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Development of Pedotransfer Functions to Quantify Phosphorus Saturation of Agricultural Soils
Author(s) -
Kleinman Peter J. A.,
Bryant R. B.,
Reid W. S.
Publication year - 1999
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/jeq1999.00472425002800060044x
Subject(s) - pedotransfer function , soil test , saturation (graph theory) , soil science , environmental science , soil water , soil fertility , ammonium oxalate , environmental chemistry , chemistry , mathematics , hydraulic conductivity , inorganic chemistry , combinatorics
Soil P saturation affects the risk of P loss to surface and ground water and is therefore a critical environmental indicator in regions where eutrophication is a concern. In the USA, most soil testing laboratories do not include environmental indicators such as soil P saturation as standard soil test options. Development of pedotransfer functions that relate soil test data to soil P saturation, however, would enable soil testing laboratories to estimate soil P saturation as part of soil test results without significant additional expenditures. This study examines associations between readily‐available soil test data (pH, soil organic matter, and extractable P, Al, Fe, and Ca) and soil P saturation as estimated by acid ammonium oxalate extraction. Fifty‐nine soil samples were collected from the Delaware River Watershed in New York State (42°21′N, 74°52′W) and subjected to standard soil test analyses as well as to acid ammonium oxalate extraction. Some soil test variables were well correlated with soil P saturation. As a single predictor, soil test P was most highly correlated to soil P saturation ( r = 0.88). This association supports the use of soil test P as an environmental indicator. Soil test Al also was well correlated with soil P saturation following logarithmic transformation ( r = 0.73). Multivariate pedotransfer functions containing soil test P, Al, Fe, soil organic matter, and pH did not significantly improve estimation of soil P saturation ( R = 0.91) above soil test P alone.