AGROGENIC BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROVINCES

On a global scale, arable lands occupy 12% of the terrestrial ecosystems, and pastures occupy 25%. On the whole, the agrolandscapes occupy 40% of the Earth s land. At present the most used areas are in the moderate climate zone (25%) and subtropical and tropical ones (18%). To the maximal extent, natural landscapes and their relevant biogeochemical cycles are transformed into agrogeochemical provinces with a predominance of agrogeochemical cycles of many elements in Europe ( 30%) and Asia ( 20%). 

According to modem standards mineral fertilizers are partitioned into two groups standardized and non-standardized. The standardized fertilizers include nitrogen, phosphoms, potassium, complex, and micro-fertilizers that contain the nutrients at the standard basis. The non-standardized fertilizers are municipal wastewater effluents, municipal solid wastes, polluted river waters used for irrigation, etc., which are not characterized by standard content of nutrients. However one should add that in all fertilizers including standardized type there are the admixtures, which pollute the agrolandscape. The known examples are phosphoms fertilizers and any municipal waste and wastewater with a pool of heavy metals and various organic pollutants. 

The excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus as well as heavy metals migrate with water fluxes and enter into surface waters. This is accompanied by eutrophication of surface water bodies. 

As a consequence of intensive application of mineral fertilizers, nitrogen and phosphorus biogeochemical provinces have been formed in many regions, for instance, in Central and South East Asia, East Europe, etc. 

Disturbance of Phosphorus Biogeochemical Cycle in Agrolandscapes Conceptual ideas behind simulation of P cycling are related to construction of models for freshwater terrestrial ecosystems and a generalized oceanic system and understanding the restrictions of its application. 

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HUMAN HEALTH ENDPOINTS IN TECHNOGENIC AND AGROGENIC BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROVINCES... 

Box 3. Statistical assessment of morbidity in technogenic and agrogenic biogeochemical provinces of North Eurasia (after Evstafyeva et al., 1999)... 

There is a correlation between content of carcinogens in various links of biogeochemical food webs and frequency of stomach cancer. The most significant correlation was monitored in agrogenic biogeochemical nitrate province of the Kzyl-Orda administrative region. The multiple increase in the application of different agrochemicals, such as fertilizers, pesticides, and defoliants, induced the development of... 

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