Phosphate Sorption to Macropore Wall Materials and Bulk Soil

Preferential flow through macropores may allow reactive solutes to travel long distances in soil. The amount of solute transported is expected to depend on the ability of the macropore wall materials to retain the solute from the bypassing solution. From a loamy sand soil, samples of bulk Ap-horizon, bulk Btg-horizon, earthworm burrow lining, and both iron-depleted and iron-enriched materials from glossic fracture walls were obtained. The different soil materials were shaken for 5 min, 2 hr and 7 d in 0.01 M CaCl₂ with initial P concentrations from 0 to 3.3 mg H₂PO₄ ^--P L^-1 at pH 5. The resulting changes in solution P-concentration were interpreted in terms of P-desorption or P-sorption. Burrow lining and bulk-Ap were poor P sorbents, especially at short contact times (5 min and 2 hr). They were unable to sorb P at concentrations below approximately 1 mg PO₄-P L^-1. In contrast, fracture wall materials and bulk-Btg were much stronger sorbents. They removed P from solutions having P-concentrations of only about 0.03 mg PO₄-P L^-1. The results of the study suggest that environmentally critical concentrations of dissolved P_i will be leached more easily through earthworm burrows than fractures, and that sorption characteristics of bulk soil may deviate strongly from sorption characteristics of macropore wall materials.     

模拟降雨条件下垄沟坡度对溶解态氮磷流失的影响

为揭示不同垄沟坡度对径流中溶解态氮、磷流失的影响,采用人工模拟降雨试验,设置4个垄沟坡度处理(0°,9°,18°和27°),研究了不同垄沟坡度对径流中速效磷(PO_4~(3-)—P)、硝态氮(NO_3~-—N)和铵态氮(NH_4~+—N)浓度和流失量的影响;并利用Inorganic—N/PO_4~(3-)—P、NO_3~-—N/PO_4~(3-)—P和NH_4~+—N/PO_4~(3-)—P 3种氮磷比,评价不同处理的富营养化风险。结果表明:(1)在降雨过程中,4个垄沟坡度处理径流中PO_4~(3-)—P、NO_3~-—N和NH_4~+—N浓度随时间均呈锯齿状变化;其流失量随时间变化均呈先增加后以锯齿状变化的趋势,且波动幅度大,最大值(16.60,1 020.73,48.35 mg)分别出现在垄沟坡度为0°,0°和9°处理。(2)4个垄沟坡度处理间相比较,径流中PO_4~(3-)—P和NH_4~+—N流失量均表现为0°9°27°18°,其浓度最大值(0.50,1.08 mg/L)和最小值(0.37,0.76 mg/L)均分别出现在垄沟坡度为9°和18°处理;而径流中NO_3~-—N浓度和流失量均在垄沟坡度0°处理时为最大值(30.68 mg/L和64.16 mg/m~2),18°处理时为最小值(21.78 mg/L和42.22 mg/m~2)。(3)Inorganic—N/PO_4~(3-)—P率和NH_4~+—N/PO_4~(3-)—P率表明4个垄沟坡度处理径流中均存在一定的富营养化风险。其中,垄沟坡度为0°处理的径流富营养化风险水平最高,27°处理的径流富营养化风险水平最低。研究结果可为横坡垄作的水土流失及养分流失评价、预测以及防治提供科学依据。     

Phosphate Leaching from Intact Soil Column in Response to Reducing Conditions

Iron(III)(hydr)oxides can dissolve under reducing soil conditions. Simultaneously, oxide-associated inorganic phosphate is released to the soil solution. In this study, the effect of reducing soil conditions on phosphate leaching from transient waterlogging clayey soil is evaluated. We applied glucose solutions (either 100 or 1000 mg glucose-C L^-1) at a steady flow rate of 0.63 mm h^-1 to a saturated intact column of structured Alfisol (diam. 0.5 m, height 1.0 m). Effluent concentrations of iron(II) and reactive orthophosphate (P_i) increased slightly during 5 d of low glucose application, reaching values of 2.5 mg Fe L^-1, and 0.02 mg PO₄-P L^-1, respectively. During 10 d of high glucose application, the iron(II) concentration increased to 14 mg Fe L^-1 and fluctuations in the P_i-concentration between 0.002 and 0.1 mg PO₄-P L^-1 were observed. The fluctuations in P_i-concentration are ascribed to interactions between progression of the glucose front, and P_i-mobilization/resorption processes at the walls of macropores. The daily P-losses during low and high glucose applications averaged 0.3 mg PO₄-P m^-2 d^-1, and 0.5 mg PO₄-P m^-2 d^-1, respectively. Comparisons with a parallel topsoil study suggest that subsoil exerts a strong control on leaching – probably via resorption – of P_i mobilized in the topsoil.     

