AUTHOR=Guignard Maïté S. , Leitch Andrew R. , Acquisti Claudia , Eizaguirre Christophe , Elser James J. , Hessen Dag O. , Jeyasingh Punidan D. , Neiman Maurine , Richardson Alan E. , Soltis Pamela S. , Soltis Douglas E. , Stevens Carly J. , Trimmer Mark , Weider Lawrence J. , Woodward Guy , Leitch Ilia J. TITLE=Impacts of Nitrogen and Phosphorus: From Genomes to Natural Ecosystems and Agriculture JOURNAL=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution VOLUME=5 YEAR=2017 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2017.00070 DOI=10.3389/fevo.2017.00070 ISSN=2296-701X ABSTRACT=

Nitrogen (N) and/or phosphorus (P) availability can limit growth of primary producers across most of the world's aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. These constraints are commonly overcome in agriculture by applying fertilizers to improve yields. However, excessive anthropogenic N and P inputs impact natural environments and have far-reaching ecological and evolutionary consequences, from individual species up to entire ecosystems. The extent to which global N and P cycles have been perturbed over the past century can be seen as a global fertilization experiment with significant redistribution of nutrients across different ecosystems. Here we explore the effects of N and P availability on stoichiometry and genomic traits of organisms, which, in turn, can influence: (i) plant and animal abundances; (ii) trophic interactions and population dynamics; and (iii) ecosystem dynamics and productivity of agricultural crops. We articulate research priorities for a deeper understanding of how bioavailable N and P move through the environment and exert their ultimate impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services.