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Field‐scale phosphorus losses from a drained clay soil in Sweden
Author(s) -
Ulén Barbro,
Persson Kristian
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1085(19991215)13:17<2801::aid-hyp900>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - cambisol , phosphorus , tile drainage , soil water , environmental science , clay soil , hydrology (agriculture) , macropore , drainage , phosphate , soil science , geology , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , ecology , mesoporous material , biochemistry , biology , catalysis , organic chemistry
The objective of this study was to determine and discuss field‐scale phosphorus losses via subsurface tile drains. A total phosphorous (Tot‐P) export, which averaged 0·29 kg ha −1 year −1 , was measured over a six‐year period from the 4·43 ha drainage system of a Eutric Cambisol in Central Sweden. The main part (63%) was in particulate form (PP) while the remainder was either in phosphate form (PO 4 ‐P) or in other dissolved or colloidal forms. A very small area, less than 1% of the soil surface, was demonstrated to be hydraulically active by using a staining technique in soil monoliths taken from the field. The stained macropores were few, but were continuous downward, and were relatively evenly distributed among the eight 7 dm 2 areas that were investigated. The transport from the field mainly occurred in episodes during which the relationship between phosphorus concentration and discharge was characterized by hysteresis loops. On average, half of the yearly P transport occurred in 140 hours. Compared with flow‐proportional and frequent sampling, manual and fortnightly sampling underestimated the transport of Tot‐P and suspended solids (SS) by 59 and 42%, respectively, during the six years studied. Amounts of different phosphorus forms exported through the tile drains were very similar to those reported from other clay soils in Northern Europe and North America. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.