Vertical and lateral components of soil nutrient flux in a hillslope
- Univ. of Georgia, Athens (United States)
- Coweeta Hydrologic Lab., Otto, NC (United States)
The vertical and lateral components of chemical flux during storm events were investigated in a Typic Hapludult to assess their importance in understanding the effects of atmospheric deposition on hillslope sites. Vertical and lateral water flux were calculated from soil water potential data and hydraulic conductivity curves. Throughfall, stemflow, forest floor leachate, and soil solution from the BA, Bt, and BC horizons were sampled and analyzed for SO{sub 4}, NO{sub 3}-N, Cl, HCO{sub 3}, H,K, Ca, Mg, and Na. Total lateral flow as a ratio of total vertical flow averaged 0.23 and 0.30 in the A and BA horizons, respectively, indicating lateral fluxes were an important path of nutrient movement in the surface horizons. The highest lateral flow occurred in the A horizon during dry antecedent moisture conditions and in the BA horizon during wet antecedent moisture conditions. Fluxes of all ions except HCO{sub 3}, NO{sub 3}-N, and H peaked in the forest floor leachate and the BA soil solution, then decreased with depth. Decreases of SO{sub 4} flux between the BA and BC horizons could not be explained by the lag of solute movement or by lateral solute losses, demonstrating the system was an effective SO{sub 4} sink.
- OSTI ID:
- 5946615
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Vol. 18:4; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACID CARBONATES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
CALCIUM
CHLORIDES
MAGNESIUM
NITRATES
POTASSIUM
SODIUM
SOILS
CONTAMINATION
SULFATES
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
LEACHATES
LEACHING
NUTRIENTS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
THROUGHFALL
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MIXTURES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)