Assessing phosphorus bioavailability in agricultural soils and runoff

Abstract

Bioavailable phosphorus (BAP) transported in agricultural runoff can accelerate surface water eutrophication. Although several algal assays and chemical extractions have been proposed to estimate BAP, procedural and theoretical limitations have restricted widespread BAP measurement. Thus, a routine method was developed to estimate BAP, which uses iron oxide-impregnated paper strips (Fe-oxide strips) as a P-sink for BAP in runoff. In the proposed method BAP is determined by shaking 50 mL of unfiltered runoff with one Fe-oxide strip for 16 h. Phosphorus is removed from the strip by 0.1M H2SO4 and measured. The BAP content of runoff from 20 agricultural watersheds in the Southern Plains was related to the growth of P-starved algae incubated for 29 d with runoff as the sole source of P. Acting as a P sink, Fe-oxide strips may have a stronger theoretical basis than chemical extraction in estimating BAP. The method may also have potential use as an environmental soil P test to indicate soils liable to enrich runoff with sufficient P to accelerate eutrophication. Bioavailable P loss in runoff was lower from no till (438 g ha−1 yr−1) than from conventional till (1288 g ha−1 yr−1). Kinetic and enrichment ratio approaches accurately predicted (r2 of 0.93) BAP transport in runoff during 1988 to 1990. Use of the Fe-oxide strip method will facilitate estimation of BAP transport in runoff and thereby, improve assessment of the resultant impact on the biological productivity of receiving surface waters.