Runoff Phosphorus Research Articles

Limited Dissolved Phosphorus Runoff Losses from Layered Double Hydroxide and Struvite Fertilizers in a Rainfall Simulation Study.

The enrichment of P in surface waters has been linked to P runoff from agricultural fields amended with fertilizers. Novel slow-release mineral fertilizers, such as struvite and P-exchanged layered double hydroxides (LDHs), have received increasing attention for P recycling from waste streams, and these fertilizers may potentially reduce the risk of runoff losses. Here, a rainfall simulation experiment was performed to evaluate P runoff associated with the application of recycled slow-release fertilizers relative to that of a soluble fertilizer. Monoammonium phosphate (MAP), struvite, and LDH granular fertilizers were broadcasted at equal total P doses on soil packed in trays (5% slope) and covered with perennial ryegrass ( L.). Four rainfall simulation events of 30 min were performed at 1, 5, 15, and 30 d after the fertilizer application. Runoff water from the trays was collected, filtered, and analyzed for dissolved P. For the MAP treatment, P runoff losses were high in the first two rain events and leveled off in later rain events. In total, 42% of the applied P in the MAP treatment was lost due to runoff. In the slow-release fertilizer treatments, P runoff losses were limited to 1.9 (struvite) and 2.4% (LDH) of the applied doses and were more similar over the different rain events. The use of these novel P fertilizer forms could be beneficial in areas with a high risk of surface water eutrophication and a history of intensive fertilization.

Effect of slope farmland soil and water and soil nitrogen and phosphorus loss based on different crop and straw applications and ridge patterns in the basin of the main stream of the Songhua River

For soil and water erosion control in slope farmland, field experiments consisting of corn + no straw application + longitudinal ridge (CNL-CK), corn + stubble standing + cross ridge (CSSC), corn + straw application + cross ridge (CSC), soybean + straw application + cross ridge (SSC) and alfalfa + straw application + cross ridge (ASC) were conducted. Compared with the traditional CNL cropping pattern, soil loss in CSSC, CSC, SSC, and ASC was decreased 43.6%, 48.6%,58.2% and 62.1%, respectively, soil nitrogen loss load was decreased 53.8%, 50.8%, 62.1% and 66.2%, respectively, and soil phosphorus loss load was decreased 50.7%, 50.7%, 60.0%, and 66.7%, respectively. Runoff volume was decreased 42.4%, 52.3%, 54.6% and 61.0%, runoff nitrogen loss load was decreased 52.8%, 56.8%, 46.1% and 50.2%, respectively, and runoff phosphorus loss load was decreased 46.9%, 78.2%, 67.2%, and 62.7%, respectively. Soil and water erosion control of soybean and alfalfa were better than that of corn. Soil loss was decreased 19.2% and 26.7%, soil nitrogen loss load was decreased 22.9% and 31.3% respectively, soil phosphorus loss load was decreased 18.9% and 32.4% respectively, runoff volume was decreased 4.8% and 18.4% respectively, runoff nitrogen loss load was decreased −24.9% and −15.3% respectively, and runoff phosphorus loss load was decreased −50.4% and −71.2% respectively. Though runoff volume of SSC and ASC were lower than CSC, the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in SSC and ASC runoff liquid were higher than CSC, so the runoff nitrogen and phosphorus of SSC and ASC were increased. The runoff nitrogen and phosphorus loss load could be negligible because the soil nitrogen and phosphorus loss load were large. The concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus of all treatment runoff liquid was less than the environmental quality standards for class III surface water, so the runoff from slope farmland did not influence the water quality of the Songhua River.

Vertical Stratification of Soil Phosphorus as a Concern for Dissolved Phosphorus Runoff in the Lake Erie Basin.

During the re-eutrophication of Lake Erie, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) loading and concentrations to the lake have nearly doubled, while particulate phosphorus (PP) has remained relatively constant. One potential cause of increased DRP concentrations is P stratification, or the buildup of soil-test P (STP) in the upper soil layer (<5 cm). Stratification often accompanies no-till and mulch-till practices that reduce erosion and PP loading, practices that have been widely implemented throughout the Lake Erie Basin. To evaluate the extent of P stratification in the Sandusky Watershed, certified crop advisors were enlisted to collect stratified soil samples (0-5 or 0-2.5 cm) alongside their normal agronomic samples (0-20 cm) ( = 1758 fields). The mean STP level in the upper 2.5 cm was 55% higher than the mean of agronomic samples used for fertilizer recommendations. The amounts of stratification were highly variable and did not correlate with agronomic STPs (Spearman's = 0.039, = 0.178). Agronomic STP in 70% of the fields was within the buildup or maintenance ranges for corn ( L.) and soybeans [ (L.) Merr.] (0-46 mg kg Mehlich-3 P). The cumulative risks for DRP runoff from the large number of fields in the buildup and maintenance ranges exceeded the risks from fields above those ranges. Reducing stratification by a one-time soil inversion has the potential for larger and quicker reductions in DRP runoff risk than practices related to drawing down agronomic STP levels. Periodic soil inversion and mixing, targeted by stratified STP data, should be considered a viable practice to reduce DRP loading to Lake Erie.