间歇性降雨对黄土坡地水土养分流失的影响

坡面水土养分流失是研究农业非点源污染方面的核心问题,涉及土壤侵蚀、坡地水文和环境治理等方面的内容。以黄土坡地为研究对象,利用人工降雨模拟试验,分析间歇降雨时坡地产流-入渗-土壤侵蚀过程,以及通过预先在坡地喷施养分(NH_4~+-N、NO_3~--N、PO_4~(3-)-P),研究间歇降雨时坡面水土流失以及土壤溶质的迁移规律。试验采用针孔式人工模拟降雨器进行模拟降雨,对试验坡地间歇性进行3次降雨,雨强恒为100mm/h,每次降雨历时60min,降雨间隔时间60min。结果表明:(1)3次降雨的初始含水率不同,但产流规律相似,降雨径流率均为先增大后趋于平稳。(2)3次降雨产生的泥沙累积量分别为250.91,100.20,79.76g,第1次降雨的泥沙量远高于第2,3次。泥沙率先迅速增大到峰值然后缓慢减少,平均泥沙率随降雨次数的增多而递减。(3)对于非吸附性的NO_3~-、NH_4~+,3场降雨过程中溶质浓度均呈现由高降低并逐渐平稳的变化趋势;PO_4~(3-)-P浓度的变化规律却略显不同,降雨初期溶质浓度先短暂升高,然后再由高降低并逐渐平稳。(4)3次降雨的NH_4~+-N、NO_3~--N、PO_4~(3-)-P的径流总流失量分别为535.33,1 058.18,400.79mg,其中NO_3~--N流失量最多,PO_4~(3-)-P流失量最少。随着降雨次数的增加,不同降雨次数下的NH_4~+-N、NO_3~--N、PO_4~(3-)-P径流流失量均逐渐减少,流失量较前次降雨分别降低了19%,14%、3%,62%和57%,28.3%。因此,通过对间歇性降雨条件下黄土坡地水土溶质迁移特征的研究,对揭示降雨-径流-土壤相互作用过程和土壤养分迁移机理具有重要意义。     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Leaching from Fertilizer Applied on Golf Course: Lysimeter Study

Fertilizers applied to turfgrass may pose a threat to surface and groundwater quality, and hence, a study was carried out to evaluate the fate of fertilizer applied to turfgrass of the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club in Hong Kong. Lysimeters with reconstituted soils collected from fairways and greens with Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) growing in the surface were used to evaluate the leaching loss of nitrate (NO₃ ^-), ammonium (NH₄ ⁺), and phosphate (PO₄ ^3-) for 22 weeks under greenhouse condition. Both soils received a slow release fertilizer at an application rate of 25 (low) or 50 (high) kg N ha^-1, and an application frequency of monthly and fortnightly for fairways and greens, respectively, simulating the fertilizer application strategy of the golf course. Both low and high fertilizer application rate supported the same amount of biomass production for each soil type. Breakthrough of NO₃ ^- occurred only in greens after 11 weeks of leaching, but the total amount of NO₃ ^- leached did not differ significantly for the two different fertilizer application rates. The continued addition of fertilizer to greens resulted in a final leachate NO₃ ^- concentration exceeding 45 mg L^-1, while fairways maintained a concentration below 5 mg L^-1. Also PO₄ ^3- concentration in leachate of greens exceeded the surface water standard of 0.3 mg L^-1. The results of the lysimeter study showed that the current application rate on greens would create adverse environmental impacts on the surface water and groundwater due to leaching loss of PO₄ ^{3 -} and NO₃ ^-.     

