土壤性质对砂土亚表层磷迁移的影响

The soil factors influencing the potential migration of dissolved and particulate phosphorus （P） from structurallyweak sandy subsoils were evaluated by means of soil column leaching experiments. Soil colloids were extracted from two types of soils to make the colloid-bound forms of P solution. Eight sandy soils with diverse properties were collected for packing soil columns. The effects of influent solutions varying in concentrations of colloids, P, and electrolyte, on the transport of P and quality of leachates were characterized. P migration in the soils was soil property-dependent. High soil electrical conductivity values retarded the mobility of colloids and transportability of colloid-associated P （particulate P）. Soil electrical conductivity was negatively correlated with colloids and reactive particulate P （RPP） concentrations in the leachates, whereas, the total reactive P （TRP） and dissolved reactive P （DRP） concentrations in the leachates were mainly controlled by the P adsorption capacity and the P levels in the subsoil. The reactive particulate P in the leachates was positively correlated with the colloidal concentration. Increased colloidal concentration in the influent could significantly increase the colloidal concentration in the leachates. Elevated P concentration in the influent had little effect on P recovery in the leachates, but it resulted in significant increases in the absolute P concentration in the leachates.     

中性盐和pH对红壤、砖红壤胶体交换性酸的影响

In the present work, the exchangeable acidity of a red soil colloid and a latosol colloid at different pH during reacting with four neutral salts was measured. The results show that the exchangeable acidity increased with increasing amounts of the neutral salts added, and the relation between them was almost linear. When the amount of the neutral salt added was lower than a certain value, the slope of the line was high, and the slope turned low when the amount exceeded that value, so there was a turning point in each line. The addition amounts of the neutral salts for the turning points were affected by the cation species of the neutral salts, but pH had less effect on them. After the turning points occurred, the exchangeable acidity of the red soil colloid still gradually increased with the addition amounts of the neutral salts, but that of the latosol colloid did not increase any more. The exchangeable acidity in NaClO₄, KClO₄ and NaCl solutions increased at first, and then decreased with increasing pH, that is to say, peak values appeared. The peak positions of the exchangeable acidity in relation to pH changed with neutral salt solutions and were affected by the surface characteristics of the soil colloids, but not affected by the amounts of the neutral salts added. The exchangeable acidity in the Ba(NO₃)₂ solution increased continuously with increasing pH. The exchangeable acidity of the red soil colloid was obviously larger than that of the latosol colloid.     

澳大利亚东部地区一些酸性硫酸盐土壤磷的特征

Forty-five acid sulfate topsoil samples (depth < 0.5 m) from 15 soil cores were collected from 11 locations along the New South Wales coast, Australia. There was an overall trend for the concentration of the HC1-extractable P to increase along with increasing amounts of organic C and the HCl-extractable trivalent metals in the topsoils of some less-disturbed acid sulfate soils (pH < 4.5). This suggests that inorganic P in these soils probably accumulated via biological cycling and was retained by complexation with trivalent metals or their oxides and hydroxides. While there was no clear correlation between pH and the water-extractable P, the concentration of the water-extractable P tended to increase with increasing amounts of the HCl-extractable P. This disagrees with some established models which suggest that the concentration of solution P in acid soils is independent of total P and decreases with increasing acidity. The high concentration of sulfate present in acid sulfate soils appeared to affect the chemical behavior of Pin these soil systems. Comparison was made between a less disturbed wetland acid sulfate soil and a more intensively disturbed sugarcane acid sulfate soil. The results show that reclamation of wetland acid sulfate soils for sugarcane production caused a significant decrease in the HCl-extractable P in the topsoil layer as a result of the reduced bio-cycling of phosphorus following sugarcane farming. Simulation experiment shows that addition of hydrated lime had no effects on the immobilization of retained P in an acid sulfate soil sample within a pH range 3.54.6. When the pH was raised to above 4.6, soluble P in the soil extracts had a tendency to increase with increasing pH until the 15th extraction (pH 5.13). This, in combination with the poor pH-soluble P relationship observed from the less-disturbed acid sulfate soils, suggests that soluble P was not clearly pH-dependent in acid sulfate soils with pH < 4.5.     

