Assessing the bioavailability of dissolved organic phosphorus in pasture and cultivated soils treated with different rates of nitrogen fertiliser

A proportion of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in soil leachates is readily available for uptake by aquatic organisms and, therefore, can represent a hazard to surface water quality. A study was conducted to characterise DOP in water extracts and soil P fractions of lysimeter soils (pasture before and after, and cultivated soil after leaching to simulate a wet winter-autumn) from a field trial. Data on DOP in drainage waters from the field trial were also generated. In water extracts, used as a surrogate for soil solution and drainage water, 70-90% of the total dissolved P (TDP) concentration was made up of DOP, of which 40% was hydrolysable by phosphatase enzymes. Proportions of hydrolysable DOP to TDP in drainage waters of the field trial were less than in water extracts due to enhanced DRP loss via dung inputs, but still large at 35% of DOP. Analysis of lysimeter soils by sequential fractionation indicated that several organic P fractions changed with land use and due to leaching. Further investigation using NaOH-EDTA extracts and ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that the greatest changes were a decrease in the concentrations of orthophosphate diester P and an increase in orthophosphate monoester P. This was attributed to mineralization by cultivation and plant roots and also to the leaching of mobile diester P. This study suggests that in such soils with a dynamic soil organic P pool, the concentration of readily bioavailable P in soil solution and drainage waters and the potential to impair surface water quality cannot be determined from the DRP concentration alone.     

Lime application to reduce phosphorus release in different textured intact and small repacked soil columns

Purpose

Phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural fields through leaching are the main contributors to eutrophication of lakes and rivers in North America. Adoption of P-retaining strategies is essential to improve the environmental quality of water bodies. The main objective of this study is to evaluate lime as a soil amendment in reducing phosphorus concentration in the leachate from three common soil textures with neutral to alkaline pH.

Materials and methods

Phosphorus leaching from undisturbed soil columns (10 cm in diameter and 20 cm deep) as well as small repacked columns was investigated and compared in this study. Lime (high calcium hydrated lime) at the rate of 1% by air-dried soil mass was applied to the topsoil of the columns. Both sets of experiments followed a full factorial design with two factors of soil texture at three levels (sandy loam, loam, and clay loam) and treatment at two levels (control and limed) with three replicates. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was performed on the control and limed soil samples to confirm the formation of calcium phosphate compounds.

Results and discussions

For both intact and repacked columns, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) concentrations in the leachates from limed sandy loam and limed loam soil columns was significantly reduced, while DRP in the limed clay loam column leachates was not changed. Elemental mapping demonstrated that in limed sandy loam and loam soils, the calcium loadings on the soil surface were always linked with phosphorus. The formation of calcium phosphate compounds and the increased phosphate adsorption on the soil surface through Ca bridging could be the two main phosphorus-lime retention mechanisms. Total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) in the leachates of limed loam and limed clay loam indoor intact and repacked columns was reduced, while there was no change in that of the sandy loam soil. In finer textured soils, lime can increase TDP retention through the immobilization of organic phosphates.

Conclusions

The impact of lime application on DRP and TDP varied with the soil texture. The lime-induced reduction in the DRP and TDP was variable between the intact and repacked columns demonstrating the importance of soil structure on phosphorus and lime interactions in the soil. Overall, lime application at the studied rate can be considered a promising soil amendment in mitigating phosphorus loss from non-calcareous neutral to alkaline soils.