Impact of Soil Sorption Characteristics and Bedrock Composition on Phosphorus Concentrations in two Bohemian Forest Lakes

Phosphate (PO₄-P) sorption characteristics of soils and bedrock composition were determined in catchments of two mountain lakes, Ple?né Lake (PL) and ?ertovo Lake (CT), situated in the Bohemian Forest (Czech Republic). The aim was to explain higher terrestrial P export to mesotrophic PL compared to oligotrophic CT. Concentrations of Al and Fe oxides were the dominant parameters affecting soil ability to adsorb PO₄-P. Depending on concentrations of Al and Fe oxides, P sorption maxima varied from 9.7 to 70.5 mmol kg^?1 and from 7.4 to 121 mmol kg^?1 in organic and mineral soil horizons, respectively. The catchment weighted mean PO₄-P sorption capacity was 3.4 mol m^?2 and 11.9 mol m^?2 in the PL and CT soils, respectively. The higher PO₄-P sorption capacity in the CT catchment was predominantly associated with higher pools of soil and Fe oxides. The CT bedrock (mica schist) released one order of magnitude less P than the PL bedrock (granite) within a pH range of catchment soils (pH_CaCl2 of 2.5–4.5). The higher ability of PL bedrock to release P and the lower ability of PL soils to adsorb PO₄-P thus contributed to the higher terrestrial P loading of this lake.     

Effects of soil flooding and organic matter addition on plant accessible phosphorus in a tropical paddy soil: an isotope dilution study

Plant growth experiments were conducted to reveal the mechanism by which organic matter (OM) and soil flooding enhance phosphorus (P) bioavailability for rice. It was postulated that reductive dissolution of iron‐(III) [Fe(III)] oxyhydroxides in soil releases occluded phosphate ions (PO₄), i.e., PO₄ that is not isotopically exchangeable in the original soil prior to flooding. Rice was grown in P‐deficient soil treated with factorial combinations of addition of mineral P (0, 50 mg P kg^?1), OM (0, ≈ 20.5 g OM kg^?1 as cattle manure +/– rice straw) and water treatments (flooded vs. non‐flooded). The OM was either freshly added just before flooding or incubated moist in soil for 6 months prior to flooding; nitrogen and potassium were added in all treatments. The soil exchangeable P was labeled with ³³PO₄ prior to flooding. The plant accessible P in soil, the so‐called L‐value, was determined from the ³³P/³¹P ratio in the plants. The L‐values were inconsistently affected by flooding in contrast with the starting hypothesis. The OM and P addition to soil clearly increased the L‐value and, surprisingly, the increase due to OM application was larger than the total P addition to soil. An additional isotope exchange study in a soil extract (E‐value) at the end of the experiment showed that the E‐value increased less than the total P addition with OM. This suggests that plants preferentially take up unlabeled P from the OM in the rhizosphere compared to labeled labile inorganic P. The effects of soil flooding on P bioavailability is unlikely related to an increase of the quantity of bio‐accessible P in soil (L‐value) but is likely explained by differences in P mobility in soil.     

Phosphate solubilization by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium</Emphasis> spp. closely associated with wheat roots

In this study we found that Penicillium spp. exhibiting P-solubilizing activity are common both on and in the roots of wheat plants grown in southern Australian agricultural soils. From 2,500 segments of washed and surface-disinfested root pieces, 608 and 223 fungi were isolated on a selective medium, respectively. All isolates were screened for P solubilization on solid medium containing hydroxyapatite (HA); 47 isolates (5.7%) solubilized HA and were identified as isolates of Penicillium or its teleomorphs. These isolates were evaluated for solubilization of Idaho rock phosphate (RP) in liquid culture. Penicillium bilaiae strain RS7B-SD1 was the most effective, mobilizing 101.7 mg P l^–1 after 7 days. Other effective isolates included Penicillium simplicissimum (58.8 mg P l^–1), five strains of Penicillium griseofulvum (56.1–47.6 mg P l^–1), Talaromyces flavus (48.6 mg P l^–1) and two unidentified Penicillium spp. (50.7 and 50 mg P l^–1). A newly isolated strain of Penicillium radicum (KC1-SD1) mobilized 43.3 mg P l^–1. RP solubilization, biomass production and solution pH for P. bilaiae RS7B-SD1, P. radicum FRR4718 or Penicillium sp. 1 KC6-W2 was determined over time. P. bilaiae RS7B-SD1 solubilized the greatest amount of RP (112.7 mg P l^–1) and had the highest RP-solubilizing activity per unit of biomass produced (up to 603.2 g P l^–1 mg biomass^–1 at 7 days growth). This study has identified new isolates of Penicillium fungi with high mineral phosphate solubilizing activity. These fungi are being investigated for the ability to increase crop production on strong P-retaining soils in Australia.     

