Premium
Soil Nitrate Leaching in Silvopastures Compared with Open Pasture and Pine Plantation
Author(s) -
Bambo Susan K.,
Nowak Jarek,
Blount Ann R.,
Long Alan J.,
Osiecka Anna
Publication year - 2009
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/jeq2007.0634
Subject(s) - paspalum notatum , pasture , leaching (pedology) , environmental science , nitrate , agronomy , understory , agroforestry , fertilizer , forestry , soil water , geography , ecology , soil science , biology , canopy
Wide acceptance of silvopasture as an alternative sustainable agricultural system in the southeastern United States will depend on an improved understanding of the tree‐forage interactions and recognition of its environmental benefits. The objective of this study was to evaluate differences in soil nitrate leaching in different land‐use systems, in north Florida. An 18‐yr‐old loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) plantation was thinned in the summer of 2002 to create a fifth–row thinned, nontraditional intensive pine plantation (FO), silvopastures (HE = fourth–row conventionally thinned with random tree distribution and DO = double‐row sets of trees with 15‐m wide alleys), and an open pasture (PA). ‘Argentine’ bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum Flügge.) was established as understory vegetation in HE, DO, and PA. From 2004 to 2005 soil nitrate leaching was sampled and compared in the DO, HE, PA, and FO systems at 0.3 and 1.2 m depths after fertilizer application. Significant nitrate peaks were observed at 0.3 m depth after N fertilizer application in all systems. At the 1.2 m depth, the maximum nitrate concentrations were 67, 18, and 8 mg L −1 , in the forest plantation, open pasture, and both silvopastures, respectively. In general, reduced nitrate leaching at 1.2 m depth was observed in silvopastures compared with other land‐used systems. These results are not intended to have a direct bearing on traditional pine plantation management, but rather support the potential role of silvopasture systems in reducing nitrate losses from the soil.