Leaching losses of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from agricultural soils in the upper US Midwest

Hussain, Mir Zaman; Robertson, G. Philip; Basso, Bruno; Hamilton, Stephen K.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139379

Title: Leaching losses of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from agricultural soils in the upper US Midwest

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Science of the Total Environment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139379· OSTI ID:1630980

Hussain, Mir Zaman; Robertson, G. Philip;

; Hamilton, Stephen K.

Leaching losses of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) from agricultural systems are important to water quality and carbon and nutrient balances but are rarely reported; the few available studies suggest linkages to litter production (DOC) and nitrogen fertilization (DON). In this study we examine the leaching of DOC, DON, NO₃^-, and NH₄⁺ from no-till corn (maize) and perennial bioenergy crops (switchgrass, miscanthus, native grasses, restored prairie, and poplar) grown between 2009 and 2016 in a replicated field experiment in the upper Midwest U.S. Leaching was estimated from concentrations in soil water and modeled drainage (percolation) rates. DOC leaching rates (kg ha^-1 yr^-1) and volume-weighted mean concentrations (mg L^-1) among cropping systems averaged 15.4 and 4.6, respectively; N fertilization had no effect and poplar lost the most DOC (21.8 and 6.9, respectively). DON leaching rates (kg ha^-1 yr^-1) and volume-weighted mean concentrations (mg L^-1) under corn (the most heavily N-fertilized crop) averaged 4.5 and 1.0, respectively, which was higher than perennial grasses (mean: 1.5 and 0.5, respectively) and poplar (1.6 and 0.5, respectively). NO₃^- comprised the majority of total N leaching in all systems (59–92%). Average NO₃^- leaching (kg N ha^-1 yr^-1) under corn (35.3) was higher than perennial grasses (5.9) and poplar (7.2). NH₄⁺ concentrations in soil water from all cropping systems were relatively low (<0.07 mg N L^-1). Perennial crops leached more NO₃^- in the first few years after planting, and markedly less after. Among the fertilized crops, the leached N represented 14–38% of the added N over the study period; poplar lost the greatest proportion (38%) and corn was intermediate (23%). Requiring only one third or less of the N fertilization compared to corn, perennial bioenergy crops can substantially reduce N leaching and consequent movement into aquifers and surface waters.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0018409; FC02-07ER64494

OSTI ID:: 1630980

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1714289

Journal Information:: Science of the Total Environment, Journal Name: Science of the Total Environment Vol. 734 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 0048-9697

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Netherlands

Language:: English

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Cited by: 29 works

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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