Evaluation of plant bed filter ditches for the removal of T-N and T-P from eutrophic pond water containing particulate N and P

Cultivation of useful terrestrial and aquatic plant species in plant bed filter ditches enables to treat domestic wastewater in addition to resource recycling and amenity functions. We reported previously that a ditch planted with papyrus removed Nand P most effectively from artificial wastewater. We evaluated the effectiveness of plant bed filter ditches in the treatment of eutrophic pond water, which unlike artificial wastewater, contains particulate Nand P. Experimental ditches were planted with papyrus, African marigold, peppermint, and impatience. These plant species were effective in removing N and P from artificial wastewater and could be used by rural communities for the production of handicrafts, cut flowers, and ornamental purposes. The control ditch did not contain plants (plant-free ditch). Pond water was continuously supplied to the ditches at a loading rate of 0.6–0.9 g m^-2 d^-1 for Nand 0.2–0.35 g m^-2 d^-1 for P. In the plant-free ditch, particulate Nand P in the influent were removed by passage through the bed filter, unlike NO³-N and PO⁴-P. A larger amount of PO⁴-P was dissolved from particulate P in the bed filter. The planted ditches effectively removed NO³-N, PO⁴-P as well as particulate Nand P. The planted ditches were able to purify eutrophic pond water, resulting in clear water with a concentration below 0.3 mg L^-1 for N and 0.02 mg L^-1 for P, concentrations at which water bloom does not occur. The average removal rate of pollutants by the planted ditches during the experiment, except for the first 2 weeks, was 0.67 g m^-2 d^-1 for total N and 0.03 g m^-2 d^-1 for total P. We recommend that plant bed filter ditches containing papyrus and flowers be used for ornamental purposes and removal of N and P from pond water along with the supply of clear water as ornamental streams.     

Inconspicuous Nutrient Laden Surface Runoff from Mature Forest Sierran Watersheds

It is generally held that surface runoff in heavily forested ecosystems is minimal and therefore nutrient fluxes via runoff are unimportant. This is based in large measure on the absence of direct observation or remnant physical evidence. It is further held that protected forests with heavy understory and litter serve as a nutrient sink due to maximum uptake and interception. Our Sierran studies have detected the presence of surface runoff at several sites in the form of both overland and litter interflow with concentrations of NH₄-N as high as 87.2 mg L^?1, NO₃-N as high as 95.4 mg L^?1, and PO₄-P as high as 24.4 mg L^?1. Data suggest that nutrients are derived from the mature O-horizons, and that there has been little contact with the mineral soil or root zone where strong retention and/or uptake of these ions would be expected. Such contributions from overland/interflow could be particularly important in areas where ultra-oligotrophic lakes (e.g., Lake Tahoe) are now trending towards meso-oligotrophic status. We believe that fire exclusion in these systems may have exacerbated N and P inputs to Lake Tahoe and elsewhere by allowing unnatural buildups of O-horizons that are apparently a source of nutrients to surface runoff.     

Effect of phosphite phosphorus on alfalfa growth

Abstract

Phosphite (PO^‐3‐P) was compared to phosphate (PO₄ ^‐3‐P) at 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg ? kg^‐1) in a P‐deficient soil in a greenhouse pot study with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Alfalfa growth (g dry matter pot^‐1) and ? accumulation (g ? pot^‐1) were measured by clipping each pot 3 times on 30‐day intervals. Although there was a significant (P<.05) growth response to ? during the first 30‐day growth period, it was significantly less from PO₃ ^‐3 than from PO₄ ^‐3‐P at the 10, 20, and 40 mg kg^‐1 rate. The growth response to ? continued through the next 60 days with only the 40 mg kg^‐1 PO₃ ^‐3‐P being significantly lower than PO₄ ^‐3‐P. During the first and second growth periods, there were no significant effects of PO₃ ^‐3‐P on total ? uptake, as compared to PO₄ ^‐3‐P, except at 40 mg kg^‐1. Tissue concentrations of PO₃ ^‐3‐P at 40 mg kg^‐1 dropped successively from 150, to 50, to 10 ppm during the first, second, and third growth periods. This suggests that 40 mg kg^‐1 of soil‐applied PO₃ ^‐3‐P had largely oxidized to PO₄ ^‐3‐P by 90 days after application.     

Biomass Production and Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Two Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) Gray Genotypes

Little information exists on the phosphorus (P) use efficiency of Tithonia diversifolia under varying levels of soil P availability. This study evaluated biomass production, changes in tissue P concentration, P uptake, and P uptake and utilization efficiencies in a Costa Rican and Colombian T. diversifolia genotype when 0, 0.3, 5, and 30 mg P g^?1 were available. Biomass, root length and tissue P concentration increased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of P availability and with time. Phosphorus uptake (mg plant^?1) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 30 mg P g^?1. Phosphorus uptake (mg P mg^?1 P_f) and utilization (mg mg^?1 P) efficiencies were greatest at 0.3 and 5 mg P g^?1. Differences between genotypes showed that T. diversofilia from Colombia had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) biomass, tissue P concentration, root length, and a more effective uptake and utilization of P when availability of this nutrient was low.     