The Promise, Practice, and State of Planning Tools to Assess Site Vulnerability to Runoff Phosphorus Loss.

Over the past 20 yr, there has been a proliferation of phosphorus (P) site assessment tools for nutrient management planning, particularly in the United States. The 19 papers that make up this special section on P site assessment include decision support tools ranging from the P Index to fate-and-transport models to weather-forecast-based risk calculators. All require objective evaluation to ensure that they are effective in achieving intended benefits to protecting water quality. In the United States, efforts have been underway to compare, evaluate, and advance an array of P site assessment tools. Efforts to corroborate their performance using water quality monitoring data confirms previously documented discrepancies between different P site assessment tools but also highlights a surprisingly strong performance of many versions of the P Index as a predictor of water quality. At the same time, fate-and-transport models, often considered to be superior in their prediction of hydrology and water quality due to their complexity, reveal limitations when applied to site assessment. Indeed, one consistent theme from recent experience is the need to calibrate highly parameterized models. As P site assessment evolves, so too do routines representing important aspects of P cycling and transport. New classes of P site assessment tools are an opportunity to move P site assessment from general, strategic goals to web-based tools supporting daily, operational decisions.

Characteristics of Inorganic Nitrogen and Phosphorus Runoff under Different Water Management Treatments in Irrigated Paddy Fields

Characteristics of Inorganic Nitrogen and Phosphorus Runoff under Different Water Management Treatments in Irrigated Paddy Fields

Economic Targeting of Agricultural Beneficial Management Practices to Address Phosphorus Runoff in Manitoba

AbstractThe mechanisms used to deliver agricultural beneficial management practices (BMPs) can influence the performance of these policies. Research has suggested that agri‐environmental instruments targeted based on specific economic or environmental characteristics can improve policy performance. Using a case study approach, we evaluate the relative performance of different mechanisms to target subsidized water retention pond BMPs to reduce phosphorus (P) runoff in an agriculture dominated subwatershed within the Lake Winnipeg watershed in southern Manitoba. The water retention pond BMPs were targeted based on estimated establishment costs (cost targeting), total phosphorus removal from surface water (benefit targeting), and pond‐specific benefit–cost ratios. The targeting was simulated using predictions of retention pond‐specific P removal from an adapted hydrology model and site‐specific pond construction and land opportunity costs assembled in a geographic information system database. Targeting of water retention pond BMPs has an impact on the cost effectiveness of the policy delivery with benefit–cost targeting being the most cost‐effective approach. Water retention ponds providing higher P removal at lower cost were smaller in size and on land previously used for the production of lower value crops.Le ciblage économique des pratiques de gestion bénéfiques en agriculture pour remédier au ruissellement du phosphore au ManitobaLes mécanismes utilisés pour livrer des pratiques de gestion bénéfiques (PGB) peuvent influencer la performance de ces politiques. Des études suggèrent que le ciblage d'instruments agroenvironnementaux basé sur des caractéristiques économiques ou environnementales précises peut améliorer la performance des politiques. Au moyen d'études de cas, nous évaluons la performance relative de divers mécanismes pour cibler les PGB des bassins de rétention d'eau subventionnés pour réduire le ruissellement de phosphore (P) dans un sous‐bassin du bassin du Lac Winnipeg au sud du Manitoba. Les PGB du bassin de rétention des eaux ont été ciblées en fonction des coûts estimés d'établissement (ciblage des coûts), de l′élimination totale du phosphore de la surface de l'eau (ciblage des bénéfices), et des ratios avantages‐coûts liés au bassin. Le ciblage fut simulé au moyen de prédictions du taux de suppression de P spécifique à chaque bassin de rétention obtenues à partir d'une adaptation d'un modèle hydrologique et d'une base de données d'un système d'information géographique (SIG) contenant les sites de chaque bassin de rétention et le coût d'opportunité du terrain. Le ciblage des PGB des bassins de rétention d'eau a un impact sur la rentabilité de la mise en œuvre de politiques, le ciblage coût‐avantages étant l'approche la plus rentable. Les bassins de rétention d'eau ayant le plus haut taux d'élimination de P à moindre coût s'avéraient plus petits et sur des terrains ayant servi, auparavant, à la production de cultures de moindre valeur.

