Phosphorus Loss in Agricultural Drainage: Historical Perspective and Current Research

Abstract

The importance of P originating from agricultural sources to the nonpoint source pollution of surface waters has been an environmental issue for decades because of the well-known role of P in eutrophication. Most previous research and nonpoint source control efforts have emphasized P losses by surface erosion and runoff because of the relative immobility of P in soils. Consequently, P leaching and losses of P via subsurface runoff have rarely been considered important pathways for the movement of agricultural P to surface waters. However, there are situations where environmentally significant export of P in agricultural drainage has occurred (e.g., deep sandy soils, high organic matter soils, or soils with high soil P concentrations from long-term overfertilization and/or excessive use of organic wastes). In this paper we review research on P leaching and export in subsurface runoff and present overviews of ongoing research in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the USA (Delaware), the midwestem USA (Indiana), and eastern Canada (Quebec). Our objectives are to illustrate the importance of agricultural drainage to nonpoint source pollution of surface waters and to emphasize the need for soil and water conservation practices that can minimize P losses in subsurface runoff.

Effects of soil type on leaching and runoff transport of rare earth elements and phosphorous in laboratory experiments

“…Soil particles react intensely with P making it hard for P transport in soils. The transport of P through soils with poor structure, such as in the soil Sci Pollut Res (2011) 18:38-45column experiment, is impeded by a variety of processes (Sims et al 1998). There are two principal mechanisms for the vertical transport of P in soils: permeation flux, which occurs with interactions with soil particles at a slow speed; and preferential flow, which happens when water passes through the soil pores at a high speed (Cogger and Duxbury 1984).…”

“…There is an increasing concern of the environmental fate of P as it becomes the main source of eutrophication of many rivers and lakes (Sharpley et al 2001). Agricultural non-point source P loss, while existing mainly in surface runoff, can also be significant in subsurface flow (Sims et al 1998). It has been found that both P losses are affected by soil type (Heckrath et al 1995).…”

Esterco de gado leiteiro associado à adubação mineral e sua influência na fertilidade de um latossolo sob plantio direto

“…Contudo, o transporte do P, da camada superficial para horizontes inferiores do perfil do solo, tem sido desprezado devido à facilidade com que ele se precipita com outros nutrientes na solução do solo ou é adsorvido (Ryden et al, 1973;Sims et al, 1998).…”

Hard Red Winter Wheat Cultivar Responses to a pH and Aluminum Concentration Gradient

“…A clear understanding of M 3 P seasonal variability is critical in farm management planning because understanding the temporal variability of soil nutrients acts as guide for soil sampling frequency (Halvorson et al, 1997). Terrestrial temporal phosphorus variability has a direct correlation with P runoff into the streams, particularly in soils with low P sorption capacity (Sims et al, 1998).…”