PH对红壤微生物生物量碳和生物量磷的影响

The impact of pH changes on microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and microbial biomass phosphorus (Pmic) were examined for 3 red soils under citrus production with different lengths of cultivation. Soil pH significantly affected Cmic and Pmic. The Cmie and Pmic changes, as a function of soil pH, appeared to follow a normal distribution with the original soil pH value at the apex and as pH increased or decreased compared to the original soil pH, Cmic and Pmic declined. Moreover, there were critical pH values at both extremes (3.0 on the acidic side and 8.0 to 8.5 on the alkaline side), beyond which most of microorganisms could never survive. The effect of pH on Cmic and Pmic was also related to the original soil pH. The higher the original soil pH was, the less Cmic or Pmic were affected by pH change. It is suggested that soil microorganisms that grow in a soil environment with a more neutral soil pH range (i.e. pH 5.5-7.5) may have a greater tolerance to pH changes than those growing in more acidic or more alkaline soil pH conditions.     

中国太湖环境土壤磷测试与磷释放

A microtiter plate assay (MPA) for soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) was applied to samples in overlying water and pore water as well as in three forms of environmental soil test phosphorus (P) types: water soluble phosphorus (WSP), diluted calcium chloride extractable phosphorus (PCaCl2), and Olsen-P in the sediments of Taihu Lake, China, where potential P release in response to pH was analyzed. MPA for rapid P analysis was shown to be promising when applied on samples of natural water and sediment extracts. Concentrations of WSP and PCaCl2 in the sediments were much lower than those of Olsen-P. Olsen-P levels in the littoral sediments along the north coast of Meiliang Bay in Taihu Lake (80 to 140 mg kg^-1) were much higher than those in the mouth of the bay (less than 50 mg kg^-1). The risk of P release in the mouth area of Meiliang Bay was lower than that in the north littoral zone with a risk of sediment P release induced by pH increases.     

磷的吸附和表面电荷特征及其与华南地区某些土壤矿物的关系

The phosphate adsorption and surface charge characteristics of the tropical and subtropical soils derived from different parent materials in China were determined, and their relations to soil mineralogy were analysed. The results showed that all soil phosphate adsorption curves were well fitted by Freundlich equation and Langmuir equation. The maximum buffering capacity of P ranged from 66 to 9 880 mg kg^-1, with an increasing order of purple soil, skeletal soil, red soil, lateritic red soil, yellow soil and latosol; and the highest value was 149 times the lowest value, which indicated great differences among these soils in phosphate adsorption and supplying characteristics. The pH₀ (zero point of charge) values obtained by salt titration-potential titration varied from 3.03 to 5.49, and the highest value was found in the latosol derived from basalt whereas the lowest value was found in the purple soil. The correlation analysis indicated that the main minerals responsible for phosphate adsorption in the soils were gibbsite, amorphous iron oxide and kaolinite; and the pH₀ was mainly controlled by kaolinite, gibbsite and oxides.     

两个小麦品种对根际土壤中磷的吸收

Inorganic soil phosphorus extractable with sodium bicarbonate(NaHCO3-Pi),soil pH and root hairs length and density in the rhizosphere of two winter wheat cultivars (Tritium aestivum L.cv.Shichum,Sleipner)grown on a high pH Chinese silt loam(52.7 mg NaHCO3-Pikg^-1) and a Danish sandy loam(43.4mg NaHCO3-Pi kg^-1)wer studied to assess how these wheat cultivars differed in phosphorus uptake.The rhizosphere soil pH of two wheat cultivars grown on the two soils were fairly unchanged with increasing distrance from the roo surface.However the root hairs of Shichun were 2.1 times longer than those of Sleipner,Root surface area(RSA) of Shichun increased by 192% due to root hairs whereas root hairs of Sleipner increased RSA by 68% only.Hence the root system of Shichun was in contact with more soil than that of Sleipner,even though Sleipner had a longer root,Grown at the lower pH and level of NaHCO3-Pi in the Danish soil Shichun absorbed more inorganic phosphorus than Sleipner whereas at the higher pH and level of NaHCO3-Pi in the Chinese soil there was no phosphorus uptake difference between the two wheat culivars.     

