Vegetated buffer strips can lead to increased release of phosphorus to waters: a biogeochemical assessment of the mechanisms.
Environ Sci Technol
; 43(6): 1858-63, 2009 Mar 15.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19368183
ABSTRACT
Establishing vegetated buffer strips (VBS) between cropland and watercourses is currently promoted as a principal control of diffuse pollution transport. However, we lackthe mechanistic understanding to evaluate P retention in VBS and predict risks of P transport to aquatic ecosystems. We observed that VBS establishment led to enhanced rates of soil P cycling, increasing soil P solubility and the potential amount leached to watercourses. Soil in VBS, relative to adjacentfields, had increased inorganic P solubility indices, dissolved organic P, phosphatase enzyme activity, microbial diversity, and biomass P. Small relative increases in the pool of soil P rendered labile had disproportionate effects on the P available for leaching. We propose a mechanism whereby the establishment of VBS on previous agricultural land causes a diversifying plant-microbial system which can access previous immobilized soil P from past fertilization or trapped sediment P. Laboratory experiments suggested that sediment-P inputs to VBS were insufficient alone to increase P solubility without biological cycling. Results showthat VBS management may require strategies, for example, harvesting vegetation, to offset biochemical processes that can increase the susceptibility of VBS soil P to move to adjoining streams.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Fósforo
/
Plantas
/
Movimientos del Agua
/
Contaminantes Químicos del Agua
/
Contaminación Química del Agua
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Environ Sci Technol
Año:
2009
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Reino Unido