Effects of Long‐Term Poultry Litter Application on Phosphorus Soil Chemistry and Runoff Water Quality. Issue 6 (1st November 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reiter, Mark S.; Daniel, Tommy C.; DeLaune, Paul B.; Sharpley, Andrew N.; Lory, John A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of Environmental Quality. Volume 42:Issue 6(2013)
• Page Start: 1829
• Page End: 1837
• Publication Date: 2013-11-01
• Subjects: Agricultural ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Periodicals; 630
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2012.0384
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2425

Abstract

Abstract : Continuous application of poultry litter (PL) significantly changes many soil properties, including soil test P (STP); Al, Fe, and Ca concentrations; and pH, which can affect the potential for P transport in surface runoff water. We conducted rainfall simulations on three historically acidic silt loam soils in Arkansas, Missouri, and Virginia to establish if long‐term PL applications would affect soil inorganic P fractions and the resulting dissolved reactive P (DRP) in runoff water. Soil samples (0–5 cm depth) were taken to find sites ranging in Mehlich‐3 STP from 20 to 1154 mg P kg −1 . Simulated rainfall events were conducted on 3‐m 2 plots at 6.7 cm h −1, and runoff was collected for 30 min. Correlation between Mehlich‐3 and runoff DRP indicated a linear relationship to 833 mg Mehlich‐3 P kg −1 . As Mehlich‐3 STP increased, a concomitant increase in soil pH and Ca occurred on all soils. Soil P fractionation demonstrated that, as Mehlich‐3 STP generally increased above 450 mg P kg −1 (from high to very high), the easily soluble and loosely bound P fractions decreased by 3 to 10%. Water‐insoluble complexes of P bound to Al and Ca were the main drivers in the reduction of DRP in runoff, accounting for up to 43 and 38% of total P, respectively. Basing runoff DRP concentration projections solely on Mehlich‐3 STP may overestimate runoff P losses from soils receiving long‐term PL applications due to dissolution of water‐insoluble Ca‐P compounds.