同位素动力学方法评价中国亚热带地区主要酸性土壤磷状况及生物有效性的适用性

A ^32P isotope kinetic approach was used to describe the chemical status and bioavailability of phosphorus in 32 acidic soils from subtropical China.By determining the residual radoactivity,rt,in soil solution at different time,t,after introduction of the isotope in an amount of R into the steady soil-water system,a well-defined isotope kinetic model was established,and upon this model the decrease rate ,n,of log(rt/R) with respect to logt,the mean sojourn time of phosphate ions in solution,the mean exchange rate and the mean flux of phosphate ions between soil solid and solution phases were calculated.Other parameters,such as the exchangeable P within the first minute of isotope exchange(E1),and P in various compartments that could be exchanged with solution phosphte ions at different perods of time,were also obtained.For these acidic soils,the r1/R had a significant correlation with the contents of clay and free Al2O3 where r1 is the radioactivity in solution 1 minute after introduction of the isotope into the system.Parameter n also had a significant correlation with clay content and a neagtive correlation with soil pH,E1 values and Cp,the P concentration in soil solution,also Significantly correlated with clay and sesquioxide contents of the soils.these indicated that these isotope kinetic parameters were largely influenced by P-fixing components of the soils.For the soils with strong P-fixing ability,the E1 values overestimated labile P pools and hence their correlations with A values and plant P uptake were not significant .The other iostope kinetic parameters also had no significant correlation with plant P uptak.On the other hand,the convetional chemical-extracted p correlated better with plant P uptake .It was concluded that the iostope kinetic method could assess the p chemical status yet it would inappropriate in predicting plant available P for soils with a high P-fixing ability as the problem of an overestimation of soil lable P in these soils was inevitable.     

腐殖酸对磷在石灰性土壤中迁移的影响

When humic acid (HA) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer are simultaneously applied to soil, HA may affect the movement of P. A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to quantify the effects of a commercial HA product co-applied with monocalcium phosphate (MCP) on the distance of P movement and the concentration of P in various forms at different distances from the P fertilizer application site in a calcareous soil from northern China. Fertilizer MCP (at a rate equivalent to 26.6 kg P ha-1 ) was applied alone or in combination with HA (at 254.8 kg HA ha-1 ) to the surface of soil packed in cylinders (150 mm high and 50 mm internal diameter), and then incubated at 320 g kg-1 moisture content for 7 and 28 d periods. Extraction and analysis of each 2 mm soil layer in columns showed that the addition of HA to MCP increased the distance of P movement and the concentrations of water-extractable P, acid-extractable P and Olsen P in soil. The addition of HA to MCP could enhance P availability by increasing the distance of P movement and the concentration of extractable P in soil surrounding the P fertilizer.     

Salt—Water Dynamics in Soils：Ⅲ.Effect of Crop Planting

Through a simulation test conducted with soil columns (61.8cm in diameter) in field condition,effect of crop planting upon the regulation of salt-water dynamics in soils was studied by monitoring of salt-water dynamics in situ,using soil salinity sensors and tensiometers.The results indicated that the amount of water absorbed by crops from the soil was generally larger than the decrement of water consumption from soil surface evaporation reduced by the crop covering the soil surface and improving the soil structure,therefore,under the conditions of crop growing and non-irrigation,water content in soil profile was less than that without crop growing,and the gradient of negative pressure of soil water in soil profile especially in the root zone was enlarged,thus causing the water flowing from subsoils into root zone and increasing the groundwater moving upwards into soil layer via capillary rise,so that the groundwater evaporation increased.Consequently,under the condition of crop growing,the salt was mainly accumulated towards the root zone rather than to the top soil.the accumulating rate of salt in groundwater via capillary rise of soil water to subsoils was increased thereby.     