Evaluation of available boron content using eight methods of extraction in different soils from Córdoba and sucre in Colombia

The aim was to evaluate eight methods of boron (B) extraction in different soils from Córdoba and Sucre, Colombia. 37 samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm and carried to Soil and Water Laboratory of University of Córdoba for its chemical characterization. The available boron was extracted with the following methods: modified hot water, calcium chloride (CaCl₂) 0.05, hydrochloric acid (HCl) 0.05, barium chloride (BaCl₂) 0.006, manitol 0.05 + CaCl₂ 0.01, Ca(H₂PO₄)₂H₂O 0.008 in mol L^?1, mehlich-1 and ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) (1.0 mol L^?1, pH = 7.0). The major quantity of boron was extracted with mehlich-1, HCl 0.05 mol L^?1 and hot water, extracting 0.36, 0.29 and 0.26 mg kg^?1, respectively. The extracting solution that correlated with the hot water method was HCl 0.05 mol L^?1 (r = 0.81); followed by Ca(H₂PO₄)₂H₂O 0.008 mol L^?1 (r = 0.62) and mehlich-1 (r = 0.54). According to characteristic and heterogeneity of soils, we recommend HCl method to extract available boron.     

Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition and Forest Nutrient Status in the Valley of Mexico

Mexico City experiences some of the most severe air pollution in the world. Ozone injury has been documented in sensitive tree species in urban and forested areas in the Valley of Mexico. However, little is known of the levels of other atmospheric pollutants and their ecological effects on forests in the Valley of Mexico. In this study bulk throughfall deposition of inorganic nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) was measured for one year at a forested site upwind (east) and downwind (southwest) of Mexico City. Edaphic and plant (Pinus hartwegii Lindl.) indicators of N and S nutrient status were also measured. Streamwater NO₃ ^- and SO₄ ^2- concentrations were also determined as an indicator of watershed-level N and S loss. Annual bulk throughfall deposition of inorganic N and S at the high-pollution forested site 23 km southwest of Mexico City (Desierto de los Leones National Park; DL) was 18.5 and 20.4 kg ha^-1. Values for N and S deposition at Zoquiapan (ZOQ), a relatively low-pollution site 53 km east of Mexico City, were 5.5 and 8.8 kg ha^-1 yr^-1. Foliar concentrations of N, foliar N:P and C:N ratios, extractable soil NO₃ ^-, and streamwater NO₃ ^- concentrations indicate that the forest at DL is N enriched, possibly as a result of chronic N deposition. Sulfur concentrations in current-year foliage were also slightly greater at DL than at ZOQ, but S concentrations in one-year-old foliage were not statistically different between the two sites. Streamwater concentrations of NO₃ ^- ranged from 0.8 to 44.6 μEq L^-1 at DL compared to 0.0 to 11.3 μEq L^-1 at ZOQ. In summary, these findings support the hypothesis that elevated N deposition at DL has increased the level of available N, increased the N status of P. hartwegii, and resulted in export of excess N as NO₃ ^- in streamwater.     

溶磷真菌液体培养条件下对磷矿粉的溶解效果

Rock phosphate （RP） is a low efficiency P fertilizer that is directly applied to the soil and can be solubilized by phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms （PSMs） in fermentation or soil conditions. This study investigated dynamic solubilization of 2 concentrations of rock phosphate in a liquid culture with different dosages of glucose by two fungal isolates,Aspergillus niger P39 and Penicillium oxalicum P66, from soybean and wheat rhizosphere soil. Although during the 20 day culture period A. niger P39 had a stronger ability to acidify the culture media than P. ozalicum P66, soluble P concentrations at glucose dosages of 30 and 50 g L^-1 with RP of 15 g L^-1 in the culture solution were much higher by P. oxalicum P66. The greater effectiveness of P. oxalicum P66 compared to A. niger P39 in the solubilization of RP was strongly associated with the production of organic acids. This study suggested that for RP solubilization the type rather than the concentration of PSM-produced organic acids was more important.     

