Pathogen and Nutrient Transfer Through and Across Agricultural Soils

Oliver, David and Heathwaite, Louise (2013) Pathogen and Nutrient Transfer Through and Across Agricultural Soils. In: Environmental Toxicology. Springer, New York, pp. 403-439. ISBN 978-1-4614-5763-3

Abstract

Human activity can place heavy stress on agricultural soils across the world. Soil systems are continually manipulated in order to support the increase in crop yields and accommodate more intensive livestock production and thus provide the planet’s ever-growing population with a diverse array of ecosystem services, among which food production features highly. The recycling of livestock manures to land provides a sustainable solution to support the ecosystem services that soils provide and a host of benefits both in terms of improving soil structure and also soil fertility. However, livestock manures and feces may contain a high number of fecal microorganisms that pose a threat to human well-being and potentially large concentrations of nutrients harmful to the ecology of freshwater systems that the soils often buffer.