Comparison of ceramic suction cups and KC1 extraction for the determination of nitrate in soil

Comparisons of nitrate concentrations in soil core extracts and ceramic suction cup isolates were made on a coarse sand and a sandy loam to evaluate the methods for estimating nitrate concentrations percolating through the root zone. On the coarse sand the comparisons were made at 80 cm on three dates during the winter of 1988/89. For each date, 103 soil samples and 101 or 102 suction cup isolates were taken. On the sandy loam the comparisons were made at 25 and 80 cm on two dates in March 1990. For each date and depth, 57 soil samples and 55–57 suction cup isolates were taken. On the coarse sand the mean nitrate concentrations were the same for the two methods. On the sandy loam the results obtained using the two methods differed significantly in only one of the four comparisons. However, the results indicated that the suction cup isolates differed slightly from the volume-averaged concentrations obtained from the soil samples. The type of frequency distribution, normal or lognormal, seemed to be influenced both by the mean nitrate concentration and by the soil structure, and thus by the pattern of percolation. The size of sample required to estimate the mean nitrate concentration with a probability of 95% and a precision of 10% varied from 7 to 106.     

The use of porous ceramic cup water samplers to measure solute leaching on chalk soils

Abstract. This paper reports results from a four year study to investigate the suitability of porous ceramic cups to measure solute leaching on shallow chalk soils. Measurements were carried out in one field following surface applications of nitrate and bromide tracers and in two fields after only bromide was applied. Soil water samples were collected from porous cups at 30,60 and 90cm depth after every 25 mm of drainage, and soil samples from 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm were collected monthly eachwinter. Soil matric suctions andvolumetric moisture content were measured in one winter. Leaching losses, measured with ceramic cups were compared with those measured by soil analysis. Porous cups installed in chalk at 60 and 90 cm depth were only able to collect samples regularly when soil matric suctions were less than 15 kPa. Water held at such low suctions is likely to move quickly through relatively large fissures in the chalk. The slow rate of equilibration between solute concentrations in water moving in macrofissures and those in water moving through micropores of the chalk matrix, means that porous cups may not provide good estimates of leaching losses if they are installed in chalk rock.     

Evaluation of porous cup soil-water samplers under controlled field conditions: comparison of ceramic and PTFE cups

The value of soil water samples used in ecological studies is highly dependent on the quality of the samplers. Tension soil-water samplers are widely used to extract soil solutions, and the samplers are often tested in the laboratory under conditions that differ significantly from field conditions. This study describes a field procedure useful for comparison of two different tension soil-water samplers. Ceramic and PTFE cups are compared. There were no differences in the concentrations sampled by the two different types of sampler for Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Al³⁺, NH₄⁺, H⁺ and NPOC (non-purgeable organic carbon). Change in the applied vacuum in the range 0 to –0.4 × 10⁵ Pa did not change the concentrations of chemical species in the collected soil water. The ceramic cups collected significantly larger amounts of water due to differences in the hydrostatic characteristics of the two samplers. It was found that the ceramic samplers collected the highest concentrations of Mg²⁺ in some situations. The results are evaluated and discussed in relation to the possible sources of errors and the temporal and spatial variabilities.     

Evaluation of porous ceramic cups for monitoring soil-water aluminium in acid soils: comment on a paper by Raulund-Rasmussen (1989)

Following recent observations by Raulund-Rasmussen (1989) implicating A1 contamination of soil solutions isolated by suction-cup samplers, A1 release from porous ceramic cups in acid solutions was investigated. In our studies a flush of Al, followed by a gradual decrease in leaching over successive extractions was observed. The amount of Al released was retarded by the presence of 37 μmol dm^?3 of A1 in solution. Gibbsite solubility controls were not observed; all solutions isolated by the cups were undersaturated with respect to amorphous gibbsite. The cups evaluated in this study are appropriate for sampling acidic soil solution, provided they are suitably pretreated and then equilibrated in the field before use.     

