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Potential Aquifer Pollution from Nitrate Leaching Following the Plowing of Temporary Grassland
Author(s) -
Cameron K. C.,
Wild A.
Publication year - 1984
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/jeq1984.00472425001300020020x
Subject(s) - plough , leaching (pedology) , grassland , nitrate , environmental science , mineralization (soil science) , pollution , soil water , aquifer , environmental chemistry , lessivage , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , environmental engineering , soil science , chemistry , agronomy , geology , ecology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , biology
An investigation of the amounts and concentrations of nitrate released following the plowing of temporary grassland confirmed that, potentially at least, this practice forms a major source of NO 3 ‐N pollution of aquifers. Direct measurements of changes in profile NO 3 ‐N distributions at two sites show that a total of up to about 100 kg N ha −1 was leached over two winters after fall mineralization following plowing. Solution nitrate concentrations were in excess of the World Health Organization limits for drinking water. The amount of N mineralized was related to the total soil N. The average rate of leaching through the Chalk soils studied in southern England was about 1 m/yr.