     

Potential phosphorus leaching from sandy topsoils with different fertilizer histories before and after application of pig slurry

This study investigated the effects of historical long‐term and recent single applications of pig slurry on phosphorus (P) leaching from intact columns of two sandy topsoils (Mellby and Böslid). The soils had similar physical properties, but different soil P status (ammonium lactate‐extractable P; P‐AL) and degree of P saturation (DPS‐AL). Mellby had P‐AL of 220–280 mg/kg and DPS‐AL of 32–42%, which was higher than for Böslid (P‐AL 140 mg/kg and DPS 21%). The study investigated the effects since 1983 of four treatments with different fertilizer histories, in summary high (HighSlurryMellby) and low (LowSlurryMellby) rates of pig slurry and mineral P (MinMellby) applications at Mellby and mineral P application at Böslid (MinBöslid). The columns were irrigated in the laboratory five times before and five times after a single application of pig slurry (22 kg P/ha). Concentrations of dissolved reactive P (DRP), dissolved organic P and total‐P (TP) in leachate and loads were significantly higher (P < 0.005) from the treatments at Mellby than those at Böslid. TP concentrations followed the trend: HighSlurryMellby (0.57–0.59 mg/L) > MinMellby (0.41–0.49 mg/L) > LowSlurryMellby (0.31–0.36 mg/L) > MinBöslid (0.14–0.15 mg/L), both before and after the single slurry application. DRP concentrations in leachate were positively correlated with DPS‐AL values in the topsoil (R² = 0.95, P < 0.0001) and increased with greater DPS‐AL values after the single slurry application (R² = 0.79, P < 0.0001). Thus, DPS‐AL can be an appropriate indicator of P leaching risk from sandy soils. Moreover, the build‐up of soil P because of long‐term repeated manure applications seems to be more important for potential P losses than a single manure application.     

Nutrient leaching from clay soil monoliths with variable past manure inputs

Overall, arable soils in Sweden are currently generally close to phosphorus (P) balance, but excessive P accumulation has occurred on animal fur farms, i.e., those rearing mink (Mustela vison) and foxes (Alopex lagopus and Vulpes vulpes). Manure P from these farms has sometimes regarded as sparingly soluble. Laboratory lysimeter topsoil trials with simulated rain demonstrated that potential leaching of P in dissolved reactive form (DRP) can be very high, even for heavy clay (50%–65%) soils. The Swedish/Norwegian soil test P‐AL (soil P extracted with acid NH₄ lactate, AL) proved useful as a potential indicator of DRP leaching risk (regression coefficient [R²] = 0.89) from fur farms. The upper 5‐cm soil layer, with 190% higher (median) soil P status than the 5–20 cm layer, was the major source of potential DRP leaching through soil columns at the site, despite having been under grass or green fallow for the past 8 y. In percolate from topsoil lysimeters, DRP concentration increased by 0.29 mg L^–1 after the long‐term manure application but only by 0.14 mg L^–1 after the single slurry application when compared to no addition of slurry. Therefore, the build‐up to a high soil P status due to the long‐term application of mink manure was more important than a single application of pig slurry at a rate corresponding to 22 kg P ha^–1 with respect to soil leachate DRP losses in this lysimeter study. The study stresses the importance of precision farming, in which the amount of slurry‐P applied is based on testing the already existing soil P content.     

Comparison of Two Digestion Methods for Determining Total Phosphorus in Farm Canal Water

Abstract

Rapid and accurate determination of low‐level (0.01 to 1.0 mg L^?1) phosphorus (P) concentrations in farm canal water is important in evaluating water quality in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) canals in south Florida. Two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency methods, persulfate digestion (365.1) and Kjeldahl digestion with mercury oxide (365.4), were used to analyze total P (TP) and total dissolved P (TDP) in two sets of representative canal water samples collected at low‐flow conditions in 2003 and high‐flow conditions in 2004. Quality assurance samples (blanks, duplicates, and spikes) were included to evaluate differences between the two digestion methods. Precision analysis had a mean of less than 5% for both TP and TDP using both methods. The high coefficient of correlations (r>0.98) indicated that the two methods were significantly correlated in determining TP and TDP of the samples. Low detection limits (0.004 mg L^?1) were achieved by the persulfate method. This method offers many other advantages over the mercury digestion: it produces no toxic mercury waste, uses less time, and uses a lower temperature. High suspended solids in canal water samples were not proven to be a problem when using the persulfate digestion, though lower spike recoveries were observed than those when using the mercury digestion. We conclude that persulfate digestion is a more sensitive and environmentally responsible alternative to and is, as precise as, the mercury method for routine determination of TP and TDP in water samples. This information is useful to environmental laboratories in monitoring P concentrations in surface and groundwater.     

