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Phosphorus in Surface Runoff from a Deciduous Forest
Author(s) -
Singer Michael J.,
Rust R. H.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1975.00472425000400030004x
Subject(s) - surface runoff , deciduous , snowmelt , environmental science , leaching (pedology) , hydrology (agriculture) , litter , phosphorus , nutrient , streamflow , soil water , agronomy , ecology , soil science , chemistry , geology , biology , geography , drainage basin , geotechnical engineering , cartography , organic chemistry
Phosphorus losses from natural systems are the background levels against which losses from managed systems should be measured. In Minnesota many recreational lakes are surrounded by deciduous and mixed deciduous‐coniferous forests. The P losses from the forests contribute to the natural nutrient levels of the lakes. Phosphorus losses in leaching water are small. Thus, a logical mechanism for the loss of P from forests is surface runoff (overland flow). This research was conducted to study surface runoff amounts and P content. On a 16% slope, 0.09 kg ha −1 year −1 P of which 0.03 kg was bound to sediment and 0.06 kg was soluble was measured in surface runoff. The major period of runoff was during spring snowmelt when the soil was frozen. The source of P is the litter layer which undergoes freezing and thawing in fall and early winter.