Biogenic phosphate minerals in manure: implications for phosphorus loss to surface waters

Phosphorus (P) is present in waterways throughout the United States at concentrations that impair water quality. Agriculture, particularly livestock production, has been identified as a major cause of this impairment Excess manure P applied to croplands has increased P losses in runoff, leading to surface water eutrophication. We conducted a long-term (36-week) incubation with poultry and dairy manures applied to a silt loam soil to elucidate mechanisms controlling manure P loss to water. Manures were applied to supply the same total P rate to soils with different antecedent plant-available P concentrations (soil test P). There was a strong synergistic effect between dairy manure and soil test P on water extractable P, while soil test P did not affect P loss from poultry manure-amended soils. Using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, we found that poultry manure contained sparingly soluble calcium and magnesium phosphate minerals that controlled soil solution P concentrations, while dairy manure did not These minerals resemble other biogenic phosphate minerals. Our findings refute current assumptions that all manure P behaves similarly in soils and that organic forms control manure-soil P loss to water.