Phosphorus Forms in Overland Flow from Agricultural Soils Representative of Mediterranean Areas

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) losses through overland flow (surface runoff) may contribute to eutrophication of water bodies. The main purpose of this work was to study P forms in overland flow (dissolved and particulate) to identify which can be potentially used by algae. To this end, rainfall on 17 representative soils from Mediterranean areas was simulated, and P forms in overland flow studied by chemical and sink (resin, iron oxide–impregnated paper strip) extraction; sequential chemical fractionation of the suspended sediments was also used to establish “operational pools” with a differential capacity of P release. Total P (TP) in runoff ranged from 0.089 to 0.765 mg L^?1 and was mainly related to suspended sediment (particulate P, 86% of TP on average). Iron oxide strip P, which is taken to be an estimate of algal‐available P, accounted for 34% of TP on average in runoff samples; most of the P extracted by this sink was particulate P (68%). In most cases, FeO strip P was equivalent to dissolved reactive P (DRP) plus P extracted by NaOH and citrate‐bicarbonate in suspended sediment (the more labile P fractions) (Y=X, R²=0.82; P<0.001; n=15). One can thus assume that Fe oxide extracts DRP, adsorbed P on sediments, and P related to highly soluble precipitated Ca phosphates, but it does not extract releasable P through reduction of sorbent surfaces or the organic P that can be mineralized in the bottom of water reservoirs, which must be taken in account to estimate the long‐term algal‐available P in runoff.     

Effect of increasing the time between slurry application and first rainfall event on phosphorus concentrations in runoff

Minimizing slurry phosphorus (P) losses in runoff requires careful management in the context of both soil P surpluses and changing patterns in rainfall. Increasing the time interval between slurry application and the first rainstorm event is known to reduce P loss in runoff although the risk period for elevated P concentrations in runoff can extend for weeks. This study investigated the impact of increasing the time interval between slurry application and first rainstorm event on P concentrations in runoff. Simulated rainfall (40 mm h⁻¹) was applied at 2, 4, 10, 18, 30 and 49 days after dairy slurry was surface-applied to a grassland sward in Ireland. Increasing time to runoff resulted in a decrease in dissolved reactive P concentrations from 5.0 to 1.0 mg P L⁻¹ and a P signal in runoff for 18 days. Beyond 18 days, elevated P concentrations were observed in runoff collected from natural rainfall that preceded the day 49 rainstorm event. A published surface phosphorus and runoff model (SurPhos) was used to understand the slurry P dynamics controlling P interactions with runoff. Dissolved reactive P in runoff was predicted with accuracy by SurPhos, R² = .89. The SurPhos model implied that slurry P mineralization occurred during the experimental period that resulted in a small spike in P concentrations beyond the defined risk period. This study shows that the experimental data have the potential to be extrapolated to different weather scenarios using SurPhos and could test when and where slurry P could be most safely spread.     

Evaluation of chemical amendments to control phosphorus losses from dairy slurry

Land application of dairy slurry can result in incidental losses of phosphorus (P) to runoff in addition to increased loss of P from soil as a result of a buildup in soil test P (STP). An agitator test was used to identify the most effective amendments to reduce dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) loss from the soil surface after land application of chemically amended dairy cattle slurry. This test involved adding slurry mixed with various amendments (mixed in a beaker using a jar test flocculator at 100 rpm), to intact soil samples at approximate field capacity. Slurry/amended slurry was applied with a spatula, submerged with overlying water and then mixed to simulate overland flow. In order of effectiveness, at optimum application rates, ferric chloride (FeCl₂) reduced the DRP in overlying water by 88%, aluminium chloride (AlCl₂) by 87%, alum (Al₂(SO₄)₃·nH₂O) by 83%, lime by 81%, aluminium water treatment residuals (Al‐WTR; sieved to <2 mm) by 77%, flyash by 72%, flue gas desulphurization by‐product by 72% and Al‐WTR sludge by 71%. Ferric chloride (€4.82/m³ treated slurry) was the most cost‐effective chemical amendment. However, Al compounds are preferred owing to stability of Al–P compared with Fe–P bonds. Alum is less expensive than AlCl₂ (€6.67/m³), but the risk of effervescence needs further investigation at field‐scale. Phosphorus sorbing materials (PSM) were not as efficient as chemicals in reducing DRP in overlying water. The amendments all reduced P loss from dairy slurry, but the feasibility of these amendments may be limited because of the cost of treatment.     

