Spatial variation in herbicide leaching from a marine clay soil via subsurface drains

BACKGROUND: Subsurface transport via tile drains can significantly contribute to pesticide contamination of surface waters. The spatial variation in subsurface leaching of normally applied herbicides was examined together with phosphorus losses in 24 experimental plots with water sampled flow-proportionally. The study site was a flat, tile-drained area with 60% marine clay in the topsoil in southeast Sweden. The objectives were to quantify the leaching of frequently used herbicides from a tile drained cracking clay soil and to evaluate the variation in leaching within the experimental area and relate this to topsoil management practices (tillagemethod and structure liming). RESULTS: In summer 2009, 0.14, 0.22 and 1.62%, respectively, of simultaneously applied amounts of MCPA, fluroxypyr and clopyralid were leached by heavy rain five days after spraying. In summer 2011, on average 0.70% of applied bentazone was leached by short bursts of intensive rain 12 days after application. Peak flow concentrations for 50% of the treated area for MCPA and 33% for bentazone exceeded the Swedish no-effect guideline values for aquatic ecosystems. Approximately 0.08% of the glyphosate applied was leached in dissolved form in the winters of 2008/2009 and 2010/2011. Based on measurements of glyphosate in particulate form, total glyphosate losseswere twice as high (0.16%) in the second winter. The spatial inter-plot variation was large (72–115%) for all five herbicides studied, despite small variations (25%) in water discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows the importance of local scale soil transport properties for herbicide leaching in cracking clay soils

Mitigation of phosphorus leaching losses via subsurface drains from a cracking marine clay soil

In Scandinavia, subsurface transport via tile drains contributes significantly to phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) leaching from arable land, which adds to the eutrophication of surface waters. Using flow-proportional water sampling, various options for mitigating subsurface P leaching losses (and N leaching) were examined in 28 experimental plots on a flat, tile-drained site with 60% marine clay. Two crop rotations and unfertilised fallow were monitored for a total of six years. In addition to topsoil management practices (different forms of tillage, structural liming and mineral P fertilisation), local spatial variations in subsurface transport were determined within the experimental area. Mean total P (TotP) leaching losses after conventional autumn ploughing and inverting the soil to a depth of 23 cm were 0.79 kg ha-1 year-1, with 87% occurring as particulate P (PP), and the corresponding mean total N leaching losses were 27 kg ha-1 year-1, with 91% occurring as nitrate. The coefficient of variation in TotP leaching both in spring before the experiment started (64%) and during the six-year experiment (60%) was higher than the coefficient of variation in P-soil status (20%), or drainage (25%), illustrating the importance of local-scale subsurface transport in this cracking clay. However, TotP and PP leaching losses were significantly (pr>FF <0.001) lower from unfertilised fallow than from other treatments and was not significantly lower after shallow autumn tillage than after conventionally ploughing, whereas PP losses tended to be higher. Infiltration measurements with tension infiltrometers revealed a high variation in saturated hydraulic conductivity within plots. In view of the generally high PP losses, efforts to combat eutrophication of the nearby Baltic Sea should concentrate on soil structure improvements, while extensive tillage and totally omitting P fertilisation of cracking soils with low soil P status appears to be inefficient mitigation options

A Century of Legacy Phosphorus Dynamics in a Large Drainage Basin

There is growing evidence that the release of phosphorus (P) from legacy stores can frustrate efforts to reduce P loading to surface water from sources such as agriculture and human sewage. Less is known, however, about the magnitude and residence times of these legacy pools. Here we constructed a budget of net anthropogenic P inputs to the Baltic Sea drainage basin and developed a three-parameter, two-box model to describe the movement of anthropogenic P though temporary (mobile) and long-term (stable) storage pools. Phosphorus entered the sea as direct coastal effluent discharge and via rapid transport and slow, legacy pathways. The model reproduced past waterborne P loads and suggested an similar to 30-year residence time in the mobile pool. Between 1900 and 2013, 17 and 27 Mt P has accumulated in the mobile and stable pools, respectively. Phosphorus inputs to the sea have halved since the 1980s due to improvements in coastal sewage treatment and reductions associated with the rapid transport pathway. After decades of accumulation, the system appears to have shifted to a depletion phase; absent further reductions in net anthropogenic P input, future waterborne loads could decrease. Presently, losses from the mobile pool contribute nearly half of P loads, suggesting that it will be difficult to achieve substantial near-term reductions. However, there is still potential to make progress toward eutrophication management goals by addressing rapid transport pathways, such as overland flow, as well as mobile stores, such as cropland with large soil-P reserves.Peer reviewe

Mitigation of phosphorus leaching from agricultural soils

Phosphorus (P) is an essential element in crop production, but P losses from agricultural soils are a major contributor to surface water eutrophication. This thesis examined the effects of chemical soil properties and soil structure, as governed by agricultural management practices, on P leaching from agricultural soils and how this leaching can be reduced. An initial investigation on the effect of plant-available P concentration in the soil (P-AL) on topsoil P leaching from five soils clearly showed that topsoil P leaching depends not only on P status, but also on other soil characteristics. In three of these soils, increased P leaching after manure application was further amplified by high P-AL, while manure application did not affect topsoil P leaching in the other two soils. In a study assessing different management practices on a clay soil and the possible effect on P losses via tile drains, great spatial variation in P leaching was observed in the field, even though P-AL and discharge volume were relatively uniform across the field. Incorporation of quicklime (CaO) significantly reduced P leaching losses, primarily of particulate P, which was the dominant P form in drainage water. The other management options evaluated (conventional ploughing/shallow tillage; no P application/balanced P application; broadcasting/band spreading of fertilizer P) had no significant effects on P leaching. However, some effects of these management strategies could have been overshadowed by the large spatial variation in the data. Stopping P application and removing soil P with harvested crops (phytomining) showed potential to reduce excessive P levels in soils. After 7-9 years of no P application to the four soils studied, topsoil P-AL was lowered but most soils still had excessive levels. Only one soil, a clay soil with the lowest P-AL value in the study, showed a significant downward trend in leaching of dissolved reactive P. New knowledge outcomes were that: (i) the relationship between P-AL and topsoil P leaching clearly differs between soils, especially after manure application; (ii) incorporation of quicklime is a promising option for reducing P leaching from clay soils; and (iii) high P-AL values and P leaching may be reduced after phytomining, but this mitigation strategy takes a very long time