A regression model for nitrate leaching in Northern Ireland

Abstract. A model has been developed based on multiple regression which explains 95% of the variation in nitrate loading of the major rivers in the 4453 km² Lough Neagh catchment for the years 1971–1987. The model relates loading of nitrate in the hydrological year to fertilizer usage, previous summer rainfall, summer temperature of the current year and December-May flow. It indicates that there is an increase in nitrate loading associated with fertilizer usage, and that the equivalent of 13% of nitrogen fertilizer that is lost as leachate comprises 50% of the river loadings.     

Progress in studies of nitrate leaching from grassland soils

Abstract. The large input of research effort on aspects of nitrate leaching over the last two decades has produced many innovative scientific and practical results. The MAFF Nitrate Programme has enabled considerable progress to be made in unravelling much of the complexity of the grassland nitrogen (N) cycle, and identifying gaps as essential first stages in providing improved managements for N in grassland systems. From a practical standpoint, there have been key outputs which have allowed the identification of options for policy, and which should allow grassland farmers to increase the efficiency of N use throughout their farming system and thereby improve the sustainability of their enterprises. As well as quantifying N transformations, transfers and losses, other important outcomes have been the development of user-friendly models of N cycling (NCYCLE and variants) and an easy to use field kit to determine mineral N in pasture soils. The use of modelling to produce fertilizer recommendations with a Decision Support System and of new approaches developed within the Programme, in particular system synthesis desk studies, and 'farmlet' investigations to determine the consequences of modifying N flows and losses, have allowed us to produce solutions to satisfy the dual aims of meeting environmental and economic production targets.     

Soil texture effect on nitrate leaching in soil percolates

Abstract

Nitrate nitrogen (NO₃‐N), which is an essential source of nitrogen (N) for plant growth, is now also considered a potential pollutant by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is because excess applied amounts of NO₃‐N can move into streams by run‐off and into ground water by leaching, thereby becoming an environmental hazard. Soils have varied retentive properties depending on their texture, organic matter content, and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of soil texture on NO₃‐N retention to reduce NO₃‐N contamination in the environment. A sand, 85:15 sand:peat Greensmix, a loamy sand, and sandy clay loam soils were placed in 2×3 inch metal cylinders and soaked in a 240 ppm solution of NO₃‐N for seven days to saturate the soil with NO₃ ions. The columns were leached with water to collect 10 soil percolate samples of 50 mL each until a total volume of 500 mL was collected. Nitrate‐N was measured in each 50‐mL aliquot by automated colorimetry. The results showed that soil texture affected the retention of N03‐N in the sand, which adsorbed the least amount of NO₃‐N at 119 ppm, followed by the Greensmix at 125 ppm, loamy sand at 149 ppm, and sandy clay loam at 173 ppm. More NO₃‐N was released in the first 50 mL of the sand percolate at 63% followed by the Greensmix, loamy sand, and sandy clay loam at 58,46, and 37% NO₃‐N released, respectively. Soils with more silt, clay, and organic matter retained more NO₃‐N than the straight sand. Therefore, a straight sand would be the poorest of soil types since NO₃‐N retention was low.     

Effect of nitrate leaching in oxisol columns on 15N abundance and nitrate breakthrough curves

Abstract

Nitrate (20 mg N0₃‐ N l^?1) was leached through 180 cm columns of oxisol subsoil until the leachate attained the initial nitrate concentration. Leaching was continued with water until no nitrate was detectable in the leachate.

The Δ¹⁵N for the first aliquot of leachate containing nitrate was 2.2 units lower than that of the added solution indicating that ¹⁵Nwas preferentially adsorbed to ¹⁴N. The breakthrough curve for nitrate indicated that nitrate adsorption decreased after six pore volumes. The implications for modelling nitrate leaching are discussed.     

