Premium
Nitrate and Ammonium Concentrations of Ground Water Resulting from Poultry Manure Applications
Author(s) -
Liebhardt William C.,
Golt Carolyn,
Tupin Jane
Publication year - 1979
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/jeq1979.00472425000800020015x
Subject(s) - manure , nitrate , loam , fertilizer , environmental science , ammonium nitrate , groundwater , ammonium , agronomy , nitrogen , chemistry , soil water , soil science , biology , geology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
Large plots (0.402 ha) of Evesboro loamy sand received 0, 13, 27, 54, and 179 metric tons/ha of poultry manure in the spring of 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975. Five wells were established in each plot at depths of 3, 4.5, and 6 m below the soil surface. In 1976, wells were established at 3‐ and 6‐m depths in several other locations outside the plots. Corn ( Zea Mays L.) was grown on these plots each year with no other additional fertilizer amendments. Water samples, taken regularly from these plots, showed that the concentration of nitrate at 3 m was affected by the application of poultry manure. At 4.5 and 6.0 m the effect was not nearly as noticeable. There was a pronounced decrease in NO 3 ‐N concentration with increasing depth. The NO 3 ‐N concentration of water from some wells outside the plot area was quite high compared to the plot receiving no poultry manure, indicating that the source of the NO 3 ‐N in these well points was the poultry manure from treated plots. This suggested that the reduction in NO 3 ‐N at increasing depths under treated plots was partially a result of the lateral underground movement of nitrates. The concentration of NH 4 ‐N in the same water appeared to be only slightly affected, if at all. Application of poultry manure at rates higher than a crop can utilize results in nitrate movement through the soil profile and into the ground water.