Reducing agricultural nutrient surpluses in a large catchment - Links to livestock density

The separation between crop- and livestock production is an important driver of agricultural nutrient surpluses in many parts of the world. Nutrient surpluses can be symptomatic of poor resource use efficiency and contribute to environmental problems. Thus, it is important not only to identify where surpluses can be reduced, but also the potential policy tools that could facilitate reductions. Here, we explored linkages between livestock production and nutrient flows for the Baltic Sea catchment and discuss management practices and policies that influence the magnitude of nutrient surpluses. We found that the majority of nutrients cycled through the livestock sector and that large nitrogen and phosphorus surpluses often occurred in regions with high livestock density. Imports of mineral fertilizers and feed to the catchment increased overall surpluses, which in turn increased the risk of nutrient losses from agriculture to the aquatic environment. Many things can be done to reduce agricultural nutrient surpluses; an important example is using manure nutrients more efficiently in crop production, thereby reducing the need to import mineral fertilizers. Also, existing soil P reserves could be used to a greater extent, which further emphasizes the need to improve nutrient management practices. The countries around the Baltic Sea used different approaches to manage agricultural nutrient surpluses, and because eight of the coastal countries are members in the European Union (EU), common EU policies play an important role in management. We observed reductions in surpluses between 2000 and 2010 in some countries, which suggested the influence of different approaches to management and policy and that there are opportunities for further improvement. However, the separation between crop and livestock production in agriculture appears to be an underlying cause of nutrient surpluses; thus, further research is needed to understand how policy can address these structural issues and increase sustainability in food production. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Particulate-facilitated leaching of glyphosate and phosphorus from a marine clay soil via tile drains

Losses of commonly used chemical pesticides from agricultural land may cause serious problems in recipient waters in a similar way to phosphorus (P). Due to analytical challenges concerning determination of glyphosate (Gly), transport behaviour of this widely used herbicide is still not well-known. The objective of the present study was to quantify and evaluate leaching of Gly in parallel with P. Leaching losses of autumn-applied Gly (1.06 kg ha-1) via drainage water were examined by flow-proportional sampling of discharge from 20 drained plots in a field experiment in eastern Sweden. Samples were analysed for Gly in particulate-bound (PGly) and dissolved (DGly) form. The first 10 mm water discharge contained no detectable Gly, but the following 70 mm had total Gly (TotGly) concentrations of up to 6 µg L-1, with 62% occurring as PGly. On average, 0.7 g TotGly ha-1 was leached from conventionally ploughed plots, compared with 1.7 g TotGly ha-1 from shallow-tilled plots (cultivator to 12 cm working depth). Higher Gly losses occurred in snowmelt periods in spring, but then with the majority (60%) as DGly. All autumn concentrations of PGly in drainage water were significantly correlated (p&lt;0.001) to the concentrations of particulate-bound phosphorus (PP) lost from the different plots (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.84), while PP concentrations were in turn significantly correlated to water turbidity (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.81). Leaching losses of TotGly were significantly lower (by 1.3 g ha-1; p&lt;0.01) from plots that had been structure-limed three years previously and ploughed thereafter than from shallow-tilled plots. Turbidity and PP concentration also tended to be lowest in discharge from structure-limed plots and highest from shallow-tilled plots. This difference in TotGly leaching between soil management regimes could not be explained by differences in measured pH in drainage water or amount of discharge. However, previously structure-limed plots had significantly better aggregate stability, measured as readily dispersed clay (RDC), than unlimed plots. The effects of building up good soil structure, with strong soil aggregates and an appropriate pore system in the topsoil, on mitigating Gly and P losses in particulate and dissolved form should be further investigated

Influence of soil phosphorus and manure on phosphorus leaching in Swedish topsoils

In Sweden, subsurface transport of phosphorus (P) from agricultural soils represents the primary pathway of concern for surface water quality. However, there are mixed findings linking P in leachate with soil P and limited understanding of the interactive effects of applied P sources and soil test P on P leaching potential. Identifying soils that are susceptible to P leaching when manure is applied is critical to management strategies that reduce P loadings to water bodies. Intact soil columns (20 cm deep) from five long-term fertilization trials across Sweden were used in leaching experiments with simulated rainfall to explore the interactive effects of dairy cow (Bos taurus L.) manure application, soil test P and cropping system. Strong relationships were observed between ammonium-lactate extractable P in soil and dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentrations in leachate, although regression slopes varied across soils. For three soils, application of manure (equal to 21-30 kg P ha-1) to the soil columns significantly increased DRP leaching losses. The increase in DRP concentration was correlated to soil test P, but with wide variations between the three soils. For two soils leachate P concentrations after manure addition were independent of soil P status. Despite variable trends in P leaching across the different soils, P concentrations in leachate were always moderate from soils at fertilization rates equivalent to P removal with harvest. Results clearly stress the importance of long-term P balance to limit P leaching losses from Swedish agricultural soils