Comparisons of methods for measuring the leaching of mineral nitrogen from arable land

Comparisons were made between 1988 and 1991 to evaluate three methods of estimating the leaching of mineral nitrogen (N) from unstructured freely draining sandy loam and loamy sand soils. The studies compared the drainage patterns and quantities of N (almost exclusively nitrate) leached from monolith lysimeters with those estimated from ceramic suction cups and soil core extracts. The latter two methods gave direct measurements of the mineral N concentrations in drainage, but required an estimate of the drainage volume calculated from meteorological observations and evapotranspiration equations to give total N leached. A bromide tracer was also used to confirm conclusions from nitrate leaching studies. There was a delay in the onset of drainage from free draining lysimeters because they lack the subsoil matric potential of field soils. However, total annual drainage measured by lysimeters or calculated from meteorological observations was similar, providing that return to field capacity was correctly identified in the field soil. During the first year there were discrepancies between methods which were attributed to soil disturbance during lysimeter and/or ceramic cup installation. In the second and third years of the experiment, estimates of N leaching losses using the lysimeters and ceramic cups were in good agreement. Nitrate concentrations in soil solution at a depth of 130 cm measured from soil core extracts were smaller than found by the other methods during the second year and the peak concentrations were significantly different (P<0.05). However, total overwinter N leached was not significantly different. Thus, while lysimeters and cups can be used to quantify leaching losses on unstructured, free draining soils if used correctly, the use of soil core extracts is questionable.     

Retarded leaching of nitrate measured in monolith lysimeters in south-east Nigeria

At Onne in South-east Nigeria, drainage water was collected from four monolith lysimeters and analysed for nitrate. The lysimeters contained an acid sandy loam. At the start of the first rainy season two lysimeters received urea labelled with ¹⁵NO₃^– and two received no nitrogen fertilizer; all four were uncropped in the first year.
The peak concentrations of ¹⁵NO₃^– and of unlabelled (soil) NO₃^– were found after 2.5 pore volumes of water had passed through the lysimeters. Using the same soil in the laboratory after fine sieving, the peak concentration of tritiated water was found at 1 pore volume whereas nitrate leaching was retarded. The pattern of nitrate leaching was well described by miscible and immiscible models which included an adsorption coefficient for nitrate. Over the 2 years 81.4% of the ¹⁵N added at the start of the first rainy season was recovered in the drainage water.     

华北山前平原农田土壤硝态氮淋失与调控研究

本文依托中国科学院栾城农业生态系统试验站小麦-玉米一年两熟长期定位试验, 应用土钻取土和土壤溶液取样器取水的方法, 研究了不同农田管理措施下土壤硝态氮的累积变化, 计算了不同氮肥处理通过根系吸收层的硝态氮淋失通量。结果表明, 小麦-玉米生长季土壤硝态氮累积量和淋失量随着施氮量的增加显著增加, 相同氮肥水平下增施磷、钾肥增加了作物的收获氮量, 施磷肥增加的作物收获氮量最高可达123kg·hm^-2·a^-1, 施钾肥增加的作物收获氮量最高为31 kg·hm^-2·a^-1。不同灌溉水平下0~400 cm 土体累积硝态氮随着灌溉量的增加而降低, 控制灌溉(小麦季不灌水, 玉米季灌溉1 水)、非充分灌溉(小麦季灌溉2~3 水, 玉米季按需灌溉)、充分灌溉(小麦季灌溉4~5 水, 玉米季按需灌溉)各处理剖面累积硝态氮量分别为1 698 kg·hm^-2、1148 kg·hm^-2 和961 kg·hm^-2。与非充分灌溉和充分灌溉处理相比, 控制灌溉在100~200 cm 土层硝态氮累积量显著高于其他层次, 2003~2005 年间控制灌溉剖面增加的硝态氮量占施肥总量的23%; 非充分灌溉处理剖面增加的硝态氮量占施肥总量的22%; 充分灌溉处理剖面增加的硝态氮量占施肥总量的47%。免耕措施降低了作物产量, 影响土壤水的运移, 增加了硝态氮的淋失风险。根据作物所需降低氮素投入(N 200 kg·hm^-2·a^-1), 增施磷、钾肥, 控制灌溉量是减少华北山前平原地区硝态氮淋失, 保护地下水的有效措施。     

