Phosphorus transfer across boundaries: from basin soils to river bed sediments

Purpose  

The study of phosphorus (P) transfer from soils to rivers is a subject of interest as there is a clear relation between land use and water quality. P transfer in the soil/sediment system was evaluated by comparing the concentrations of total (P_T) and bioavailable P (P_A).     

Comparison of phosphorus fractions and alkaline phosphatase activity in sludge,soils, and sediments

Purpose  

The land application or disposal of sewage sludge generally leads to phosphorus (P) loss in aquatic environments and often results in eutrophication. The nature of P fractions plays a key role in the transport of P within the environment, and alkaline phosphatase is important for the transformation of the P fractions. The objective of this study was to assess the P fractions and alkaline phosphatase activity in sewage sludge, soils, and sediments, in order to effectively evaluate their P bioavailability and mobility.     

Long-term cultivation impact on the heavy metal behavior in a reclaimed wetland,Northeast China

Purpose

Heavy metal fractionation varies according to land uses. To understand the behavior of heavy metals in wetland soils under long-term agricultural cultivation, we examined the distribution, source, and associated environmental risk of heavy metals in different types of wetland soils.

Materials and methods

Soils were collected in cultivated lands, artificial ditches, and riparian zones from a reclaimed wetland in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. They were analyzed for total concentrations and chemical fractions of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr, and Ni, as well as pH, soil organic matter, total phosphorus, and particle size distribution.

Results and discussion

Heavy metal concentrations were significantly lower in cultivated wetland than in ditch and riparian wetlands. Riparian wetland was found to exhibit the highest metal concentrations. When compared with other two wetland types, the cultivated wetland showed much higher partitioning levels of heavy metals in the acid-soluble fraction and lower partitioning levels in the oxidizable fraction. Although Cr, Cu, and Ni in ditch and riparian wetlands were identified as the metal pollutants of primary concern, they had a low or no risk of further dispersion to other environmental components. Weathering of parent materials was the main source of Cr and Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn originated mainly from agricultural practices, and Ni emanated from a mixture of sources.

Conclusions

Long-term agricultural cultivation can lead to significant heavy metal loss in cultivated wetland but enrich heavy metal concentrations in ditch and riparian wetlands. Periodic ditch dredging is considered an effective measure for decreasing heavy metal input into the fluvial system and thereby reducing the dispersion to the regional water environment.     

Characterisation of agricultural drainage ditch sediments along the phosphorus transfer continuum in two contrasting headwater catchments

Purpose

This study investigated the phosphorus (P) source, mobilisation and transport potential of ditch bed sediments as well as surrounding field and bank soils in two agricultural headwater catchments with contrasting soil drainage capacities. This information is important for discerning the potential for ditches to attenuate or augment transfers of P from upstream sources and thus for developing appropriate management strategies for these features.

Materials and methods

Phosphorus sources were characterised using the Mehlich3-P, water-soluble P and total P tests. Phosphorus mobilisation potential was characterised using the Mehlich3-AL/P, Mehlich3-Ca/P and DESPRAL P tests. Phosphorus transport potential was characterised using data collected on the presence/absence of surface water in ditches during field surveys and downstream turbidity data.

Results and discussion

Ditch sediments had similar P source contents (Mehlich3-P, water-soluble P and total P) to the surrounding field soils and higher P contents than bank soils. However, calcium contents of sediments in the poorly drained catchment reflected the deep sub-soils rather than the surrounding field and bank soils. Mehlich3-Al/P and Mehlich3-Ca/P contents of ditch sediments in the well (non-calcareous) and poorly (calcareous) drained catchments respectively indicated potential for P retention (above thresholds of 11.7 and 74, respectively). However, sediments were less aggregated than field soils and may mobilise more particulate P (PP) during rain events. Nevertheless, the majority of surveyed ditches dried out from March to September 2011; thus, their potential to mobilise PP may be less important than their capacity to attenuate soluble and PP during this time.