Modeling Suburban Phosphorus Runoff and BMPs: Downscaling from Watershed Systems to Site-Specific Scales

AbstractModeling nutrient pollution remains important in assessing and managing impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Phosphorus is a limiting factor in inland water bodies, and there is a need for modeli...

The Evolving Science of Phosphorus Site Assessment

The Evolving Science of Phosphorus Site Assessment

Comparison of three persulfate digestion methods for total phosphorus analysis and estimation of suspended sediments

As a result of impairments to fresh surface water quality due to phosphorus enrichment, substantial research effort has been put forth to quantify agricultural runoff phosphorus as related to on-field practices. While the analysis of runoff dissolved phosphorus is well prescribed and leaves little room for variability in methodology, there are several methods and variations of sample preparation reagents as well as analysis procedures for determining runoff total phosphorus. Due to the variation in methodology for determination of total phosphorus and an additional laboratory procedure required to measure suspended solids, the objectives of the current study are to i. compare the performance of three persulfate digestion methods (Acid Persulfate, USGS, and Alkaline Persulfate) for total phosphorus percent recovery across a wide range of suspended sediments (SS), and ii. evaluate the ability of using Al and/or Fe in digestion solution to predict SS as a surrogate to the traditional gravimetric method. Percent recovery of total phosphorus was determined using suspensions prepared from soils collected from 21 agricultural fields in Ohio. The Acid Persulfate method was most effective, with an average total phosphorus percent recovery of 96.6%. The second most effective method was the USGS with an average total phosphorus recovery of 76.1%. However, the Alkaline Persulfate method performed poorly with an average 24.5% total phosphorus recovery. As a result application of Alkaline Persulfate digestion to edge of field monitoring may drastically underestimated runoff total phosphorus. In addition to excellent recovery of total phosphorus, the Acid Persulfate method combined with analysis of Al and Fe by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry provides a robust estimate of total SS. Due to the large quantity of samples that can result from water quality monitoring, an indirect measure of total SS could be very valuable when time and budget constraints limit the number of procedures that can be run on a single water sample.

Influence of Soil Properties and Manure Sources on Phosphorus in Runoff during Simulated Rainfall

ABSTRACTRunoff from agricultural fields amended with animal manure or fertilizer is a source of phosphorus (P) pollution to surface waters, which can have harmful effects such as eutrophication. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of soil P status and the P composition of manure sources on P in runoff and characterize the effects of manure sources on mass loss of dissolved reactive P, total dissolved P, and total P in runoff. Soil boxes set at 5% slopes received 7.5 cm h−1 of simulated rainfall for 30 min. Study soils included a Kenansville loamy sand (loamy siliceous subactive thermic Arenic Hapludults, a Coastal Plain soil) and a Davidson silt loam (kaolinitic thermic Rhodic Kandiudults, a Piedmont soil). Soil test P concentrations ranged from 16 to 283 mg P kg−1. Sources of P included broiler litter, breeder manure, and breeder manure treated with three rates of aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) 0, 3.9, and 7.8 kg m−2, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), and an un-amended control. All manure sources were surface applied at 66 kg P ha−1 without incorporation. Water extractable P represented an average of 10 ± 6% total P in manure. Runoff samples were taken over a 30-min period. Piedmont soil contained greater amounts of clay, aluminum (Al), and iron (Fe) concentrations, and higher P sorption capacities that produced significantly lower dissolved reactive P, total dissolved P, and total P losses than the Coastal Plain soil. Runoff P loss did not differ significantly for low and high STP Coastal Plain soils. Water extractable P in manures accounted for all dissolved reactive P lost in runoff with dissolved reactive P correlating strongly with water extractable P concentration (r2 = 0.9961). Overall, manures containing the highest water extractable P concentrations contributed to the largest amounts of dissolved reactive P in runoff. Manure treated with 3.9 and 7.8 kg m−2 of Al2(SO4)3 (alum) decreased dissolved reactive P in runoff by 29%. While this soil box runoff study represents a worst-case scenario for P loss, highly significant effects of soil properties and manure sources were obtained. Management based on these results should help ameliorate harmful effects of P in runoff.