The Effectiveness and Feasibility of Using Ochre as a Soil Amendment to Sequester Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus in Runoff

Incidental losses of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) to a surface waterbody originate from direct losses during land application of fertilizer, or where a rainfall event occurs immediately thereafter. Another source is the soil. One way of immobilising DRP in runoff before discharge to a surface waterbody, is to amend soil within the edge of field area with a high phosphorus (P) sequestration material. One such amendment is iron ochre, a by-product of acid mine drainage. Batch experiments utilising two grassland soils at two depths (topsoil and sub-soil), six ochre amendment rates (0, 0.15, 1.5, 7.5, 15 and 30 g kg⁻¹ mass per dry weight of soil) and five P concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg L⁻¹) were carried out. A proportional equation, which incorporated P sources and losses, was developed and used to form a statistical model. Back calculation identified optimal rates of ochre amendment to soil to ameliorate a specific DRP concentration in runoff. Ochre amendment of soils (with no further P inputs) was effective at decreasing DRP concentrations to acceptable levels. A rate of 30 g ochre kg⁻¹ soil was needed to decrease DRP concentrations to acceptable levels for P inputs of ≤10 mg L⁻¹, which represents the vast majority of cases in grassland runoff experiments. However, although very quick and sustained metal release above environmental limits occurred, which makes it unfeasible for use as a soil amendment to control P release to a waterbody, the methodology developed within this paper may be used to test the effectiveness and feasibility of other amendments.     

塿土磷素淋移的形态研究

利用设在     

Removal of Vegetative Clippings Reduces Dissolved Phosphorus Loss in Runoff

Rainfall simulation was used to study the vegetative filter strip (VFS) conditions under which losses of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) leaching occur. Boxes containing silt loam soil were planted with ryegrass and cut at two different intervals prior to simulated rainfall 14 days apart. Grass clippings were either removed or retained. During the second simulated rainfall, runoff TDP and DRP were greater for treatments cut the day before irrigation with clippings retained as compared to treatments cut the same day as irrigation with clippings retained. Removing clippings yielded the lowest mean TDP and DRP concentrations. Increasing the senesced vegetative surface area for contact with water, and the amount of time for leaching to occur, resulted in the greatest DRP loss. The VFS management implications should consider clipping removal or no or reduced mowing during the growing season followed by end-of-season removal to reduce DRP leaching losses.     

Predicting environmental soil phosphorus limits for dissolved reactive phosphorus loss

The dependence of runoff dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) loss on soil test P or rapid estimations of degree of P saturation (DPS) often varies with soil types. It is not clear whether the soil‐specific nature of runoff DRP versus DPS is due to the different sorption characteristics of individual soils or the inability of these rapid DPS estimates to accurately reflect the actual soil P saturation status. This study aimed to assess environmental measures of soil P that could serve as reliable predictors of runoff DRP concentration by using soils collected from Ontario, Canada, that cover a range of chemical and physical properties. A P sorption study was conducted using the Langmuir equation  to describe amount of P sorbed or desorbed by the soil (Q_s, mg/kg) versus equilibrium P concentration (C, mg/L) in solution, where Q_max is P sorption maximum (mg/kg), k represents P sorption strength (L/mg), and Q₀ (mg/kg) is the P sorbed to soil prior to analysis. Runoff DRP concentration increased linearly with increasing DPS_sorp (i.e. the ratio of (Q₀ + Q_D)/Q_max) following a common slope value amongst soil types, while the P buffering capacity (PBC₀) at C = C₀ yielded a common change point, below which runoff DRP concentration decreased greatly with increasing PBC₀ compared to that above the change point, where C₀ and Q_D represent the equilibrium P concentration and amount of P desorbed, respectively. Both DPS_sorp and PBC₀ showed great promises as indicators of runoff DRP concentration.     

