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Nutrient Leaching from Mixed‐Species Florida Residential Landscapes
Author(s) -
Qin Zhixuan,
Shober Amy L.,
Beeson Richard C.,
Wiese Christine
Publication year - 2013
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/jeq2013.04.0126
Subject(s) - lysimeter , environmental science , ornamental plant , leaching (pedology) , nutrient , leachate , evapotranspiration , agronomy , drainage , soil water , botany , environmental chemistry , ecology , chemistry , biology , soil science
Nutrient losses from residential lawns and landscapes can negatively impact water quality. Information about nutrient leaching from established residential landscapes containing a mixture of woody ornamental plants and turfgrass is limited. The objective of our study was to determine the effect of vegetation cover (turfgrass vs. woody ornamental) on nutrient leaching from established landscapes. Nine drainage lysimeters were planted with three vegetation treatments with the following coverage: (i) 60% turfgrass, 40% ornamental; (ii) 75% turfgrass, 25% ornamental; and (iii) 90% turfgrass, 10% ornamental. Daily leachate samples were collected and combined to produce weekly flow‐weighted samples for 1 yr. Leachate samples were analyzed for total Kjeldahl N (TKN), nitrate (+ nitrite)‐N (NO x ), ammonium–N (NH 4 –N), and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP). The ratio of actual evapotranspiration (ET A ) to reference evapotranspiration (ET o ) was similar among treatments. However, drainage from the 90% turfgrass lysimeters was periodically higher than from the 60 and/or 75% turfgrass treatments. In most cases, leachate N and P concentrations and loads followed the same trend as drainage. The addition of shrubs in the 60 and 75% turfgrass treatments reduced leachate when rainfall was low and irrigation was the main water input. We suggest that established woody ornamental plants are more effective at absorbing water and nutrients than turfgrass due, in part, to increased root biomass and deeper rooting of established woody plants, which allows for more efficient uptake of soil water and nutrients. The use of woody plants in residential landscapes can reduce nutrient leaching in urban areas.