Phosphorus, Iron, and Aluminum Losses in Runoff from a Rotationally Grazed Pasture in Georgia

Abstract. Well-managed grazing systems can provide valuable ecosystem services, such as reducing sediment and phosphorus (P) loading to nearby waterways. However, the available long-term data to fully support this hypothesis are limited. In this article, we describe flow-weighted concentrations (FWCs) and loads for dissolved reactive P (DRP), total P (TP), iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al) over 11 years (1999-2009) from a 7.8 ha rotationally grazed pasture (W1) near Watkinsville, Georgia. The region is characterized by Fe and Al rich and acidic Ultisols. Cattle numbering 21 to 224 (mean 91) grazed W1 on 69 occasions for 1 to 71 d (mean 19.2). Of 74 runoff events, 20 occurred when the monthly rainfall was below the long-term average (deficit period) and 54 occurred during non-deficit periods. Samples were collected from 43 of 74 runoff events for nutrient analyses. Event FWC (mg L-1) ranged from 0.38 to 7.07 for DRP (mean 1.91), from 0.36 to 7.60 for TP (mean 2.43), from 0.03 to 0.55 for Fe (mean 0.23), and from 0.43 to 553 µg L-1 for Al (mean 65 µg L-1). Event load (kg ha-1) ranged from 0.00 to 0.45 for DRP (mean 0.10), from 0.00 to 0.55 for TP (mean 0.12), from 0.00 to 0.11 for Fe (mean 0.02), and from 0.00 to 0.10 for Al (mean 0.01). The total load (kg ha-1) was 4.12 for DRP, 5.12 for TP, 0.71 for Fe, and 0.25 for Al. DRP accounted for 80% of the TP FWC and load. Cattle presence increased sediment load, but the difference was not statistically significant. There was high correlation between Fe and DRP loads (r = 0.87), a likely indicator of erosion-induced losses due to cattle treading. Cattle presence increased FWCs but not loads for DRP and TP. The FWCs for DRP and TP were not different between deficit and non-deficit periods, but mean loads were 3-fold to 4-fold greater during non-deficit periods. Means from the six largest P loss events were 3-fold greater for FWC and 7-fold greater for load than the remaining 37 events. These six large events accounted for 53% of the total P load. Less than 1% of the inorganic P applied and redeposited through manure was lost in runoff. The study demonstrated that hydrologic transport processes were the dominant drivers of pollutant fluxes and highlighted the possible mitigation of pollutant fluxes through grazing management that includes maintenance of good grass cover, effective rotational grazing, and limited fertilization. Keywords: Calving, Cattle, Dissolved reactive phosphorus, Drought, Eutrophication, Manure, Runoff, Total phosphorus, Water quality.

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Runoff Loss during Summer Season in Sandy Loam Red Pepper Field as Affected by Different Surface Management Practices in Korea

A field study was conducted to determine the runoff loss of N and P in small scale of red pepper field plots (10% slope), consisting of three different plots with black polyethylene vinyl mulching (mulching), ridge without mulching (ridge), and flat without ridge and mulching (flat). Composted manure and urea as a basal application were applied at rates of 20 MT ha-1 and 93 kg N ha-1, respectively. Urea at 189 kg N ha-1 and fused phosphate at 67 kg P2O5 ha-1 were additionally applied on June 25 with different fertilization methods, broadcast application in flat plot and hole injection in ridge and mulching plots. Plant uptake of N and P was positively correlated with their respective concentrations in surface soil: mulching > ridge > flat plots. The runoff loss by soil erosion was higher in flat plot than ridge and mulching plot with contour line. Nitrate loss by the runoff water had no significant differences among three surface management practices, but the higher average value in ridge and mulching plots than flat plot. Especially, the flat plot had no phosphate loss during summer season. This is probably due to low labile P content in surface soil of flat plot. In the summation of soil and water loss, flat plot was higher in N and P loss than ridge and mulching plot with contour line. Nevertheless, the nitrate and phosphate loss by runoff water could be more important for non-point source management because the water could meet the river easier than eroded soil because of re-deposition around slope land.The cumulative runoff amounts of soil/water (a,d), nitrogen (b,f), and phosphorus (c,g) by rainfall. Vertical bars indicate standard deviations of the means.

ORGANIC CARBON, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS AND TOTAL NITROGEN INFLOW TO LAKE ONEGO WITH STREAM RUNOFF, AND THEIR REMOVAL BY SVIR RIVER WATERS IN 1965–2008

The inflow of organic carbon, nitrogen compounds and total phosphorus with runoff to Lake Onego during the last 50 years was estimated. The main factors causing changes in their influx to the lake were identified.

