Macroeconomics

Quantum mechanics

Isotopes of carbon

Ecology

Biology

Terrestrial plant

δ15N

Materials science

Growing season

Precipitation

Range (aeronautics)

Economics

Geology

Herbivore

Physics

Carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere

Geography

Total organic carbon

Terrestrial ecosystem

Productivity

Environmental science

δ13C

Composite material

Stable isotope ratio

Meteorology

Atmospheric sciences

Carbon dioxide

Nutrient

Ecosystem

Nature Ecology & Evolution

Human societies depend on an Earth system that operates within a constrained range of nutrient availability, yet the recent trajectory of terrestrial nitrogen (N) availability is uncertain. Examining patterns of foliar N concentrations and isotope ratios (δ15N) from more than 43,000 samples acquired over 37 years, here we show that foliar N concentration declined by 9% and foliar δ15N declined by 0.6-1.6‰. Examining patterns across different climate spaces, foliar δ15N declined across the entire range of mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation tested. These results suggest declines in N supply relative to plant demand at the global scale. In all, there are now multiple lines of evidence of declining N availability in many unfertilized terrestrial ecosystems, including declines in δ15N of tree rings and leaves from herbarium samples over the past 75-150 years. These patterns are consistent with the proposed consequences of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide and longer growing seasons. These declines will limit future terrestrial carbon uptake and increase nutritional stress for herbivores.

Isotopic evidence for oligotrophication of terrestrial ecosystems