Conclusions

In these and similar catchments, soluble P attenuation and particulate P mobilisation should be maximised and minimised, respectively, for example, by cleaning out the sediments before they become saturated with P and encouraging vegetation growth on ditch beds. This study also highlighted the influence of deep sub-soils on soluble P retention in ditches and thus the utility of characterising soils below depths normally included in soil classifications.

     

Effect of agronomic management on risk of suspended solids and phosphorus losses from soil to waters

Purpose  

Fertilisation may cause an accumulation of phosphorus in soil, which may increase risk of P transfer to waters both in colloidal and dissolved forms. This study evaluated the effect of agronomic management on the potential risk of P losses from soil to water bodies in a long-term experimental platform (NW Italy) subjected for 15 years to different maize-based crops and mineral or organic fertilisation based on nitrogen crop requirements.     

Chronosequence of paddy soils and phosphorus sorption–desorption properties

Purpose  

Accumulated soil phosphorus (P) in agricultural lands due to long-term organic manure and mineral phosphate fertilizer input is considered one of the main non-point pollution sources to surrounding surface water bodies. A chronosequence of soils is a potent instrument for pedological investigation and allows assessment of the effect of duration of agricultural cultivation on the environmental risk to water bodies of P loss from soil.     

Nitrogen leaching and phosphorus accumulation in a perennial pasture after composted goat manure was topdressed and incorporated in the Three Gorges region

Purpose  

Improper utilization of composted manure might increase risk of nutrients leaching and phosphorus (P) accumulation, hence causing eutrophication and threatening the ecological safety of river. In the current study, composted manure from a goat feedlot was applied to a perennial pasture in the Three Gorges region to evaluate its effects on pasture yield, NO₃–N leaching, and phosphorus accumulation in soil.     

The effects of contour hedges and reduced tillage with ridge furrow cultivation on nitrogen and phosphorus losses from sloping arable land

Purpose

Agricultural nonpoint sources of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are thought to pose great threats to the regional water quality in the Three Gorges area (TGA) of China. To explore the effects of protective methods on soil and nutrient losses from sloping arable land, rainfall runoff plot experiment was conducted from May 2010 to May 2011.

Materials and methods

For a rotation of wheat and maize, four treatments with three replicates were set up: H1, planting Vetiveria zizanioides contour hedgerows; H2, planting alfalfa contour hedgerows; H3, wheat intercropped with horsebean and maize intercropped with soybean, reduced tillage, and ridge furrow cultivation; and H4, conventional management. Nitrogen and phosphorus losses via surface and subsurface runoff were analyzed.

Results and discussion

When compared with that in H4, sediment phosphorus losses from plots of H1, H2, and H3 were significantly reduced by 46.61, 30.51, and 37.29%, respectively, while surface runoff total phosphorus loss was reduced by 45.38, 28.46, and 34.62%, respectively. Sediment nitrogen and surface runoff total nitrogen losses were not reduced significantly. Sediments were highly enriched with organic matter and nutrients, and decaying organic matter from plant residuals contributed to sediment nitrogen and phosphorus losses.

Conclusions

In sandy loam sloping arable land, contour hedgerows and ridge furrow cultivation were effective in reducing phosphorus loss via surface runoff. However, subsurface runoff is the primary path for nutrient losses, especially for nitrogen loss. Accordingly, attention should be given to improve the management of fertilizer nutrients, soil water, and plant residuals in sandy loam slope land.     

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry-based approach to precision management of bioavailable phosphorus in soil environments

Purpose  

Managing declining nutrient use efficiency in crop production has been a global priority to maintain high agricultural productivity with finite non-renewable nutrient resources, in particular phosphorus (P). Rapid spectroscopic methods increase measurement density of soil nutrients and improve the accuracy of rates of additional P inputs.     