Phosphorus-induced mobilization of colloids: model systems and soils

Increasing the phosphorus (P) saturation of sandy soils may cause an increase in the rate of transport of dissolved P to groundwater. We hypothesize that by increasing sorption of P, soil colloids such as iron (Fe) oxides are also mobilized, because the adsorption of P causes the surface charge to become more negative, which increases the repulsive forces between the colloids and the sand grains, and between the colloids in suspension. Goethite particles adsorbed to fine quartz sand and precipitated goethite coatings on coarse quartz sand were used as model systems to test this hypothesis. Soil samples from a Cambisol Bw horizon and a Gleysol Bg horizon were also investigated. We conducted a series of batch experiments with increasing concentrations of ortho‐P and inositol hexaphosphate (IHP). The adsorption of P and the dispersion of colloids were determined by measuring P, Fe, aluminium and carbon concentrations in supernatants before and after ultracentrifugation. Dispersed colloids were characterized according to their optical density, zeta potential and particle size. The addition of P caused mobilization of goethite and soil colloids when a critical P saturation, corresponding to a zeta potential of about ?20 mV, was exceeded. To induce colloid mobilization in soils, one to two orders of magnitude larger equilibrium concentrations of dissolved P were necessary, compared with those required for the model systems. The adsorption of IHP reduced the zeta potential of colloids more effectively than the adsorption of ortho‐P per mol P. Environmentally significant concentrations of colloidal P (> 0.1 mg P litre^?1) were released from soil samples at equilibrium concentrations of dissolved P < 0.1 mg P litre^?1. We conclude that the sorption and accumulation of P in sandy subsoils that might occur as a result of excessive fertilization might induce the mobilization of colloids and colloidal P.     

Adsorption controls mobilization of colloids and leaching of dissolved phosphorus

Loss of phosphorus (P) from agriculture contributes to the eutrophication of surface waters. We have assessed the magnitude and controls of P leaching and the risk of colloid‐facilitated transport of P from sandy soils in Münster. Concentrations of soluble reactive P in drainage water and groundwater were monitored from 0.9 to 35 m depth. Total P concentrations, P saturation, and P sorption isotherms of soil samples were determined. Concentrations of dispersible soil P and colloidal P in drainage water and groundwater were investigated. The concentrations of soluble reactive P in drainage water and groundwater were close to background concentrations (< 20 µg P l^?1). Median concentrations in excess of 100 µg P l^?1 were found down to 5.6 m depth at one of four research sites and in the lower part of the aquifer. Experimentally determined equilibrium concentrations and the degree of P saturation were good predictors of P concentrations of drainage water. Large concentrations of dispersible P were released from soil with large concentrations of oxalate‐extractable P and addition of P induced further dispersion. Colloidal P was transported in a P‐rich subsoil when there was a large flow of water and after nitrate had been flushed from the soil profile and total solute concentrations were small. We conclude that the concentration of soluble reactive P in drainage water is controlled by rapid adsorption in the sandy soils. Subsurface transport of dissolved P contributes substantially to the loss of P from the soils we investigated. Accumulation of P in soils increases the risk of colloid‐facilitated leaching of P.     

Mineralogy and chemistry of some variable charge subsoils

Abstract

Colloidal mineralogy is one of the main characteristics of the steady state reached in developed soils. Surface charge and other chemical and physical properties of the soil depend on colloidal mineralogy. It is, therefore, very important to further investigate the clay mineralogy of acidic variable charge subsoils in order to understand better their unusual chemical behavior. The objective of this investigation was to characterize the inorganic colloid mineralogy, chemical (subsoil solution pH and electrical conductivity), and charge properties (PZNC and PZSE) in some variable charge subsoils. Subsoil materials were collected from the southeastern United States and other tropical and subtropical areas around the world. The clay fraction mineralogy in the majority of the subsoils was dominated by the quartet kaolinite, gibbsite, goethite, and hematite. They manifested, however, a significant diversity in their charge and other chemical characteristics because the proportions and contents of mineralogical constituents, particle size distributions, and specific surface areas were very different. The pH_KCl values ranged from 3.69 to 5.91. Under such conditions, pure kaolinite and aluminum/iron (Al/Fe) oxides have opposite net surface charges, and acidic subsoils are mixed charge colloidal systems. They have extremely low EC values, varying from 9.9 to 132 μS cm^‐1, with corresponding ionic strengths between 0.14 and 1.86 mmol L^‐1. They develop towards a “no or little charge state”; and the native pH is near the PZNC or PZSE. The overall charge characteristics and adsorption properties in these heterogenous colloidal systems are clearly a direct function of the relative contents, interactions, and surface reactivity of mineralogical soil constituents in the subsoils.     