华北平原农田裂缝对硝态氮淋溶的影响

土壤干缩开裂是常见的自然现象。目前关于土壤干缩开裂的研究主要集中于裂缝的最终形态特征,并且以室内试验为主。本研究通过室外大田试验,结合动态计算机图像分析及水氮运移模拟软件WHCNS,研究土壤干缩开裂的动力学过程、特征及其对农田水氮运移的影响。利用原位熔化石蜡浇筑得到了裂缝三维结构形态,借助三维激光扫描仪量化裂缝的几何特征,发现每平米裂缝平均长度为4.58m,裂缝上表面平均宽度为5.72 mm,平均深度为9.06 cm。基于三维扫描仪提取得到的裂缝几何参数,通过WHCNS仿真模拟,发现相较于无裂隙情况,裂隙的存在分别增加了传统施肥和优化施肥情况下97.40%和256.43%的硝态氮淋失量;与优化施肥模式相比,传统施肥模式更容易造成硝态氮的淋失风险。在模拟灌溉模式对硝态氮淋洗情况的影响时,其差异不明显;强降雨的设置同样增加了硝态氮的淋失风险,导致硝态氮的年均淋洗量增加83.61%。裂缝的存在严重影响农田作物对肥料的吸收和利用,通过优化施肥量、更改灌溉模式以及避免强降雨前施肥都可以减少肥料的损失。     

不同农业种植方式对土壤中硝态氮淋失的影响研究

农田氮素损失是造成农业非点源污染的主要原因之一,其中由于大量施用氮肥引起的土壤氮素淋溶损失又是农田氮素损失的重要途径。针对农业不同种植条件下氮素损失控制难题,本文通过田间试验研究集约化种植和常规种植两种土地利用方式下,土壤硝态氮迁移特征及动态变化规律,来评估不同农业种植方式对地下水污染的潜在风险。结果表明:集约化种植区施肥量和灌溉量较大,硝态氮的淋失浓度明显大于常规种植园,土壤硝态氮浓度随时间和空间变化也最为显著。集约化种植区的地下水污染程度远远大于常规种植区,集约化种植葡萄园地下水中的硝态氮含量平均值11.2mg/L,是常规种植区平均值1.35 mg/L的8倍,集约化种植区过量施肥增大了土壤硝态氮的淋失风险,对生态环境构成了潜在的污染威胁。研究结果可为农业集约化种植区防治农业非点源污染和优化田间管理措施提供科学依据。     

Determining differential water movement through ion exchange resin for nitrate leaching measurements

Abstract

The fate of fertilizer N applied to agricultural soils is of growing concern due to the potential for groundwater contamination. The recent development of an exchange resin that specifically absorbs NO₃ has led to the potential for a new technique to measure cumulative NO₃ leaching. The main limitation to the application of the resin technique is the matching of water movement through the resin with that of soil. A soil water movement device was developed to compare water movement through the resin to that of soil. A study was initiated to develop a resin/soil pack with water movement characteristics that closely matches those of natural soils. Three different soil types were used in this study: a Cahaba sandy loam (fine‐loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Hapludult), a Congaree clay loam (fine loamy, mixed, nonacid, thermic Typic Udifluvent), and a Hiwassee clay (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Rhodudult). Both pure resin and resin mixed with soil were found to have higher water movement characteristics compared to bulk soil. A resin pack method was found which had water movement characteristics that were not significantly different from that of bulk soil for the three different soil types. The resin pack method is described.     