Influence of incubation time on phosphorus sorption dynamics in lake sediments

Purpose  

Estimating phosphorus (P) sorption is generally achieved by measuring a decrease in P concentration over a defined period. However, information within the literature has not been able to be widely applied, probably due to the variability in incubation periods and initial P concentrations in reported experiments. The objective of this study was to investigate whether variations in incubation time and initial P concentration might result in differences in measured levels of P sorption in sediments.     

Microbial activity facilitates phosphorus adsorption to shallow lake sediment

Purpose  

The phosphorus (P) level in sediments is one of the major indicators of the eutrophication of lakes. Little information is available on the effect of microbial activity on P adsorption in shallow lake sediments. In this study, we evaluated the effect of microbial activity on the adsorption of P to sediments in a shallow lake.     

Applicability of a sequential P fractionation procedure to Si in sediment

Purpose  

A sequential phosphorus (P) fractionation procedure for sediments was applied to silicon (Si) to test its applicability. We wanted to know (1) whether it would be used in a cost-efficient way to study the finding of both elements, defining Si pools corresponding to the respective P pools, and in particular, (2) whether it could be shown that redox-sensitive processes affect Si mobility in sediment.     

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) varieties reveal substantial and contrasting organic phosphorus use efficiencies (PoUE) under symbiotic conditions

Background

The excessive use of inorganic P (Pi) in soils is alarming as it is causing numerous environmental problems and may lead to the depletion of rock phosphate reserves earlier than expected. Hence, to limit the over-dependence on Pi, there is the need to investigate organic phosphorus (Po), which is the dominant P form of soil P pool, as an alternate P source for plant growth.

Aim

The present study seeks to investigate organic P use efficiency of eight varieties of faba bean grown symbiotically.

Methods

The plants were grown in pots (6 kg soil) under greenhouse condition with three P source, namely, phytic acid (organic P, Po), KH₂PO₄ (inorganic P, Pi), and no-P. The P was applied at the rate of 1.79 g kg⁻¹ soil.

Results

The plants grown with Po and Pi produced similar amounts of root, shoot, and total dry matters. Despite producing statistically similar dry matters, P uptake by Pi-fertilized plants was twofold higher than by Po-fertilized plants. Meanwhile, Pi differed significantly from Po in terms of nodulation characteristics such as nodule dry biomass and individual nodule dry biomass. However, Po varied significantly from Pi in P utilization and acquisition efficiencies. Principal component analysis of Pi and Po revealed no significant variation and close association, confirming the nonsignificant differences between the two P treatments. Among the varieties tested, Tiffany tended to accumulate more dry matter, coupled with highest organic P utilization efficiency (0.48 g mg⁻¹) as well as the highest organic P beneficiary factor (80%).

Conclusion

These results provide a solid basis for further comparisons at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels between Tiffany (Po-efficient) and Fuego (Po-inefficient) varieties, offering deep insights into and making it easier to understand the mechanisms that allow soil Po to be utilized under symbiotic conditions.     

Impacts of anthropic pressures on soil phosphorus availability,concentration, and phosphorus forms in sediments in a Southern Brazilian watershed

Purpose  

The transfer of soil sediments and phosphorus from terrestrial to aquatic systems is a common process in agricultural lands. The aims of this paper are to quantify the soil phosphorus availability and to characterize phosphorus forms in soil sediments as contaminant agents of waters as a function of anthropic pressures.     

Revisiting the fundamentals of phosphorus fractionation of sediments and soils

Introduction  

Sequential fractionation procedures have been an important tool in the study of phosphorus (P) dynamics in soils and sediments for over 50 years. Throughout this period, the various methodologies have been thoroughly reviewed, and several limitations are widely acknowledged, but there are also aspects of P fractionation that have received little or no discussion. As there are few alternatives to fractionation procedures, in order to advance the usefulness of these techniques, we need to explore the undisclosed variables that may falsely bias our interpretation.     