Variability and relationships between Pb,Cu, and Zn concentrations in soil solutions and forest floor leachates at heavily polluted sites

Seasonal variability of Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in litter leachates and soil solutions was examined in an afforested zone surrounding a copper smelter in SW Poland. Litter leachates (with zero‐tension lysimeters) and soil solutions (with MacroRhizon suction‐cup samplers, installed at a depth of 25–30 cm) were collected monthly at three sites differing in contamination levels in the years 2009 and 2010 (total Cu: 2380, 439, and 200 mg kg^–1, respectively). Concentrations of Cu in the litter leachate were correlated with dissolved organic C (DOC), whereas Zn and Pb were mainly related to leachate pH. Metal concentrations in the soil solution were weakly influenced by their total content in soils and the monthly fluctuations reached 300, 600, and 700% for Cu, Pb, and Zn, respectively. Metal concentrations in soil solutions (Cu 110–460 μg L^–1; Zn 20–1190 μg L^–1; Pb 0.5–36 μg L^–1) were correlated with their contents in the litter leachates. Chemical speciation, using Visual Minteq 3.0, proved organically‐complexed forms even though the correlations between metal concentrations and soil solution pH and DOC were statistically insignificant. The flux of organically‐complexed metals from contaminated forest floors is believed to be a direct and crucial factor affecting the actual heavy metal concentrations and their forms in the soil solutions of the upper mineral soil horizons.     

Characterization of organic phosphorus in leachate from a grassland soil

The degree of eutrophication in fresh water ecosystems may be influenced by the forms of phosphorus (P) leached from agricultural systems. Physico-chemical fractionation of P in leachate from a grassland soil carried out over a two year period indicated that the majority of the P loss from the Lismore soil occurred in unreactive particulate (55-76%) P forms. ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of a selected leachate sample indicated that unreactive P was mainly comprised of monoester and diester forms of organic P. The presence of phosphomonoesterase (20-200 μg p nitrophenol l⁻¹ h⁻¹) and phosphodiesterase (68 μg bis-p nitrophenol l⁻¹ h⁻¹) activity in leachate resulted in hydrolysis of 10-21% of total unreactive P (TUP), indicating that some of the monoesters and diesters can be eventually hydrolyzed into inorganic P forms during P transport. Enzyme hydrolysis showed that 23% of the TUP was present as labile monoester P (LMP), followed by 20% as inositol hexakisphosphate (IHP) and 14% as diesters (phospholipids and nucleic acids). The findings of this study suggest that LMP, IHP and diesters are an important component of organic P leaching from the grassland soil.     

Enzymatic release of phosphate from model substrates and P compounds in soil solution from a peaty podzol

Phosphate in solutions of model esters and polyphosphates (glucose phosphate, inositol hexaphosphate, pyrophosphate, ribonucleic acid, tripolyphosphate and trimetaphosphate) was quantitatively released in <6 h by acid phosphatase or phytase at pH 5.0. Interference from insoluble, ion association complexes formed between protein in the enzymes and the phosphomolybdenum blue during the colorimetric determination of the molybdate reactive phosphorus released was removed by adding dimethyl sulphoxide. Filtered (0.45 μm) soil solution from a peaty soil contained 590 μg dm^–3 total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), of which 13% was molybdate reactive phosphorus (MRP), 26% dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) and 61% dissolved condensed phosphorus (DCP). When acid phosphatase was added to the soil solution under the conditions used to hydrolyse the model compounds, MRP increased to 54% of the TDP in about 10 h and then remained constant. From a mass balance, at least 25% of the DCP was hydrolysed. Incubation of the soil solution at 35°C without enzyme increased MRP to 44% of the TDP, reflecting native enzyme activity. Soil solution containing a higher concentration of TDP (1.27 mg dm^–3) was also obtained. The distribution of MRP, DOP and DCP fractions was similar but acid phosphatase hydrolysed a greater proportion of the P and MRP increased to 64% of the TDP and at least 40% of the DCP was hydrolysed. The results of hydrolysis with phytase were similar to those with acid phosphatase. The protection of part of the DOP or DCP fraction from hydrolysis was likely caused by occlusion within colloids or the existence of P compounds unlike those of the model substrates. Received: 7 January 1996     