Phosphorus Runoff Losses After Application of Organic Waste

In this work, phosphorus (P) losses due to runoff were evaluated to understand the factors influencing the processes by which this element is lost. The forms of P present in organic wastes were studied using information provided by three P fractionation methods. All three methods contributed successfully to the understanding of the P forms present in wastes. However, it is difficult to compare the results from each to one another, as each protocol employs different extraction methods and times. In parallel, simulated rain systems were developed according to the “National Phosphorus Research Project” (2001) to characterize the P lost in the surface runoff generated. Experiments were performed on soil dosed with organic wastes applied both superficially and by mixing with the soil, and significant differences were found in the amounts of P determined to be in the runoff water of each, in both solution and particulate forms. Losses in experiments in which organic waste was applied to the soil surface were larger than those in experiments in which the samples mixed. In general, losses during the first rainfall event were the highest and particulate P forms predominated over dissolved forms. In mixed samples, significant differences in results were found depending on the type of waste used. Finally, a positive relationship was found between various P forms determined by sequential fractionation protocols and P losses by runoff.

Development of a New Manure Amendment for Reducing Ammonia Volatilization and Phosphorus Runoff from Poultry Litter.

Treating poultry litter with alum is a best management practice that reduces phosphorus (P) runoff and ammonia (NH) emissions. However, alum prices have increased substantially during the past decade. The goal of this research was to develop inexpensive manure amendments that are as effective as alum in reducing NH volatilization and P runoff. Sixteen amendments were developed using mixtures of alum mud, bauxite ore, sulfuric acid, liquid alum, and water. Alum mud is the residual left over from alum manufacture when produced by reacting bauxite with sulfuric acid. A laboratory NH volatilization study was conducted using 11 treatments: untreated poultry litter, poultry litter treated with liquid or dry alum, or eight new mixtures. All of the litter amendments tested resulted in significantly lower NH volatilization than untreated litter. Dry and liquid alum reduced NH losses by 86 and 75%, respectively. The eight new litter amendments reduced NH losses from 62 to 73% compared with untreated litter, which was not significantly different from liquid alum; the three most effective mixtures were not significantly different from dry alum. Water-extractable P (WEP) was significantly reduced by all of the amendments, three of which resulted in significantly lower WEP than dry alum. The most promising new amendments were mixtures of alum mud, bauxite, and sulfuric acid. The potential impact of these amendments could be enormous because they could be produced for less than half the price of alum while being as effective in reducing NH emissions and P runoff.

Reducing Phosphorus Runoff and Leaching from Poultry Litter with Alum: Twenty-Year Small Plot and Paired-Watershed Studies.

Treating poultry litter with alum has been shown to lower ammonia (NH) emissions and phosphorus (P) runoff losses. Two long-term studies were conducted to assess the effects of alum-treated poultry litter on P availability, leaching, and runoff under pasture conditions. From 1995 to 2015, litter was applied annually in a paired watershed study comparing alum-treated and untreated litter and in a small plot study comparing 13 treatments (an unfertilized control, four rates of alum-treated litter, four rates of untreated litter, and four rates of NHNO). In the paired watershed study, total P loads in runoff were 231% higher from pasture receiving untreated litter (1.96 kg P ha) than from that receiving alum-treated litter (0.85 kg P ha). In both studies, alum-treated litter resulted in significantly higher Mehlich III P (M3-P) and lower water-extractable P at the soil surface, reflecting greater retention of applied P and lesser availability of that P to runoff or leaching. In soils fertilized with alum-treated litter, M3-P was much higher when analyzed by inductively coupled argon plasma emission spectrometry than by colorimetry, possibly due to the formation of aluminum phytate. Indeed, alum-treated poultry litter leached less P over the 20-yr study: M3-P at 10 to 50 cm was 266% greater in plots fertilized with untreated litter (331 kg M3-P ha) than with alum-treated litter (124 kg M3-P ha). This research provides compelling evidence that treating poultry litter with alum provides short-term and long-term benefits to P conservation and water quality.

Phosphorus Runoff from Coastal Plain Forest Soil in Louisiana

ABSTRACTAlthough 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 (R2 = 0.28–0.48) but likely affected by P leached from the O horizon. Loads could be estimated from regressions.

