Europe's wildlife under threat from nitrogen, study warns

There is evidence of impacts on semi-natural grasslands, heathlands and forests across Europe. This threat is set to continue unless there is further action on emissions of polluting nitrogen gases.

The study calls for a unified methodology of assessing the impact of aerial nitrogen pollution across Europe to help in efforts to safeguard significant conservation sites.

Dr Kevin Hicks, of the SEI at the University of York, said: "While the nitrogen impacts on plant species are relatively well understood its effects on other wildlife, such as butterflies, and the consequent implications for biodiversity are not so clear."

A team of scientists, conservation and environmental managers and policy makers from across Europe, co-ordinated by the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York, reviewed evidence from across Europe. The study confirmed nitrogen deposition as a major threat to biodiversity in the Natura 2000 network established under the Community's Habitats Directive to safeguard important habitats and species.

Nitrogen Deposition and Natura 2000 has been published at the Nitrogen and Global Change conference in Edinburgh. It follows the publication earlier this week of the first European Nitrogen Assessment (ENA).

Dr Mark Sutton, from the UK's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the lead editor of the European Nitrogen Assessment, said: "This new volume takes the essential next steps, building on the conclusions of the European Nitrogen Assessment: It highlights the great challenges faced in managing the threat of nitrogen deposition to Europe's flagship conservation network. "Concerted action is now needed to link European conservation, air pollution and agricultural policies to ensure that the scientifically established damage thresholds are not exceeded."