What is the Environmental impacts of long-term fertilizer use

While chemical fertilizers boost crop yields, their long-term overuse has significant negative environmental consequences.

• Water Pollution (Eutrophication): Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers are washed off fields by rain into rivers and lakes. These nutrients cause massive algal blooms. When the algae die and decompose, they consume all the oxygen in the water, creating "dead zones" where fish and other aquatic life cannot survive.
• Soil Degradation: Chemical fertilizers do not add organic matter to the soil. Over time, this leads to the loss of soil structure, reduced water-holding capacity, and the death of beneficial soil microorganisms. The soil becomes hard, compacted, and less fertile.
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The application of nitrogen fertilizers leads to the release of nitrous oxide (N₂O), a potent greenhouse gas that is about 300 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
• Soil Acidity: The long-term use of certain nitrogen fertilizers, like ammonium sulphate, can increase soil acidity, which harms plant growth and requires costly liming to correct.