Enhanced Organic Phosphorus Sorption from Urban Stormwater Using Modified Bioretention Media: Batch Studies

AbstractDissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) has been found to be a significant fraction of the urban runoff phosphorus load. To achieve enhanced DOP removal, bioretention soil media (BSM) amended with an aluminum-based water treatment residual (WTR) and montmorillonite (both 10% by mass) were additionally treated with aluminum sulfate (10% by mass) to improve sorption capacities. The sorption of myo-Inositol hexakisphosphate (IHP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP), two forms of organic phosphorus, by modified BSM were studied using batch experiments. The sorption of AMP was increased by a factor of 17 and 21 for WTR- and montmorillonite-amended BSM with 10% alum, respectively. Similarly, the IHP removal capacity of these two modified media mixtures were increased by factors of 4 and 5, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area analyses were used to provide support for underlying sorption mechanisms for the enhanced DOP removal. The oxalate ratio (O...

Phosphorus Runoff in a Non-fertilized Soybean Production System of SW Uruguay

Since 2001/2002 there has been a formidable expansion of annual crops in Uruguay which has determined changes in land use, with a strong expansion of soybeans (Glycine max) under no-tillage. Improperly managed crop production systems can be an important nonpoint source of pollution, accelerating eutrophication of surface waters resulting from nitrogen and phosphorus (P) inputs. Nutrient losses depend on many factors such as climate, soil characteristics and management practices. Thus, the objective of this work was to estimate the annual P loss on a cropping system and to determine the main factors contributing to such losses. Runoff plots were located at the Experimental Station of the National Agricultural Research Institute in Colonia (INIA "La Estanzuela"), Uruguay (34º25´S, 58º0´W) during the period 2013-2014. Plots were under a Vertic Argiudoll soil with 18.5 mg/kg P-Bray I on the first 7,5 cm, a 3% slope and available water content of 92.7 mm on the first 56 cm of soil depth. The rotation established was soybean - fallow/cover crop, non-fertilized for over 5 years. The amount of runoff water was measured for 23 rainfall events and analyzed for soluble P. During that period the soybean yield was similar to the national average yield and the annual P loss was 0.5 kg/ha. Available water, precipitation, maximum rainfall intensity and runoff explained most of the variation in P runoff losses. Rainfall events of high magnitude and intensity on soils with high available water were identified as the events that produced higher water and P runoff. On the other hand, the model that best fitted P losses was just explained by rainfall and runoff (P = - 9.99 + 0.95*rainfall +21.56*runoff; R2=0.73). Overall, our results indicate that these soybean-cover crop systems under no-tillage, on soils with proper nutrient status and non-fertilized for a long time seem to be economically and environmentally adequate management systems.

Aluminum-Based Water Treatment Residual Use in a Constructed Wetland for Capturing Urban Runoff Phosphorus: Column Study

Aluminum-based water treatment residuals (Al-WTRs) have a strong affinity to sorb P. In a proof- of-concept greenhouse column study, Al-WTR was surface-applied at rates equivalent to 0, 62, 124, and 248 Mg ha −1 to 15 cm of soil on top of 46 cm of sand; Al-WTR rates were estimated to capture 0, 10, 20, and 40 years of P from an urban watershed entering an engineered wetland in Boise, ID, USA. Creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra) was established in all columns; one set of columns received no Al-WTR or plants. After plant establishment, once per week over a 12-week period, ∼1.0 pore volumes of ∼0.20 mg P L −1 were added to each column. Infiltration rates were measured, leachate was collected and analyzed for soluble P, and fescue yield, P concentration, and uptake were deter- mined. After plant harvest, the sand, soil, and the Al- WTR layer were collected and analyzed for Olsen P; amorphous Al, Fe, and P; P storage capacity (PSC); and soluble + Al + Fe-bound, occluded, and Ca-bound P phases. Infiltration rate increased only due to the pres- ence of plants. Leached P decreased (50 %) with plants present; Al-WTR further reduced soluble P leaching losses (60 %). Fescue yield, P concentration, and uptake increased with increasing Al-WTR rate, due to Al-WTR sorbing and potentially making P more plant available; Olsen-extractable P increased with increasing Al-WTR rate, supporting this contention. The PSC was reduced with the 62 Mg ha −1 Al-WTR rate but maintained with greater Al-WTR rates. The 124 and 248 Mg ha −1 Al- WTR rates also contained greater P associated with the soluble + Al + Fe and occluded phases which should be stable over the long term (e.g., decadal). It was recom- mended to apply Al-WTR near the 124 and 248 Mg ha −1 rates in the future to capture urban runoff soluble P in the Boise, ID, engineered wetland.