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Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
Published on: July 22, 2019
Predicting phosphorus losses with the PLEASE model on a local scale in Denmark and the Netherlands
Caroline van der Salm1, Remi Dupas, Ruth Grant
1Wagenningen Univ. and Research Centre, Alterra, AA Wagenningen, The Netherlands. caroline.vandersalm@wur.nl
Journal of Environmental Quality
|September 15, 2011
Summary
A new model, PLEASE, effectively simulates phosphorus (P) leaching from agricultural fields, aiding cost-effective mitigation strategies. However, it shows limitations in heavy clay and eutrophic peat soils.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Agricultural Engineering
Background:
- Reducing phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural soils to surface water is crucial for environmental protection.
- Effective P loss mitigation requires site-specific implementation, necessitating tools to identify critical areas.
- Current P-index methods have limitations in flat areas where leaching dominates and is not well-detailed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of the Phosphorus Losses by ELicitation and Erosion (PLEASE) model in simulating P leaching at the field scale.
- To assess the model's applicability in lowland agricultural sites across Denmark and the Netherlands.
- To identify soil types and conditions where the PLEASE model's accuracy is limited.
Main Methods:
- The PLEASE model, a simple mechanistic model, was applied to 17 lowland sites in Denmark and 14 in the Netherlands.
- The model simulated P fluxes and concentrations in water collected from pipe drains, suction cups, and groundwater.
- Model performance was evaluated using modeling efficiency for measured P fluxes and concentrations.
Main Results:
- The PLEASE model generally simulated measured P fluxes and concentrations well, with modeling efficiencies up to 0.92 for total-P fluxes.
- The model performed poorly for heavy clay soils and eutrophic peat soils, underestimating P fluxes and concentrations.
- Underestimation in heavy clay soils was linked to macropore P transport and overland flow. In peat soils, deep soil P release contributed to underestimation.
Conclusions:
- The PLEASE model is a valuable tool for simulating P leaching in many lowland agricultural settings.
- Model performance is significantly reduced in heavy clay and eutrophic peat soils due to specific soil properties and P transport mechanisms.
- Further model refinement is needed to accurately capture P losses in complex soil types and conditions.
