The Everglades Agricultural Area in South Florida is the home of the most unique and fertile soils in the country—organic-rich Histosols with over 80% organic matter. These soils, once part of a vast wetland ecosystem, have been drained over the past century to support agriculture, especially sugarcane, rice, and vegetables. But beneath this productivity lies a hidden concern: decades of phosphorus fertilizer use have created a massive reserve of legacy phosphorus.
Hosted by Xue Bai and Anik Mahmud. Music by Lucas Crane.
In this episode, Dr. LukeGatiboni, professor and extension specialist in the Soil and Crop SciencesDepartment at NC State, shares insights from his research on phosphorusmanagement. The story of phosphorus fertilization in Eastern North Carolinaunfolds, beginning with the region’s unique coastal soils and the historicalbuildup of legacy phosphorus from decades of agricultural use. The episodehighlights the Tidewater Research Station, a key site for long-termfertilization experiments that have helped shape current understanding ofphosphorus dynamics in crop production. From past practices to present-daychallenges, the discussion dives into how researchers are managing phosphorusfor both productivity and environmental sustainability in one of the state’smost important agricultural regions.
Hosted by Jiangfeng Xuand Hector Fajardo. Music by Lucas Crane.
Dr. Gatiboni website
https://cals.ncsu.edu/crop-and-soil-sciences/people/lcolpog/
Deviney etal., 2024 paper on TBL sites:
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10429
Tidewater ResearchStation website:
https://cals.ncsu.edu/research/research-stations/tidewater-research-station/
Phosphorus dynamics within any system can be complex, but none are more complex than urban systems. The STEPS Center has established one of its key Triple Bottom Line (TBL) scenario sites as the Central Arizona–Phoenix Long Term Ecological Research (CAP-LTER) site, which considers the unique dynamics between the urban metropolis of Phoenix and its peri-urban, rural, and environmental surroundings. In this episode of PhosForUs, we chat about phosphorus dynamics in urban settings, including recovering phosphorus from urban waste streams, modeling of phosphorus flows within urban scenarios, and identifying future trends in engineering, technology, and regulation that can drive phosphorus dynamics.
Hosted by Lucas Crane, Maheen Mahmood, and Minhazul Islam
Link to Metson et al., 2012 paper discussed in the episode: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1890/11-0865.1
Link to Deviney et al., 2024 paper on TBL sites:
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10429
Link to previous PhosForUs podcast episode on urine diversion: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nP8IOo0r7MCFidYco5WjC?si=CwDSAL0zQceUS2jnGZs5SA
Bathrooms are in nearly every building and the infrastructure has not changed much. But what if bathroom infrastructure changed the way phosphorus was recovered? In a previous episode, we talked about how urine can be a resource instead of a waste and in this episode we take a long term view on the future of urine diversion technology and its place in modern buildings. Josephine talks with Dr. Boyer and Dr. Merck to understand the engineering and social perspective of this technology. Who knows, toilets may look a little different in the future!
The STEPS Center uses tools called boundary objects to help build convergence capacity – that is, the ability to effectively co-create new knowledge – across its multidisciplinary research community. This episode is an introduction to one of those boundary objects, the Triple Bottom Line Scenario Site, also known as TBL Sites. TBL Sites are geographic locations that, for STEPS at least, encompass a phosphorus flow in a particular ecological setting. These sites provide researchers with access to resources, data, and stakeholder networks, as well as specific contexts related to phosphorus management. In this episode we will introduce you to the concept of the TBL Site and how the STEPS Center is using these boundary objects to learn about phosphorus challenges, and to test new ideas and innovations. Future episodes will take a deeper look at the current TBL Sites.
Hosted by Smitom Borah and Alison Deviney
Featuring (in order of appearance) Maude Cuchiara, Natalie Nelson, Paul Westerhoff, Jacob Jones, and Jay Rickabaugh.
Link to the transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19rXZ7Mw6Bk1J5Qz38PoqyYq7DFoAO8w2vRO4QyOX0bM/edit?usp=sharing
Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/
In this episode, we interviewed Dr. Deanna Osmond, professor in the Soil and Crop Sciences Department at North Carolina State University. We explore Dr. Osmond’s career in nutrient management, focusing on the challenges of phosphorus sustainability in agriculture. The discussion covers her involvement with the SERA 17 initiative, the creation of environmental phosphorus thresholds, and the development of tools like the Phosphorus Loss Assessment Tool (PLAT) and the Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool (FRST). Dr. Osmond also shares her thoughts on the future of phosphorus management and offers advice to young researchers.
Hosted by Lily Kyle and Hector Fajardo. Music by Lucas Crane.
Resources links:
What if I told you that your urine can be a potential solution for the world’s phosphorus conundrum? In this episode, we discuss how urine can be a resource instead of a waste and chat about two upcoming peer-reviewed articles based on STEPS research. Lucas explains why urine diversion systems are more feasible in airports than in restaurants, and Ashton talks about why we should be looking to state, not federal, regulation as the most likely pathway for regulatory change in the US. We also share our own personal journeys into P (and pee) research. Urine for a good time!
The two main articles that were discussed:
Researchers must address regulatory regimes to scale up adoption of urine diversion systems in the U.S. (in review at the time of recording, link will be added once published)
And if you want to learn more about using the power of the sun for urine treatment, check out this article on Solar distillation of human urine to recover non-potable water and metal phosphate mineral.