长期不同施肥红壤磷素特征和流失风险研究

为探索长期施肥对红壤磷素吸附固持的影响,分析不同施肥土壤磷流失风险及影响因素。在南方丘陵区红壤上开展了持续25年的长期定位试验,处理包括:不施肥(CK)、施氮肥(N)、施磷肥(P)、施钾肥(K)、施氮磷钾肥(NPK1)、施2倍量氮磷钾肥(NPK2)、单施有机肥(OM)和氮磷钾配施有机肥(MNPK)。研究了不同施肥下土壤全磷、Olsen-P、Mehlich1-P、CaCl2-P含量及磷吸持指数(PSI)、磷饱和度(DPS)的变化,探讨不同施肥处理土壤对磷的吸附和解吸特征,并分析了土壤磷指标与土壤有机碳、pH、CEC之间的关系。结果表明:长期施用化学磷肥有利于补充土壤磷素,特别是土壤全磷,并使Olesn-P和Mehlich 1-P有增加趋势,而对CaCl2-P影响不显著;施用化肥对DPS影响不显著,单施磷会降低PSI,低量氮磷钾提高了PSI,高量氮磷钾处理与对照差异不显著;长期施用有机肥(猪粪)土壤全磷增加,而Olsen-P、Mehlich 1-P和CaCl2-P则大幅累积, PSI显著降低, DPS显著增加。长期施用化肥处理土壤对新添加磷的吸附较强,长期施用有机肥降低了土壤对新添加磷的吸附;土壤全磷、Olsen-P、Mehlich1-P、CaCl2-P、PSI、DPS及最大吸附容量(Qm)与土壤pH、CEC、土壤总有机碳(TSOC)、土壤水溶性有机碳[冷水提取水溶性有机碳(CWSOC)和热水提取水溶性有机碳(HWSOC)]间相关性较高;土壤磷指标和土壤有机碳、pH、CEC指标之间存在典型相关关系,第1对和第2对典型变量的典型相关系数分别为0.997和0.951,达显著水平。研究表明,施用有机肥是调节土壤磷的供给和保持的重要措施,土壤水溶性有机碳和pH可能是反映红壤磷素供应和流失的关键指标。     

不同耕作方式对紫色水稻土团聚体及有机碳分布的影响

The effect of different tillage systems on the size distribution of aggregates and organic carbon distribution and storage in different size aggregates in a Hydragric Anthrosol were studied in a long-term experiment in Chongqing, China. The experiment included three tillage treatments： conventional tillage with rotation of rice and winter fallow （CT-r） system, no-till and ridge culture with rotation of rice and rape （RT-rr） system, and conventional tillage with rotation of rice and rape （CT-rr） system. The results showed that the aggregates 0.02-025 mm in diameter accounted for the largest portion in each soil layer under all treatments. Compared with the CT-r system, in the 0-10 cm layer, the amount of aggregates 0.02 mm was larger under the RT-rr system, but smaller under the CT-rr system. In the 0-20 cm layer, the organic carbon content of all fractions of aggregates was the highest under the RT-rr system and lowest under the CT-rr system. The total organic carbon content showed a positive linear relationship with the amount of aggregates with diameter ranging from 0.25 to 2 mm. The storage of organic carbon in all fractions of aggregates under the RT-rr system was higher than that under the CT-r system in the 0-20 cm layer, but in the 0-60 cm soil layer, there was no distinct difference. Under the CT-rr system, the storage of organic carbon in all fractions of aggregates was lower than that under the CT-r system; most of the newly lost organic carbon was from the aggregates 0.002-0.02 and 0.02-0.25 mm in diameter.     

Influence of subsoil amelioration with lime,phosphorus and potassium on the yield of soybeans and barley

Abstract

The effects of mixing lime and large quantities of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers with the subsoil were studied on 16 Maryland subsoils. These subsoils were covered with 10. cm of a fertile surface soil so the subsoils’ effect would be the major variable. Soybeans were grown on these soils in the greenhouse. These subsoils received 65.2 and 83.0 ug/g of phosphorus and potassium respectively. Two treated subsoils were also studied in the field. Simulated subsoiling in the field was accomplished by digging to a depth of 50.8 cm. Lime, 148 or 440 Kg P/ha, and 186 or 558 Kg K/ha were mixed with each 15 cm depth of subsoil. Soybeans and/or barley were planted on the field plots.