SO42-和Cl-对稻田土壤养分及其吸附解吸特性的影响

利用长期定位试验 ,比较了长期施用含SO₄^2-和Cl^- 化肥 22年后稻田土壤的 pH值、养分状况及其吸附解吸特性。结果表明 ,长期施用含SO₄^2-化肥 ,土壤有机质、速效氮和速效钾的含量较高 ,但全量氮磷钾的含量较低 ;长期施用含Cl^- 化肥 ,土壤全量氮磷钾和速效磷的含量较高 ,但pH值相对较低。长期施用含上述二种阴离子的化肥后 ,土壤对H₂PO₄^-的最大吸附量均较大 ,且在Cl^- 处理下土壤对H₂PO₄^-吸附的结合能较大 ,而SO₄^2-处理下土壤在同等吸附量时对H₂PO₄^-的解吸量相应较多。长期施用含SO₄^2-的化肥亦使土壤对钾素的供应强度较大 (ΔK0的绝对值较大 )、缓冲能力增强 (AR0值较高 ) ,而长期施用含Cl^- 的化肥时则与SO₄^2-相反     

旱地土壤微生物磷测定方法研究

介绍了国外关于土壤微生物磷测定方法的研究进展 ,讨论了常用的几种方法所存在的问题 ,介绍了主要操作过程要求。对我国 5种主要母质类型的土壤 (pH 3 .3～ 7.4,1molL- 1KCl)的对比研究表明 ,我国土壤采用氯仿熏蒸、0 .5molL- 1NaHCO3在 1∶2 0土水比提取测定无机磷 (Pi)、并以同时测得的培养土壤微生物的磷的回收率作为计算常数得到的结果最佳。测定的大多数南方土壤的微生物磷占土壤全磷的比例小于 1 .5 % ,微生物碳磷比值大于 3 0∶1 ,反映南方土壤磷的生物活性较低 ,土壤微生物对磷的作物供应调节能力不强。     

Surface runoff phosphorus (P) loss in relation to phosphatase activity and soil P fractions in Florida sandy soils under citrus production

Phosphorus losses by surface runoff from agricultural lands have been of public concern due to increasing P contamination to surface waters. Five representative commercial citrus groves (C1-C5) located in South Florida were studied to evaluate the relationships between P fractions in soils, surface runoff P, and soil phosphatase activity. A modified Hedley P sequential fractionation procedure was employed to fractionate soil P. Soil P consisted of mainly organically- and Ca/Mg-bound P fractions. The organically-bound P (biological P, sum of organic P in the water, NaHCO₃ and NaOH extracts) was dominant in the acidic sandy soils from the C2 and C3 sites (18% and 24% of total soil P), whereas the Ca/Mg-bound P (HCl-extractable P) accounted for 45-60% of soil total P in the neutral and alkaline soils (C1, C4 and C5 soils). Plant-available P (sum of water and NaHCO₃ extractable P fractions) ranged from 27 to 61 mg P kg⁻¹ and decreased in the order of C3>C4>C1>C2>C5. The mean total P concentrations (TP) in surface runoff water samples ranged from 0.51 to 2.64 mg L⁻¹. Total P, total dissolved P (TDP), and PO₄³⁻-P in surface runoff were significantly correlated with soil biological P and plant-available P forms (p<0.01), suggesting that surface runoff P was directly derived from soil available P pools, including H₂O- and NaHCO₃- extractable inorganic P, water-soluble organic P, and NaHCO₃- and NaOH-extractable organic P fractions, which are readily mineralized by soil microorganisms and/or enzyme mediated processes. Soil neutral (55-190 mg phenol kg⁻¹ 3 h⁻¹) and natural (measured at soil pH) phosphatase activities (77-295 mg phenol kg⁻¹ 3 h⁻¹) were related to TP, TDP, and PO₄³⁻-P in surface runoff, and plant-available P and biological P forms in soils. These results indicate that there is a potential relationship between soil P availability and phosphatase activities, relating to P loss by surface runoff. Therefore, the neutral and natural phosphatase activities, especially the natural phosphatase activity, may serve as an index of surface runoff P loss potential and soil P availability.     

Soil and aquatic fungi in a waste-stabilization pond system of the state of Mexico,Mexico

Twenty fungal strains were isolated from a small waste-stabilization pond system near Santo Tomás Atzingo, Mexico, using a number of plating and enrichment culture techniques. Among isolates, only Pythium sp. was aquatic. Eight fungi of interest to the plant-pathologist were recovered. Seven strains hydrolyzed casein and four amylum. All isolates, with the exception of Phoma sp., formed colonies in culture media with surfactant levels of 10 mg L^?1. Eleven strains proved to be acid-formers.