Hosted by Ashton Merck and Lucas Crane. Music by Lucas Crane.
Phosphorus Week 2024 is a special occasion celebrated by the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center and the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (the Alliance). It commences on Monday, April 8th, coinciding with the 15th week of the year. During this week, we honor the 15th element, phosphorus, which plays a crucial role in sustaining life and ensuring global food security. In this episode, we reach out to Dr. Matthew Scholz to know more about Phosphorus Week and how we can contribute towards phosphorus sustainability. Join us as we celebrate the precious 15th element and its impact on our well-being!
To know more about how you can play a role in phosphorus management, check out the 12-step program for a more phosphorus-efficient you!
Here are the links to thetranscript and the background music.
Modern challenges of today create the need for more efficient and effective research to tackle them. By what means are we achieving this? Convergence research is how. It’s been elevated as one of the National Science Foundations 10 Big Ideas, and it is the foundation that the STEPS Center has been built upon. In this episode, we want to elaborate on the fine details of convergence research. We’ll investigate the technical definition, the reason it’s so important, and what it looks like in practice. As we do so, we’ll hear from several members of the STEPS community, researchers and scholars alike! By the end, we hope to provide a good understanding of what convergence research is, and why we appreciate it so much.
Hosted by Alison Deviney and George Hotelling
Featuring Jacob Jones, Jan Genzer, Shwetha Delanthamajalu, Jessica Deaver, Lucas Crane, Kim Bourne, Jay Rickabaugh, and Christine Hendren.
NSF’s page on Convergence Research: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/learn/research-types/learn-about-convergence-research#characteristics
Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/
The P flow diagram is a key aspect of STEPS convergence research, because it functions as a “boundary object” to connect researchers from many different fields. In this episode, we give a brief overview of what flow diagrams are, and then we talk to some of the researchers in STEPS about how they use the P flow diagram and what they like (and don’t like!) about it. We also hear from several students from the STEPS Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, about how they used the P flow diagram in their summer research.
Hosted by Ashton Merck; featuring Christine Hendren, Paul Westerhoff, Bruce Rittmann, Treavor Boyer, Anna Marshall, Olga Borquez, Jay Rickabaugh, Julianna Nieuwsma, Adrian Zenteno, Sarah Roza, and Alex Shaw.
Link to STEPS REU 2023 interactive P flow diagram (opens Prezi - large file)
Using a Phosphorus Flow Diagram as a Boundary Object to Inform Stakeholder Engagement
Music by Bensound and Pixabay.
As much as we need food to stay alive, our crops need phosphorus to keep growing. But how do we ensure a sustainable phosphorus supply to our agricultural lands? In fact, who ensures that sustainability? Who are the other stakeholders? Join us as we dive deeper into these questions with Dr. Dana Cordell, Research Director of the Food Systems research group at the Institute of Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Australia and Dr. Jacob Jones, Director of STEPS.
Link to transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fwVeodSErVrwzPPRsaswAwbrlKvcO0GB/view?usp=sharing
Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/
Phosphorus is a key element for life on Earth, but it can also have devastating effects on the environment when it accumulates in water bodies. In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between phosphorus and climate change, and how it affects the health of ecosystems. We are joined by three experts who share their insights and perspectives on this topic: Phil Haygarth, a professor of soil and water science at Lancaster University, UK; Laura Johnson, director of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University, US; and Patricia Glibert, a professor of marine science at the University of Maryland, US. They discuss the sources and impacts of phosphorus pollution, the challenges and opportunities for managing phosphorus in a changing climate, and the potential solutions. Join us as we delve into the complex and urgent issue of phosphorus and the climate crisis.
Link to transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16cP12ECFi1qIoPL-yojwnfK6M8G1hOoV/view?usp=drive_link
Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/
The Science and Technology for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) center is a recently created convergence research center, that is addressing the complex challenges around phosphorus sustainability with an interdisciplinary group of researchers coming from diverse scientific areas. In this episode, we talk to the director of the STEPS center, Dr. Jacob Jones, about the 25-in-25 vision of the center, convergence and transdisciplinary research, stakeholder engagement and more. All having phosphorus sustainability as the main point. Join us as we take a look at the fascinating world of phosphorus.
Link to transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XCWLslkO5xjaZmJhE5JUZinvyBqtn_gq/view?usp=share_link
Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/
Mentioned links:
1. STEPS center website: https://steps-center.org/
2. Phosphorus flow diagram: https://steps-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/image.png
3. 12 steps to be more sustainable: https://phosphorusalliance.org/what-can-i-do/
Phosphorus is an important element on earth. It is a non-metallic element that is essential for life as we know it. It is used in a variety of industrial and agricultural applications, such as fertilizers, food additives, and flame retardants. However, excess phosphorus usage has also led to many environmental problems. In this episode, we talk to two renown phosphorus experts, Dr. Jim Elser and Dr. Phil Haygarth, about Phosphorus’s past, present, and future. Get a glimpse of the diverse world of phosphorus with us.
Link to transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1quwqILVzyXZBtpoDY9AFPxCWh5hHVgg5/view?usp=share_link
Link to the background music: https://pixabay.com/music/funk-energetic-funky-groove-138634/
This episode is a short introduction to the world of PhosForUS. It is a snippet from the first episode.
