Phosphorus Runoff from Coastal Plain Forest Soil in Louisiana

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis Vol. 47; no. 10; pp. 1283 - 1295
• Main Authors: Felicien, W. L., Wight, J. P., Gaston, L. A., Blazier, M. A., Kovar, J. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 30.05.2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Bray 2; forest soil; phosphorus; Pinus taeda; poultry litter; prediction; runoff; ASW, USA, Louisiana
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2016.1166241

Although not a common practice, poultry litter (PL) may be used for forest fertilization. Despite usually low soil phosphorus (P) and runoff under forest, repeated or high rates of PL application may cause appreciable P loss. Phosphorus in natural runoff under loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) fertilized with PL, downslope P enrichment of surface soil, and P runoff during simulated rainfall (a) 5 years post-application and (b) where straw was harvested were measured. Relationships of runoff P (dissolved reactive, dissolved, and total) concentration and load to soil P (Bray 2 and water-extractable in two depths) and hydraulic conductivity were examined. Post-application loss of P was lower than reported for pasture. There was little downslope P movement. Runoff P was related to the corresponding form of soil P (R 2  = 0.28-0.48) but likely affected by P leached from the O horizon. Loads could be estimated from regressions.