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Total P (TP), total particulate P (TPP), dissolved reactive P (DRP), and dissolved organic P (DOP) were determined in waters from pipedrains (at 65‐cm depth) from the Broadbalk Experiment at Rothamsted. Soils that have received either no P, P in farmyard manure (about 40 kg P ha−1) or superphosphate (up to 35 kg P ha−1) annually for >150 yr, now contain 0.5 M NaHCO3‐extractable P concentrations (Olsen‐P) in the plow layer (0‐ to 23‐cm depth) between 5 and 100 mg kg−1 soil. Our aim was to determine if significant quantities of P could be detected in the drainage water and their relationship to soil P concentrations. On five occasions between October 1992 and January 1994, both TP and DRP from plots receiving superphosphate frequently exceeded 1 mg L−1 and were high compared with literature data. Ranging between 66 and 86% of TP, DRP was the largest fraction in drainage water. It remained low (<0.15 mg L−1) from plots below 60 mg Olsen‐P kg−1. There was then a rapid increase in DRP up to the maximum Olsen‐P concentration. A simple linear Split‐Line Model described this relationship very well for all drainage events. This implies that up to 60 mg Olsen‐P kg−1 soil (the change point), P was retained strongly in the plow layer. Above this, P losses in the drainage water were much more closely related to Olsen‐P than commonly suggested. The mechanisms could either be preferential flow or rapid transport of P in forms less susceptible to sorption but finally measured as DRP. The results suggest enhanced P losses through subsurface runoff on heavy soils, once a certain plow layer concentration of Olsen‐P is exceeded.

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Previous work showed that at soil P concentrations below 57 mg 0.5 M NaHCO3‐extractable P (Olsen P) kg−1 soil, little P was found in drainage waters collected from tile drains set 65 cm below the soil surface in soils from the Broadbalk Continuous Wheat Experiment. Above this soil P concentration (termed the Change‐Point) both total P and molybdate‐reactive P (MRP) in drainage waters were linearly related to soil Olsen P concentrations. We now need to know if the Change‐Point measured on Broadbalk occurs on other soils, and if so, whether a common value applies or if it varies depending upon soil type, management, and site hydrology. We investigated the possibility of 0.01 M CaCl2‐extractable P being an indicator of the Change‐Point. In all the soils studied, we found that the dynamics of P solubility in CaCl2 closely resembled the dynamics of P solubility in drainage waters of Broadbalk, since very distinct Change‐Points occurred under both conditions. However, Change‐Points measured following extraction with CaC2 varied widely between soils, from 10 to 119 mg Olsen P kg−1 soil. Lysimeter studies showed, with some exceptions, good agreement between Change‐Points measured in drainage water and in 0.01 M CaCl2. We therefore suggest that this approach may provide a valid indicator of the soil Olsen P concentration at which significant amounts of P begin to leach from soil to water, provided preferential pathways exist in the subsoil to permit P leaching down the soil profile in drainage water.

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The amount of soil microbial biomass was measured by the chloroform fumigation technique on agricultural soils which had been previously treated with different bulky organic manures. Amounts of soil microbial biomass in soils receiving sewage sludge or sludge-containing composts were much smaller than in soils which received farmyard manure over the same period. This effect was attributed to the toxic metals present in the sludges and was readily detectable more than 20 years after the last sludge application.

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