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Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
Published on: July 22, 2019
Relationships between soil physicochemical, microbiological properties, and nutrient release in buffer soils compared
Marc I Stutter1, Samia Richards
1The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, UK. Marc.Stutter@hutton.ac.uk
Journal of Environmental Quality
|February 29, 2012
Summary
Vegetated buffer strips may not retain dissolved nutrients like phosphorus effectively due to increased solubility. Managing soil conditions and microbial communities could improve nutrient storage and reduce leaching into streams.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Ecology
Background:
- Nutrient retention in vegetated buffer strips (VBS) is uncertain, with poor understanding of underlying processes.
- Buffer soils show limited capacity for retaining dissolved nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P), posing risks to water quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare nutrient retention in buffer soils versus adjacent arable field soils.
- To investigate the relationship between soil properties, microbial diversity, and nutrient retention in VBS.
Main Methods:
- Collected soil samples from 19 buffer strips and adjacent fields.
- Assessed dissolved P, N, C, and particulate P release, alongside soil bulk density, moisture, organic matter, and microbial diversity (TRFLP).
Main Results:
- Buffer soils exhibited higher organic matter, moisture, and water-soluble nutrient concentrations (dissolved organic C, N, P, and soluble reactive P).
- Lower bulk density in buffer soils indicated increased porosity and infiltration, potentially enhancing nutrient leaching.
- Altered microbial community diversity in buffer soils correlated with soil properties and increased nutrient solubility.
Conclusions:
- Current VBS soil conditions may promote nutrient leaching due to increased solubility of C, N, and P.
- Manipulating soil moisture, vegetation, and cover could enhance nutrient storage in buffers and mitigate stream pollution.
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