Delayed Sample Filtration and Storage Effects on Dissolved Nutrients Measured in Agricultural Runoff

Few research studies have examined the influence of delayed filtration on sample stability or runoff nutrient loss assessments. Runoff samples from irrigation furrows were each split into four volumes: two were filtered (45 μm) in the field and two were filtered 10 days later, with or without boric acid treatment, and stored at 4 °C. Sample dissolved reactive P (DRP), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N), and ammonium (NH₄)-N concentrations were measured in all filtered samples 10 and 107 days after collection. Samples filtered in the field and those with a 10-day delayed filtration had similar dissolved DRP, NO₃-N, and NH₄-N concentrations, whether or not boric acid was added. Boric acid stabilized DRP and NH₄-N sample concentrations, but not NO₃-N, during the 107 days of storage (relative to field-filtered samples). The effect of treatments on computed furrow stream concentration and runoff mass losses was similar to that for sample concentrations, except that furrow NH₄-N parameters were unaffected by treatments. The field-filtered or 10-d delayed filtration without boric acid treatments provided the best dissolved nutrient measurements for comparing agricultural management effects at the field edge; however, results suggest that an incubation-type test for field-edge runoff water may provide a more accurate estimate of field management effects on dissolved nutrient loads in downstream aquatic ecosystems.     

Effect of water: soil ratio on phosphate release: P, aluminium and fulvic acid associations in water extracts from Andisols and Andic soils

The influence of water: soil ratio (w: s) on phosphorus fractions was studied in Andisols and Andic soils. Phosphorus was fractionated in 0.45-μm filtered water extracts, and pH, monomeric Al and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were determined. Speciation of dialysed extracts was also studied. Increasing w: s from 2.5 to 75 resulted in a release of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), while DOC decreased significantly and pH increased moderately. For the 29 samples studied desorbed DRP =K (w: s)^β, where β represents a P buffering term and ranged from 1 to 1.26 for DRP (mg kg^?1). On dialysis, we observed a uniform partition between dialysable (DP) and non-dialysable P (NDP) which was explained by the corresponding difference in DOC; these results were consistent with the existence of soluble P-Al-fulvic complexes. Study of solubility diagrams for determining solid-phase controls on P activities in the extracts suggested that dissolution of Al-phosphates could explain most of P release to water as free orthophosphate. Both this mechanism and organic P partition between solid and solution soil phases may be considered to reflect the main sources of P in Andisols: Al-phosphate and organic-Al-P complexes.     

Distribution of phosphorus in size fractions of sandy soils with different fertilization histories