In general, the subsoils studied in the greenhouse indicated that the combined amendments of lime, phosphorus and potassium to the subsoils increased root production in the subsoil, nitrogen content in the soybean shoots, and yield.

First year field results on the Othello (Typic Ochraquult) soil indicated that soybean yields on treated subsoil plots were not significantly different from soil receiving the same surface applications of fertilizer. However the second year after treatment, the yields of double cropped soybeans and barley were increased by 706 Kg/ha (10.5 bu/acre) and 710 Kg/ha (14.4 bu/acre) respectively when compared to similar quantities of phosphorus and potassium applied to the surface soil of nonsubsoiled plots.

On the Monaouth (Typic Hapludult) soil, the first year yields of subsoil plots treated with lime, phosphorus, and potassium also failed to improve yields compared to surface application of the fertilizer. Lime, 440 Kg P/ha, and 558 Kg K/ha applied to the subsoil did significantly improve yields of full season soybeans over the untreated soil by 720 Kg/ha (10.7 bu/acre).     

Soil organic matter effects on plant available and water soluble phosphorus

The degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) has been shown to be a suitable initial indicator of P loss potential from agricultural soils to surface waters. In addition, several agronomic soil tests have been evaluated as environmental predictive tools. The objectives of this study were: (1) to evaluate the modified Morgan soil test, used on acid, high-aluminum soils of the northeastern United States, as a predictor of water-soluble P and (2) to determine the effect of soil organic matter (SOM) on the ability of both DPS and soil test P to predict water-soluble P. The soils were divided into three SOM classifications depending on their loss-on-ignition contents and analyzed for water-soluble P, modified Morgan soil test P, and oxalate-extractable P, Al, and Fe. The relationship between DPS and water-soluble P showed a change point at about 15% DPS, as did the relationship between DPS and modified Morgan soil test P. A DPS of 15% corresponded to about 14 mg kg⁻¹, a threshold above which water-soluble P could be expected to increase more rapidly with additional P loading. The slopes of the regression lines of water-soluble P as a function of soil test P were 0.050, 0.036, and 0.021 (mg water-soluble P kg⁻¹ soil/mg soil test P kg⁻¹) for the low, medium, and high SOM classification groups, respectively. SOM level had a less significant effect on the relationship between DPS and water-soluble P. Higher levels of SOM were associated with higher levels of oxalate-extractable Fe and Al and, therefore, higher P sorption capacities and lower DPS values, resulting in less P in solution at all soil test levels.     

Dissolved and colloidal phosphorus fluxes in forest ecosystems—an almost blind spot in ecosystem research

Understanding and quantification of phosphorus (P) fluxes are key requirements for predictions of future forest ecosystems changes as well as for transferring lessons learned from natural ecosystems to croplands and plantations. This review summarizes and evaluates the recent knowledge on mechanisms, magnitude, and relevance by which dissolved and colloidal inorganic and organic P forms can be translocated within or exported from forest ecosystems. Attention is paid to hydrological pathways of P losses at the soil profile and landscape scales, and the subsequent influence of P on aquatic ecosystems. New (unpublished) data from the German Priority Program 1685 “Ecosystem Nutrition: Forest Strategies for limited Phosphorus Resources” were added to provide up‐to‐date flux‐based information. Nitrogen (N) additions increase the release of water‐transportable P forms. Most P found in percolates and pore waters belongs to the so‐called dissolved organic P (DOP) fractions, rich in orthophosphate‐monoesters and also containing some orthophosphate‐diesters. Total solution P concentrations range from ca. 1 to 400 µg P L^?1, with large variations among forest stands. Recent sophisticated analyses revealed that large portions of the DOP in forest stream water can comprise natural nanoparticles and fine colloids which under extreme conditions may account for 40–100% of the P losses. Their translocation within preferential flow passes may be rapid, mediated by storm events. The potential total P loss through leaching into subsoils and with streams was found to be less than 50 mg P m^?2 a^?1, suggesting effects on ecosystems at centennial to millennium scale. All current data are based on selected snapshots only. Quantitative measurements of P fluxes in temperate forest systems are nearly absent in the literature, probably due to main research focus on the C and N cycles. Therefore, we lack complete ecosystem‐based assessments of dissolved and colloidal P fluxes within and from temperate forest systems.     

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.