(Phys.org)—A team of researchers from Taiwan and the U.S. has found evidence of higher levels of anthropogenic surface nitrogen in the South China Sea, likely due to an increase in atmospheric nitrogen levels. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their study of nitrogen deposition on coral reefs over the past half-century. Edward Boyle with MIT offers a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same issue along with an outline of nitrogen ocean processes.