Potential internal loading of phosphorus in a wetland constructed in agricultural land

Wetland construction on agricultural or dairy lands could result in solubilization of phosphorus (P) stored in soils and release to the water column. To study the extent of P flux during the start-up period of a constructed wetland, intact soil-cores from areas used for dairy operations, in Okeechobee, Florida, USA were obtained and flooded with adjacent creek water. In the first 28-day hydraulic-retention period, P concentration in the water column increased several fold due to rapid P flux from impacted soils. A continuous decrease in P flux to the water column until the third hydraulic retention cycle (initial influent P concentration 0.2 mgL(-1)), and constant thereafter suggest that the effect of initial influent P upon long-term P flux from soils could be limited. The initial release maybe due to high concentration of labile P in impacted soils; however, slow dissolution of relatively stable P pools could maintain a steady flux, well above of that observed from non-impacted soils. Water soluble P along with double acid-extractable magnesium explained 76% of the variability in cumulative P flux to the water column. Apparently, co-occurrence of active adsorption-desorption phenomena due to independent maintenance of equilibrium by individual P compounds regulates P dynamics of the water column. The results indicated that equilibrium P concentration of the water column of the wetland would be above 1.3 mgL(-1), which is well above the targeted P level in the water column of the Lake Okeechobee, one of the main water bodies in the area (0.04 mg PL(-1)). This suggests construction of wetlands in agricultural lands could result to substantial internal P loading. However, preventative measures including chemical amendments, establishment of vegetative communities or flushing the initially released P may potentially stabilize the system, and maintain P removal efficiency.