亚热带主要耕作土壤硝态氮淋失特征试验研究

本文选取红壤、水稻土、潮土、黄棕壤和紫色土等我国亚热带地区的主要耕作土壤为研究对象,采用土柱模拟试验,研究了在这些土壤中,氮素累积与硝态氮迁移的动态特征,并对氮素的淋失风险进行了定量评价和预测。结果表明,硝态氮在土壤中的淋失过程可分为两个明显的阶段:高浓度快速降低阶段和低浓度缓慢降低阶段。硝态氮淋失过程存在明显的拐点,该点对应的累积入渗量（拐点入渗量）变化范围为38.1 - 219.7 mm,且随土壤硝态氮含量的增加呈幂函数关系增加,表明随硝态氮含量的增高,其淋失风险呈加速增大的趋势。硝态氮淋失强度随土壤硝态氮含量的增加呈显著的线性变化趋势。初步估测,我国亚热带地区年降水入渗量700 mm和土壤硝态氮累积水平为N 20 mg /kg条件下,表层土壤（0-20cm）的硝态氮年平均淋失量为N 484.9 kg /hm2,土壤间的变异系数（CV）分别为26.5%。土壤硝态氮含量是影响硝态氮淋失强度的决定性因素,其它土壤性质的影响均相对较小,因此,控制土壤氮素累积和化肥施用水平是降低其淋失风险的关键环节。     

Impact of excreted nitrogen by grazing cattle on nitrate leaching

Abstract. At De Marke experimental farm, data on water and nitrogen flows in the unsaturated zone were gathered on two grazed pastures on sandy soils during the years 1991 to 1994. These provided a basis for calibration and validation of simulation models. The different levels of nitrate-N concentrations of the two plots could largely be explained by differences in crop uptake and simulated denitrification as influenced by different groundwater levels. The irregular distribution of excreta was taken into account by a simulation study quantifying the variability of nitrate-N concentrations under a grazed field. The resulting distribution of simulated nitrate-N concentrations explained the average and peak values of the measured concentrations. Temporal variability of weather was used to assess the nitrate leaching risk under urine patches deposited in either July or September. At site A the probability of exceeding the EC-directive by drinking water (11.3 mg/1 nitrate-N) under a urination deposited in either July or September was respectively 10 and 25%. The average field concentration at this site will hardly ever be a high risk for the environment under the current farm management. At site B the EC-directive will be exceeded under any urine patch in almost 100% of the years, affecting the field average concentration. In field B careful grazing management would result in less nitrate leaching, but the environmental goals would not be reached.     

A usable mechanistic model of nitrate leaching II. Application

Simulations produced by a mechanistic model are compared with field observations of nitrate leaching from 0.35 ha hydrologically isolated experimental plots. The parameters used in the model are obtained in two ways. First by fitting the model to field observations in one year. These parameters are then used to simulate leaching in other years. Second, model parameters are obtained by fitting eluant profiles from pulse inputs of solute to undisturbed cores in the laboratory. When used with the field-derived parameters, the model simulates total leaching losses well in other years, although the pattern of loss is only approximately reproduced. The simulation suggests that water and solute flow in drained, structured soils is complex; preferential flow in the upper horizons resulting in 20% of the water-filled pore space carrying most of the solute flow, and by-pass flow in the subsoil causing rapid movement of water and solute to the drains. The result is that much of the nitrate in the upper horizons appears to be protected from leaching. When used with laboratory-derived parameters, the model was a poor predictor of both the pattern and quantity of nitrate leached.     

Sorption of trace metals by suction cups of aluminium oxide,ceramic and plastics

The sorption properties of ceramic, aluminium oxide and plastic suction cups in respect to trace metals (Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) were compared in laboratory and field experiments. The sorption effect is determined by the level of the cation exchange capacity of the cup material, the pH-value of the soil solution, the content of dissolved organic carbon, the sampling rate and the sampled volume. Sorption was generally negligible only in case of cobalt, manganese and nickel. At low pH-values no retention of trace metals occurred with the exception of lead in the aluminium oxide and the ceramic cups. At pH-values of about 8 cadmium and zinc were strongly sorbed only by aluminium oxide and ceramic cups whereas beryllium, copper and lead were markedly sorbed at this pH-range by all cup types. These results are only valid for the boundary conditions used. Whenever a suction cup's suitability is in doubt it should be tested after a conditioning procedure using realistic boundary conditions.