A major challenge in sustainable crop management is to ensure adequate P supply for crops, while minimizing losses of P that could negatively impact water quality. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of long‐term applications of different levels of mineral fertilizers and farmyard manure on (1) the availability of P, (2) the relationship between soil C, N, and P, and (3) the distribution of inorganic and organic P in size fractions obtained by wet sieving. Soil samples were taken from the top 20 cm of a long‐term (29 y) fertilization trial on a sandy Cambisol near Darmstadt, SW Germany. Plant‐available P, determined with the CAL method, was little affected by fertilization treatment (p < 0.05) and was low to optimal. The concentration of inorganic and organic P extracted with a NaOH‐EDTA solution (P_NaOH‐EDTA) averaged about 350 mg (kg dry soil)^–1, with 42% being in the organic form (P_o). Manure application tended to increase soil C, N, and P_o concentrations by 8%, 9%, and 5.6%, respectively. Across all treatments, the C : N : P_o ratio was 100 : 9.5 : 2 and was not significantly affected by the fertilization treatments. Aggregate formation was weak due to the low clay and organic‐matter content of the soil, and the fractions > 53 μm consisted predominantly of sand grains. The different fertilization treatments had little effect on the distribution of size fractions and their C, N, and P contents. In the fractions > 53 μm, P_NaOH‐EDTA ranged between 200 and 300 mg kg^–1, while it reached 1260 mg kg^–1 in the fraction < 53 μm. Less than one third of P_NaOH‐EDTA was present as P_o in the fractions > 53 μm, while P_o accounted for 70% of P_NaOH‐EDTA in the smallest fraction (< 53 μm). Therefore, 16% and 28% of P_NaOH‐EDTA and P_o, respectively, were associated with the smallest fraction, even though this fraction accounted for < 5% of the soil mass. Therefore, runoff may cause higher P losses than the soil P content suggests in this sandy soil with a weak aggregate formation. Overall, the results indicate that manure and mineral fertilizer had similar effects on soil P fractions.     

Crop-specific differences in the concentrations of lipids in leachates from the root zone

Although lipids are involved in diverse soil processes and affect various soil properties, the contribution of rhizodeposits and the root zone to lipid concentrations and distributions in soils is unknown. For the first time, we determined the concentrations of alkanoic acids, n-alkanes and n-alkenes in root zone leachates and roots of maize and potato using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In total, the lipid concentrations of leachates were 100 μg g^?1 (maize) and 17 μg g^?1 (potato). The saturated n-alkanoic acids, ranging from n-C₁₄ to n-C₂₈ and having the maximum at n-C₂₂ (maize) and at n-C₁₆ (potato), were more abundant than the other compounds. Maize leachates had more alkanes (20 μg g^?1) than potato leachates (3.1 μg g^?1), but the members of the homologues were nearly the same. Comparison of these distributions with data for roots, microorganisms and soil indicated that the lipids in the leachates from the root zone mainly originated from abrasion of fine roots, rhizodeposits and rhizosphere microorganisms.     

Response of soil constituents to freeze-thaw cycles in wetland soil solution

Soil freeze-thaw cycles in the winter-cold zone can substantially affect soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, and deserve special consideration in wetlands of cold climates. Semi-disturbed soil columns from three natural wetlands (Carex marsh, Carex marshy meadow and Calamagrostis wet grassland) and a soybean field that has been reclaimed from a wetland were exposed to seven freeze-thaw cycles. The freeze-thaw treatments were performed by incubating the soil columns at −10 °C for 1 d and at 5 °C for 7 d. The control columns were incubated at 5 °C for 8 d. After each freeze-thaw cycle, the soil solution was extracted by a solution extractor installed in each soil layer of the soil column, and was analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP). The results showed that freeze-thaw cycles could increase DOC, NH₄⁺-N and NO₃⁻-N concentrations in soil solutions, and decrease TDP concentrations. Moreover, the changes of DOC, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N and TDP concentrations in soil solutions caused by freeze-thaw cycles were different in various sampling sites and soil layers. The increments of DOC concentrations caused by freeze-thaw cycles were greater in the wetland soil columns than in the soybean field soil columns. The increments of NH₄⁺-N concentrations caused by freeze-thaw cycles decreased with the increase of soil depth. The depth variation in the increments of NO₃⁻-N concentrations caused by freeze-thaw cycles in the wetland soil columns was different from that in the soybean field soil columns. The decrements of TDP concentrations caused by freeze-thaw cycles were greater in columns of Carex marsh and Carex marshy meadow than in columns of Calamagrostis wet grassland and the soybean field. The study results provide information on the timing of nutrient release related to freezing and thawing in natural versus agronomic soils, and have implications for the timing of nutrient application in farm fields in relation to water quality protection.