A Soilscape Network Approach (SNAp) to investigate subsurface phosphorus translocation along slopes

Abstract

Subsurface phosphorus (P) translocation along slopes may contribute to P enrichment in the subsoils of riparian buffer zones. Such “deep P stocks” might contribute to P concentrations and eutrophication of freshwaters. Better understanding of subsurface P translocation through the soilscape is required to understand the build-up of deep P stocks and to develop targeted mitigation strategies against it. However, such soilscape P dynamics are difficult to tackle due to logistical limitations of common field sampling strategies. Here, we introduce the Soilscape Network Approach (SNAp) as a solution to this problem: It enables to study soilscape P dynamics from a new analytical perspective but on the basis of common field sampling strategies. For this purpose, we are using the graph visualization platform Gephi with field data from a study on subsurface P translocation in Germany. The application of SNAp corroborated prior results regarding deep P stocks in riparian buffer zones, and it enabled the identification of major P sink and source sites as well as dominant P translocation pathways. Our SNAp analysis suggests that subsurface P translocation from topslopes and middle slopes is relevant for the build-up of deep P stocks in the studied toeslope subsoils, especially with shallow basalt or agricultural fertilizer inputs on the top- and middle slopes. Besides, the data imply that lateral P translocation along the studied slopes is small on short slopes, increases until a maximum is achieved, then decreases again when slopes are too long. The SNAp analysis offers new findings which gave valuable insights for the mitigation of subsurface P translocation along slopes.