Phosphorus fertilization by active dust deposition in a super‐humid, temperate environment—Soil phosphorus fractionation and accession processes

Abstract

[1] The inventory of soil phosphorus (P) is subject to significant changes over time. The main primary form, bedrock-derived apatite P, becomes progressively lost through leaching, or transformed into more immobile and less plant-accessible, secondary organic and mineral forms. Here we studied the rejuvenating effect of dust deposition on soil P along an active dust flux gradient downwind of a braided river. Along the gradient, we measured soil P fractions to 50 cm depth of six Spodosols and one Inceptisol, supplemented by tree foliage P concentrations. While an increasing dust flux correlates with a twofold increase of foliar P and soil organic P along the gradient, apatite P declines from~50 to 3 g m À2 and total P shows no response. Compared to dust-unaffected Spodosols, depth distribution of total P becomes increasingly uniform and organic P propagates deeper into the soil under dust flux. Further, the effect of topsoil P eluviation attenuates due to higher organic P content and the zone of high apatite P concentrations associated with un-weathered subsoil becomes progressively removed from the upper 50 cm. We interpret these patterns as being consistent with upbuilding pedogenesi and conclude that dust-derived mineral P is assimilated in the organic surface horizon and does not reach the mineral soil. Dust-derived mineral P is temporarily stored in the living biomass and returns to the soil with plant and microbial detritus as organic P, which is subsequently buried by further dust increments. We further conclude that (1) the efficiency of P fertilization of the ecosystem by dust accession is higher than through P advection in dust-unaffected Spodosols and (2) organic P may serve as an important source of labile P in a high-leaching environment.Citation: Eger, A., P. C. Almond, and L. M. Condron (2013), Phosphorus fertilization by active dust deposition in a super-humid, temperate environment-Soil phosphorus fractionation and accession processes, Global Biogeochem.

Nutrient limitation along the Jurien Bay dune chronosequence: response to Uren & Parsons ()

“…Erosion can slow down or prevent depletion-driven P limitation where tectonic uplift is minimal (Porder et al 2007;Vitousek et al 2010), such as in south-western Australia. Similarly, dust deposition can slow down depletion-driven P limitation (Eger, Almond & Condron 2013), although to our knowledge no one has identified any significant dust imprint in the stratigraphy of the Swan Coastal Plain succession. The fact that total and available P strongly decreased along the Jurien Bay chronosequence (Lalibert e et al 2012; fig.…”

Oxygen isotopes of phosphate and soil phosphorus cycling across a 6500 year chronosequence under lowland temperate rainforest

“…Indeed, laboratory experiments with fertilized agriculture soils, where soil microbial activity is high, suggest that the isotopic signature of the HCl-extracted P fraction can be modified even on time scales much shorter than those captured in the studied chronosequences (Zohar et al, 2010a(Zohar et al, , 2010b. Interestingly, the isotope value of the HCl-extracted P fraction of oldest soil from the Haast chronosequence decreases again, perhaps explained by addition of detrital apatite from mineral dust addition to the soil as suggested by Eger et al (2013). The source of the dust is local metamorphic rock mostly of igneous origin (Eger et al, 2013) and it is likely to maintain the protolith's δ…”

“…Interestingly, the isotope value of the HCl-extracted P fraction of oldest soil from the Haast chronosequence decreases again, perhaps explained by addition of detrital apatite from mineral dust addition to the soil as suggested by Eger et al (2013). The source of the dust is local metamorphic rock mostly of igneous origin (Eger et al, 2013) and it is likely to maintain the protolith's δ…”

Differences and Similarities of Central Asian, African, and Arctic Dust Composition from a Single Particle Perspective

“…As a result, in certain situations (high acid availability, limited time) atmospheric processing of the dust is expected to lead to less increased iron solubility for near-source dusts (in particular for Central Asian ones) than for transported ones (in particular of Sahelian origin).Atmosphere 2020, 11, 269 2 of 16 Dust composition also affects the marine and terrestrial biosphere by supplying nutrients, but also supplying substances with adverse health effects [20]. Tropical as well as extra-tropical ecosystems apparently rely in part on atmospheric inputs [21,22]. Ocean surface waters can be depleted in essential nutrients supplied by the dust [23,24], thus composition plays an important role [25,26].Several of these effects are not only affected by the overall composition, but also by the distribution of the compounds between the particles (i.e., internal or external mixing).…”