The Mediterranean Region as a Paradigm of the Global Decoupling of N and P Between Soils and Freshwaters

The global socio-economic and agricultural expansion is accompanied by large inputs of nitrogen (N) phosphorus (P) on land a serious alteration the water cycle quality. Mediterranean basin represents paradigmatic region to study entangled nutrient challenges because region, where many world's climatic gradients are present, predicted suffer severe stress in coming decades yet at same time intensification population increasing rim countries. We here describe biogeochemical budgets N P 549 river basins for 2000–2009 period, analyzing how gradient management practices affect fluxes their stoichiometric ratios. Average 3,600 kg km?2 yr?1 470 yr?1, with significant variation between (>100 times) closely related stage intensification. Moreover, combination aridity regulation can strongly alter final balances, not only changing export nutrients rivers (riverine ca. 10% 8% arid basins), but also decoupling N:P ratios terrestrial freshwater compartments.