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Modelling long‐term phosphorus leaching and changes in phosphorus fertility in excessively fertilized acid sandy soils
Author(s) -
Del Campillo M. C.,
Van Der Zee S. E. A. T. M.,
Torrent J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
european journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 1351-0754
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2389.1999.00244.x
Subject(s) - soil water , leaching (pedology) , fertilizer , eutrophication , phosphorus , environmental science , surface runoff , sorption , temperate climate , environmental chemistry , chemistry , agronomy , soil science , nutrient , ecology , adsorption , biology , organic chemistry
Summary The sound management of agricultural soils that are heavily loaded with phosphorus (P) involves minimizing the losses of P responsible for eutrophication of surface waters, while ensuring enough P for crops. This paper describes a simple model to examine the compatibility of these two objectives in acid sandy soils in a temperate humid climate. The model is based on several assumptions regarding reversible and irreversible P sorption by P‐reactive soil compounds (mainly poorly crystalline Fe and Al oxides) and release of P to water (water‐P test). Model inputs are amount of P leached, P uptake by crops, and contents of poorly crystalline Fe and Al oxides in soil. The model predicts that reducing the amount of leached P to what is environmentally acceptable (e.g. 0.44 kg P ha –1 year –1 , equivalent to 1 kg P 2 O 5 ha –1 year –1 ) results in the long run in available soil P test values below target concentrations for optimum crop growth. When the amount of leached P is set to a fixed value the model predicts that soils with large contents of Fe and Al oxides can maintain the initial soil P test values for longer periods than other soils. The content in available P decreases if fertilizer P is applied to the soil at a rate equal to P uptake by crops. These results stress the difficulties involved in trying to make agricultural and environmental needs compatible in acid sandy soils.