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Phosphorus Runoff during Four Years following Composted Manure Application
Author(s) -
Wortmann Charles S.,
Walters Daniel T.
Publication year - 2006
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/jeq2005.0084
Subject(s) - surface runoff , compost , environmental science , manure , leaching (pedology) , infiltration (hvac) , agronomy , zoology , sediment , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , soil water , geology , ecology , biology , paleontology , physics , geotechnical engineering , thermodynamics
Repeated manure application can lead to excessive soil test P (STP) levels and increased P concentration in runoff, but also to improved water infiltration and reduced runoff. Research was conducted to evaluate soil P tests in prediction of P concentration in runoff and to determine the residual effects of composted manure on runoff P loss and leaching of P. The research was conducted from 2001 to 2004 under natural runoff events with plots of 11‐m length. Low‐P and high‐P compost had been applied during the previous 3 yr, resulting in total applications of 750 and 1150 kg P ha −1 Bray‐P1 in the surface 5 cm of soil was increased from 16 to 780 mg kg −1 with application of high‐P compost. Runoff and sediment losses were 69 and 120% greater with no compost than with residual compost treatments. Runoff P concentration increased as STP increased, but much P loss occurred with the no‐compost treatment as well. Agronomic soil tests were predictive of mean runoff P concentration, but increases in STP resulted in relatively small increases in runoff P concentration. Downward movement of P was not detected below 0.3 m. In conclusion, agronomic soil tests are useful in predicting long‐term runoff P concentration, and risk of P loss may be of concern even at moderate soil P levels. The residual effect of compost application in reducing sediment and runoff loss was evident more than 3 yr after application and should be considered in P indices.