Effects of Soil Carbon on Phosphorus and Sediment Loss from Soil Trays by Overland Flow

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 207 - 214
• Main Authors: McDowell, R.W, Sharpley, A.N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society 01.01.2003; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agrochemicals; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; analysis; application rate; Biological and medical sciences; bulk density; calcium; carbon; Carbon - analysis; Carbon - chemistry; Cations; chemical composition; chemistry; clay; Conservation of Natural Resources; dairy manure; Environmental Monitoring; exchangeable calcium; Fertilizer application; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Hapludalfs; Humidity; Ion Exchange; losses from soil; Manure; manure spreading; Mineral fertilizers; Overland flow; Phosphorus; Phosphorus - analysis; Phosphorus - chemistry; Poultry manure; rain; Sediment transport; sediments; Soil; soil aggregation; Soil chemistry; Soil erosion, conservation, land management and development; Soil science; soil slaking; Soil structure; Soil surfaces; Soil treatment; Solubility; trays; triple superphosphate; Water Movements; Organic matter; Substance loss; Soil deterioration; Alfisols; Soil quality; Inorganic fertilizer; Phosphorus; Runoff water; Phosphate fertilizer; Farmyard manure; Sediments; Transport process; Water erosion(soil); Amendment; Silt loam soil; Nutrient
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2003.2070

Soil chemical constituents influence soil structure and erosion potential. We investigated manure and inorganic fertilizer applications on soil chemistry (carbon [C] quality and exchangeable cations), aggregation, and phosphorus (P) loss in overland flow. Surface samples (0–5 cm) of a Hagerstown (fine, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludalf) soil, to which either dairy or poultry manure or triple superphosphate had been applied (0–200 kg P ha−1 yr−1 for 5 yr), were packed in boxes (1 m long, 0.15 m wide, and 0.10 m deep) to field bulk density (1.2 g cm−3). Rainfall was applied (65 mm h−1), overland flow collected, and sediment and P loss determined. All amendments increased Mehlich 3–extractable P (19–177 mg kg−1) and exchangeable Ca (4.2–11.5 cmol kg−1) compared with untreated soil. For all treatments, sediment transport was inversely related to the degree of soil aggregation (determined as ratio of dispersed and undispersed clay; r = 0.51), exchangeable Ca (r = 0.59), and hydrolyzable carbohydrate (r = 0.62). The loss of particulate P and total P in overland flow from soil treated with up to 50 kg P ha−1 dairy manure (9.9 mg particulate phosphorus [PP], 15.1 mg total phosphorus [TP]) was lower than untreated soil (13.3 mg PP, 18.1 mg TP), due to increased aggregation and decreased surface soil slaking attributed to added C in manure. Manure application at low rates (<50 kg P ha−1) imparts physical benefits to surface soil, which decrease P loss potential. However, at greater application rates, P transport is appreciably greater (26.9 mg PP, 29.5 mg TP) than from untreated soil (13.3 mg PP, 18.1 mg TP).