Long‐Term Runoff Water Quality as Affected by Broiler‐Litter Application to a Udult in the Ozark Highlands

Abstract

Repeated annual land application of organic soil amendments, such as broiler litter (BL), to managed grasslands for increased forage yields has increased concerns about potential surface water contamination from runoff. Furthermore, water quality concerns are exacerbated in areas of underlying karst, such as the Ozark Highlands, where runoff can rapidly enter the groundwater system. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine 8‐yr (May 2003–April 2011) linear trends in annual runoff water quality from a silt loam soil in the Ozark Highlands region of northwest Arkansas under natural precipitation and typical forage management amended annually with BL at three application rates (0 [control], 5.6 [low], and 11.2 [high] Mg BL ha−1) with a history of BL amendments and high soil‐test P. Average annual runoff, flow‐weighted mean (FWM) runoff concentrations of Ca, Cd, Cu, Na, and Se, and all nutrient and metal losses increased with time (P < 0.05) but were unaffected (P > 0.05) by BL application rate. Average annual FWM concentrations of As decreased with time (P < 0.05) and were unaffected by BL (P > 0.05). Eight‐year cumulative runoff losses of Se exceeded 200% of that applied in BL. Results indicated that pasturelands with a history of BL application and high soil‐test P may continue to release BL‐derived As and Se at concentrations potentially harmful to human and environmental health regardless of current management practice long after litter application has ceased.

Seasonal Effects on Leachate Quality from an Ozark Highlands Managed Grassland Using Automated, Equilibrium‐Tension Lysimeters

“…The BL used in this study had a similar composition to that used in previous studies in Arkansas (Adams et al, 1994), New York (Brock et al, 2007), Pennsylvania (Kleinman et al, 2002), and overseas in Nigeria (Agele et al, 2004). As reported by McMullen et al (2014a), and as would be expected, annual aboveground dry matter production was consistently greater as a result of BL additions compared with the unamended control.…”

“…It is likely that the BL-applied P remained concentrated near the soil surface in the litter treatments and consequently was more susceptible to runoff rather than leaching deeper into the soil profile. This contention is supported by the results of McMullen et al (2014a), who reported 8-yr cumulative runoff losses of PO 4 -P and total P to be more than three times greater from the litter treatments than from the unamended control. In addition, the added BL stimulated an aboveground biomass production difference among treatments (McMullen et al, 2014b), thus plant uptake of P probably further removed P from the soil profile to decrease the potential for P leaching.…”

“…Prior to application to the field plots, the gravimetric moisture content was determined in triplicate by drying at 70°C for 48 h. Actual litter application amounts were on a dry-weight basis. Based on procedures for manure analyses (Peters, 2003), oven-dried litter subsamples were also chemically characterized in triplicate for pH and EC, KCl-extractable NO 3 -N and NH 4 -N concentrations, and total C, N, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Zn, Al, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Se concentrations after HNO 3 digestion (Pirani et al, 2006;McMullen et al, 2014aMcMullen et al, , 2014b.…”

Preferential transport of phosphorus from surface‐applied poultry litter in soils from karst and nonkarst landscapes

“…Even if leachate P losses do not affect surface or groundwater quality short‐term, results indicate that karst‐derived soils are susceptible to deep soil profile leaching, which may increase P concentration of deeper soil layers and may serve as a source of P once remobilized (Sharpley et al., 2013). Further, the effects of elevated nutrient and trace metal concentration associated with litter application can affect surface and subsurface water quality long‐term even after the cessation of poultry litter application (McMullen, Brye, Daigh, et al., 2014; McMullen, Brye, Miller, et al., 2014; Menjoulet et al., 2009; Pirani et al., 2006).…”

Quantification of slow‐release fertilizer on year‐round forage production

“…pastures in a subtropical environment in Australia (Lowe & Cudmore, 1978). As illustrated by McMullen et al (2014), repeated applications of broiler litter at high rates over extended periods of time can produce long-term risk of surface water contamination from runoff. Despite P buildup concerns, Sauer et al (2000) reported NO 3 -N loss was greater through nutrient runoff from broiler litter in a pasture environment than was P. Considering the options, the biological potential of slow-release N fertilizer sources such as the coated material evaluated have sufficient potential to justify efforts to develop economically viable products to provide the potential economic and environmental benefits for appropriate pasture systems.…”