Predicting available phosphate ions from physical–chemical soil properties in acidic sandy soils under pine forests

Purpose  

For economic and environmental reasons, and for biomass production, appropriate concepts and diagnostic systems based on relevant processes are required to assess the phosphorus (P) supply capacity of the soils in the long term and to adapt P fertilization accordingly in forests. The amount of available phosphate ions (iP) can be quantified using an isotopic dilution procedure. However, this method is difficult to apply since it requires the use of radioactivity (³²P or ³³P). Our objective was thus to build pedotransfer functions for the prediction of available iP from physical–chemical soil properties.     

Wildfire impacts on hillslope sediment and phosphorus yields

Purpose  

The impact of wildfire on (a) slope hydrological processes, (b) soil erodibility, and (c) post-fire hillslope sediment and phosphorus (P; dissolved and particulate) yields are quantified for natural forest areas of the burned Evrotas River basin, Peloponnese, Greece. Further, the geochemical partitioning of P in burned and unburned sediment is evaluated by sequential extraction to assess potential bioavailability of particulate P (PP) in downstream aquatic ecosystems.     

植物-生物膜氧化沟中不同形态铁及根表铁膜与除磷的关系

针对传统氧化沟投资建造成本高,脱氮除磷效率较差的问题,在污染现场建设植物-生物膜氧化沟,通过室内曝气模拟试验和室外小试试验,研究了总磷(total phosphorus,TP)的去除与铁和曝气时间的关系以及美人蕉、茭白根表铁氧化物胶膜对污水中磷的吸附去除情况,了解不同形态铁和植物根表铁膜与除磷的关系。研究结果表明:不同形态铁及植物根表铁膜与污水中磷的去除密切相关。随着曝气时间的延长,污水中铁减少量呈现出逐级递增的趋势,当曝气时间为12 h时,铁减少量达到0.45 mg/L以上,铁减少量与曝气时间之间的相关性达到极显著水平(P0.01),而TP的减少量与铁减少量之间也呈现极显著的相关性(P0.01)。小试试验中,3个系统出水磷含量及全Fe、Fe2+含量均有所降低,降低量表现出茭白系统美人蕉系统对照系统的规律;同时,美人蕉、茭白根表铁氧化物的沉积量随运行时间的延长而增加,且茭白根表铁膜数量及其吸附磷的数量均要高于美人蕉。该研究为植物-生物膜氧化沟工艺的改进及应用和推广提供了理论和实践依据。     

Enhancing phosphorus availability in phosphorus-fertilized zones by reducing phosphate adsorbed on ferrihydrite using rice straw-derived biochar

Purpose  

Biochar amendments can alter phosphorus (P) availability in soils, though the influencing mechanisms are not yet fully understood. This work investigated the adsorption and desorption of P on ferrihydrite (F, a Fe-oxide widely distributed in surface environments) in order to evaluate the interactions between P and Fe-oxide in the absence or presence of biochar (F or ferrihydrite–biochar (F–B) interaction) in soils.     

河套灌区沟渠表层沉积物对磷的吸附

为了解北方干旱灌区沟渠沉积物在磷的迁移转化中的作用,该文以河套灌区解放闸灌域总干渠、黄济干渠、总排干和二排干为研究对象,分别在上、中、下3个位点采集上覆水和沉积物,测定水样溶解性磷和总磷含量,对沉积物磷的形态进行分析,选择部分沉积物进行吸附动力学试验和等温吸附试验。结果表明,总干渠、黄济干渠和总排干、二排干水体磷含量相近,沉积物各形态的磷含量一般为钙结合态磷＞残渣磷＞闭蓄态磷＞铝结合态磷＞弱结合态磷＞铁结合态磷,弱结合态磷、铁结合态磷和铝结合态磷高活性磷含量低且显著正相关。研究表明,沟渠对河套灌区磷输出有削减作用,且沟渠沉积物磷释放风险高,总排干、二排干沉积物较总干渠、黄济干渠沉积物磷吸附容量大。