A new study has found that nitrogen deposition can have a serious impact on soil invertebrates, particularly insects. The research, conducted by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology and published in the journal Nature Communications, found that increased levels of nitrogen in the soil can reduce the abundance and diversity of invertebrates such as insects, earthworms, and mites.

Nitrogen is essential for plant growth, but too much of it can be a problem. Nitrogen deposition is a form of air pollution, caused by emissions from cars, factories, and power plants. It can cause soil acidification and other environmental problems, and now it appears to be affecting soil invertebrates.

The research team studied nitrogen levels and soil invertebrate abundance and diversity in 10 sites in the Netherlands. They found that the sites with higher nitrogen levels had lower abundance and diversity of soil invertebrates. This could have a significant effect on food webs and other ecological processes.

The findings of this study highlight the need to reduce nitrogen pollution, as it can have a major impact on the environment and on the creatures that live in it.

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source: Phys.org