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Updated: Jun 11, 2026
06:42
Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
Published on: July 22, 2019
Strategies to mitigate diffuse phosphorus pollution during rewetting of fen peat soils
1Department of Soil Physics, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Lysimeter Station, Falkenberg, Germany. ralph.meissner@ufz.de
Summary
Rewetting agricultural peat soils can release phosphorus (P) into water. A new decision support system (DSS) helps manage rewetting to prevent P pollution and protect freshwater resources.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Agricultural cultivation of fen peat soils (Eutric Histosols) for 250 years has led to decreased fertility, peat oxidation, greenhouse gas emissions, and nutrient transfer to aquatic ecosystems.
- Set-aside programs and rewetting measures are recent strategies to mitigate negative environmental effects of peat soil cultivation.
- Large-scale rewetting of agricultural Histosols can mobilize phosphorus (P), leading to eutrophication of adjacent surface waters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compile research findings from various scales and disciplines to develop a strategy for implementing rewetting measures on agricultural peat soils.
- To create a decision support system (DSS) for managing rewetting in a specific catchment to prevent non-point phosphorus pollution.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized results from an international European Community-sponsored research project.
- Integrated findings from different scientific disciplines and scales.
- Developed a simple decision support system (DSS) for practical application.
Main Results:
- A comprehensive strategy for carrying out rewetting measures was derived from compiled research.
- A decision support system (DSS) was successfully developed and implemented.
- The DSS has been in practical use since 2005 to prevent phosphorus pollution in freshwater resources.
Conclusions:
- Effective strategies and tools are crucial for managing the environmental impacts of rewetting agricultural peat soils.
- The developed decision support system provides a practical approach to prevent phosphorus pollution from rewetting activities.
- Sustainable management of peat soils requires integrated approaches considering ecological and hydrological factors.
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