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Dissolved organic carbon losses from tile drained agroecosystems
Matthew D Ruark1, Sylvie M Brouder, Ronald F Turco
1Dep. of Soil Science, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 1525 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA. mdruark@wisc.edu
Journal of Environmental Quality
|April 29, 2009
Summary
Agricultural drainage systems in the Midwest have minimal impact on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) losses. Drainflow, not management practices, is the primary driver of DOC loss from tile drains.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
Background:
- Artificial subsurface drainage is prevalent in midwestern agriculture.
- Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) losses from these systems are an under-quantified component of the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effect of agricultural management practices on DOC losses from subsurface tile drains.
- To assess patterns of DOC loss concerning year, time of year, and drainflow.
Main Methods:
- Collected daily drainflow over six water years (1999-2004) from restored prairie grass and cropping systems (continuous corn, corn-soybean rotation).
- Systems were fertilized with urea-ammonium-nitrate (UAN) or swine manure lagoon effluent.
- Analyzed DOC concentrations and correlated them with drainflow and management practices.
Main Results:
- Yearly DOC losses (1.78–8.61 kg ha⁻¹) were not significantly affected by management practices and were small relative to organic C inputs.
- Spring application of lagoon effluent temporarily increased flow-weighted (FW)-DOC concentrations in some years.
- Drainflow was positively correlated with DOC loss; higher cumulative drainflow correlated with lower FW-DOC concentrations, while higher daily drainflow correlated with higher daily DOC concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Agricultural management practices, including lagoon effluent application and fertilizer N rates, do not significantly impact long-term DOC losses from tile drains.
- Drainflow volume is the primary factor controlling DOC losses in these agricultural systems.
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