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Phosphorus is one of the vital nutrient that is needed for life to continue. Plants and Animals require phosphorus for their survival. It is essential for the creation of DNA, cell membranes, and for bone and teeth formation in humans. It is vital for food production since it is one of three nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) used in commercial fertilizer. Phosphorus cannot be manufactured or destroyed, and there is no substitute or synthetic version of it available.Thanks for sharing with us.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1985576_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1939680_0' class='comment odd alt thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Jack' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/81fd641c23c4b7500a8ab9d64ea840b7?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/81fd641c23c4b7500a8ab9d64ea840b7?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1939680" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Jack </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Phosphorus is not a renewa... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1939680' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1939680'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="October 24, 2018 10:53 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 6 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Phosphorus is not a renewable resource.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1939680_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1842955_0' class='comment even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='TF' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b436ba293ee94e2585c2004730e773a4?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b436ba293ee94e2585c2004730e773a4?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1842955" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> TF </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The Ahmish used to call it... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1842955' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1842955'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="July 4, 2018 9:28 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 6 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>The Ahmish used to call it “night soil”.</p> <p>Likely still do.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1842955_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1723407_0' class='comment odd alt thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Harun Gitari' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b94047a26edebd543af4811db8e83f28?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b94047a26edebd543af4811db8e83f28?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1723407" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Harun Gitari </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It is time we rise up and ... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1723407' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1723407'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="August 17, 2017 5:57 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 7 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>It is time we rise up and create awareness on phosphorus existence in our ecosystems and how we can exploit it.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1723407_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1718664_0' class='comment even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Stephanie' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c77f16de2afea6efa8ad6364e5e07875?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c77f16de2afea6efa8ad6364e5e07875?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1718664" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Stephanie </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=There are significant gras... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1718664' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1718664'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="July 29, 2017 11:28 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 7 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>There are significant grasslands on Earth that are simply not used for cattle or chicken grazing. There is absolutely no need to grow grain for either, and neither animal should eat grains, especially corn. The agriculture industry is so expensive and inefficient that using grasslands to raise cattle and chickens would reduce their cost per unit by a factor of ten! That is just how badly corporations have managed agricultural affordability.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-tool-wrap"> <div class="wpd-toggle wpd-hidden wpd_not_clicked" wpd-tooltip="Hide Replies"> <i class='fas fa-chevron-up'></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1718664_0'></div><div id='wpd-comm-2012264_1718664' class='comment odd alt depth-2 wpd-comment wpd-reply wpd_comment_level-2'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Scott' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4c762b0d2c9312029e877a826e9da0fc?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4c762b0d2c9312029e877a826e9da0fc?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2012264" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Scott </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ok, just so you know. You... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2012264' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2012264'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-reply-to"> <i class='far fa-comments'></i> Reply to  <a href="#comment-1718664"> Stephanie </a> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="October 24, 2019 3:56 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 5 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Ok, just so you know. Your statement is factually incorrect. Chickens do not digest fiber. They eat cereal grains and are basically the most efficient resource converting animals in agriculture. It’s great to have these conversations, but let’s use facts and truth first, then discuss your political views.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2012264_1718664'></div></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1696986_0' class='comment even thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Mogga Moses Ezibon' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ec1a1bed18f1c7e2d18a7cdb283f8d8f?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ec1a1bed18f1c7e2d18a7cdb283f8d8f?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1696986" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Mogga Moses Ezibon </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Thanks for sharing this ed... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1696986' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1696986'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="April 24, 2017 7:04 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 7 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Thanks for sharing this educative details about phosphorus, what I think might cause a lot fear in future is the different government polices restricting the export of phosphate fertilizer around the world.<br /> Tanzania discovered the phosphate reserves since 1982 more than 30 years ago but their phosphate hasn’t reached many countries.<br /> The government simply use it locally in supporting farmers through input subsidy programme and restricting export and banning imports through the Tanzania Bureau of Standard, so this restrictions can result in higher prices for phosphate fertilizers and eventually higher food crises in other parts of the world.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1696986_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1635669_0' class='comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='dani dato' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc3c3f5c5746ec3ba7d955e9563da419?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc3c3f5c5746ec3ba7d955e9563da419?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1635669" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> <a href='http://google' rel='noreferrer ugc nofollow' target='_blank'>dani dato</a> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=in morocco only 2% in west... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1635669' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1635669'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="November 3, 2016 4:41 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 8 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>in morocco only 2% in western sahaha and the rest is in the north around Casablanca ….morocco is 75%ofthe world</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-tool-wrap"> <div class="wpd-toggle wpd-hidden wpd_not_clicked" wpd-tooltip="Hide Replies"> <i class='fas fa-chevron-up'></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1635669_0'></div><div id='wpd-comm-2057287_1635669' class='comment even depth-2 wpd-comment wpd-reply wpd_comment_level-2'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Meryeme' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fcd87594f2f983585a6edbf5e1cfdbb1?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fcd87594f2f983585a6edbf5e1cfdbb1?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-2057287" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> Meryeme </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=there is no western Sahara... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-2057287' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-2057287'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-reply-to"> <i class='far fa-comments'></i> Reply to  <a href="#comment-1635669"> dani dato </a> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="May 29, 2022 10:47 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 2 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>there is no western Sahara, SAHARA is moroccan</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-2057287_1635669'></div></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1590674_0' class='comment odd alt thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='MARGARET WANGARI NGATIA' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d76e46613313bbac638ed29bb3d6ac5e?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d76e46613313bbac638ed29bb3d6ac5e?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1590674" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> MARGARET WANGARI NGATIA </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Thanks so much for that ed... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1590674' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1590674'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="July 21, 2016 8:58 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 8 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Thanks so much for that educative part.I will start a research to find out if processing of a lower grade phosphate rock could have been the cause of maize diseases we have being experiencing here in Kenya for the past 2 years.The disease is called Maize lethralnicrosis.Thanks once more.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1590674_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1534583_0' class='comment even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='Claude Lord' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5609ccbc0bc1ab1703512c2206692e2a?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5609ccbc0bc1ab1703512c2206692e2a?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1534583" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> <a href='http://www.claudelord.com' rel='noreferrer ugc nofollow' target='_blank'>Claude Lord</a> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Thanks for the great artic... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1534583' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1534583'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="February 26, 2016 11:41 pm"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 8 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Thanks for the great article. Although it is quite factual, I am disturbed by the fact that Pedro insists that we are not going to run out while saying that there is a 300 to 400 year supply.</p> <p>My family has been farming the same property in Quebec for 374 years, since 1642. </p> <p>To me, 3-400 years is not a long time at all. Unspoken is that Canada only has 2 mines and one has 30 years of reserve, the other 15. Time to move to sustainable agriculture now or you’ll be bending the knee to Morocco<br /> Claude Lord</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1534583_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1410735_0' class='comment odd alt thread-even depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='wachiuri' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/00093710d74c70b635e904e00be01c59?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/00093710d74c70b635e904e00be01c59?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1410735" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> <a href='http://translation.uonbi.ac.ke' rel='noreferrer ugc nofollow' target='_blank'>wachiuri</a> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=thank you for revealing t... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1410735' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1410735'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="July 20, 2015 4:08 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 9 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>thank you for revealing those facts. esp that of a persons excreation and urine could produce up to 100% phosphorous enough to grow another persons food, it is a shame that in some excreta is buried underground</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1410735_0'></div></div><div id='wpd-comm-1408876_0' class='comment even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 wpd-comment wpd_comment_level-1'><div class="wpd-comment-wrap wpd-blog-guest"> <div class="wpd-comment-left "> <div class="wpd-avatar "> <img alt='James' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/964c0c63fcea3baaa812b9647b4bbdc4?s=64&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/964c0c63fcea3baaa812b9647b4bbdc4?s=128&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' onerror="this.style.display='none'" loading='lazy' decoding='async'/> </div> </div> <div id="comment-1408876" class="wpd-comment-right"> <div class="wpd-comment-header"> <div class="wpd-comment-author "> <a href='http://ku.ac.ke' rel='noreferrer ugc nofollow' target='_blank'>James</a> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-share wpd-hidden wpd-tooltip wpd-top"> <i class='fas fa-share-alt' aria-hidden='true'></i> <div class="wpd-tooltip-content"> <a class='wc_tw' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Phosphorus is one of the v... &url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.climate.columbia.edu%2F2013%2F04%2F01%2Fphosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out%2F%23comment-1408876' title='Share On X'><i class='fab fa-twitter wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_vk' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://vk.com/share.php?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On VKontakte'><i class='fab fa-vk wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a><a class='wc_ok' rel='noreferrer' target='_blank' href='https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/' title='Share On Odnoklassniki'><i class='fab fa-odnoklassniki wpf-cta' aria-hidden='true'></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> <div class="wpd-comment-link wpd-hidden"> <span wpd-tooltip='Comment Link' wpd-tooltip-position='left'><i class='fas fa-link' aria-hidden='true' data-wpd-clipboard='https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/#comment-1408876'></i></span> </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-subheader"> <div class="wpd-comment-date" title="July 16, 2015 5:23 am"> <i class='far fa-clock' aria-hidden='true'></i> 9 years ago </div> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-text"> <p>Phosphorus is one of the vital nutrient that is needed for life to continue. Plants and Animals require phosphorus for their survival. It is essential for the creation of DNA, cell membranes, and for bone and teeth formation in humans. It is vital for food production since it is one of three nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) used in commercial fertilizer. Phosphorus cannot be manufactured or destroyed, and there is no substitute or synthetic version of it available.Thanks for sharing with us.</p> </div> <div class="wpd-comment-footer"> <div class="wpd-reply-button"> <svg xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'><path d='M10 9V5l-7 7 7 7v-4.1c5 0 8.5 1.6 11 5.1-1-5-4-10-11-11z'/><path d='M0 0h24v24H0z' fill='none'/></svg> <span>Reply</span> </div> <div class='wpd-wpanel'></div> <div class="wpd-space"></div> </div> </div> </div><div id='wpdiscuz_form_anchor-1408876_0'></div></div> <div class="wpdiscuz-comment-pagination"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="wpdiscuz-loading-bar" class="wpdiscuz-loading-bar-unauth"></div> <div id="wpdiscuz-comment-message" class="wpdiscuz-comment-message-unauth"></div> </div></div> </section> <div class="wp-block-group cta-newsletter has-primary-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 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