Nitrogen leaching from soil lysimeters irrigated with dairy shed effluent and having managed drainage

Soil Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 385 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. Singleton ◽  
C. D. A McLay ◽  
G. F. Barkle
Keyword(s):  
Water Table ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
World Health ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Similar Proportion ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Total N ◽  
Leaching Losses ◽  
N Form

The leaching of nitrogen (N) from agricultural soils is undesirable for environmental and health reasons. We investigated the effects of adding dairy shed effluent (DSE), irrigated on a weekly basis during the milking season, on the amounts and forms of N leached from large undisturbed soil monolith lysimeters of a Gley Soil over a period of 2 years. Drainage was managed using a weir that maintained the water table at 3 depths: 25 (high), 50 (medium), or 75 (low) cm below the soil surface. The low water table treatment represented the usual situation for the soil when drained. If undrained, it would be usual during wet periods in the field for a perched water table to form on the slowly permeable horizon at 75 cm depth. The total amount of N irrigated onto the lysimeters in the first milking season was equivalent to a total of 511 kg N/ha.year, and up to 33.3 kg N/ha.year leached from the soil. The losses from lysimeters receiving effluent were nearly double those from lysimeters receiving an equivalent amount of water only, when the high and medium water tables were imposed. Adding effluent caused only a small increase (7 kg N/ha) in total N leached in the low drainage treatment. In the second milking season, the effluent-N loading was increased to 1518 kg N/ha.year and the pasture was managed to simulate a ‘cut and carry’ land treatment system. Under these conditions, up to 131.4 kg N/ha.year leached from the soil, which was nearly 100 kg N/ha more than lysimeters receiving only water. The total N leaching losses represented a similar proportion of added N (7% and 9%) for years 1 and 2, respectively. Most of the leached N (80—90%) was in organic N form. The managed drainage treatment in which the water table was nearest the soil surface resulted in less N being leached in the nitrate-N (NO 3 -N) form (<2.5 kg N/ha.year) than the other drainage treatments (6—12 kg N/ha.year); however, it did result in the greatest amount of organic and total N leached (33 and 131 kg N/ha for Year 1 and 2, respectively). The smaller amount of NO 3 -N leached from the high water table treatment is attributed to enhanced denitrification, and the greater amount of organic N is attributed to preferential flow. Although NO 3 -N concentrations in leachate generally remained below World Health Organisation (WHO) standards in all treatments, the large amount of N leached in organic form would suggest that inorganic N should not be the only form of N considered when measuring N leaching losses.

Dissolved organic nitrogen contributes significantly to leaching from furrow-irrigated cotton–wheat–maize rotations

Soil Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. C. T. Macdonald ◽  
A. J. Ringrose-Voase ◽  
A. J. Nadelko ◽  
M. Farrell ◽  
S. Tuomi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Surface ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Cotton Production ◽  
N Loss ◽  
Deep Drainage ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Total N

Leaching of nitrogen (N) in intensive irrigated agriculture can be a significant loss pathway. Though many studies have focussed on losses of mineral N, and in particular nitrate, dissolved organic N (DON) has received less coverage. In the present study, over a 5-year period (2008–2013), 740kgNha–1 fertiliser was applied to an irrigated cotton–wheat–maize rotation on a cracking clay (grey Vertosol). Deep drainage from the undisturbed soil profile at the site was measured at 2.1m below the soil surface using a variable tension lysimeter. In total, 108mm of drainage occurred during the 5 years and the majority of the drainage and the irrigations occurred during the cotton seasons. The majority of the N loss occurred during the first 3–4 irrigations and neither the N loss nor its composition were affected by the product or timing of the fertiliser application. The N in the drainage was composed of 12.8kgNOx-Nha–1, 8.7 DON-N and 0.1 NH4+-Nkgha–1, which shows that DON is an important component (40%) of the deep drainage N from irrigated Vertosol cotton production systems. Overall the total N flux lost via deep drainage represents 3% of the applied N fertiliser.

scholarly journals Effects of two wood-based biochars on the fate of added fertilizer nitrogen—a 15N tracing study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subin Kalu ◽  
Gboyega Nathaniel Oyekoya ◽  
Per Ambus ◽  
Priit Tammeorg ◽  
Asko Simojoki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Uptake ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Organic N ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Total N ◽  
Application Rates

AbstractA 15N tracing pot experiment was conducted using two types of wood-based biochars: a regular biochar and a Kon-Tiki-produced nutrient-enriched biochar, at two application rates (1% and 5% (w/w)), in addition to a fertilizer only and a control treatment. Ryegrass was sown in pots, all of which except controls received 15N-labelled fertilizer as either 15NH4NO3 or NH415NO3. We quantified the effect of biochar application on soil N2O emissions, as well as the fate of fertilizer-derived ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) in terms of their leaching from the soil, uptake into plant biomass, and recovery in the soil. We found that application of biochars reduced soil mineral N leaching and N2O emissions. Similarly, the higher biochar application rate of 5% significantly increased aboveground ryegrass biomass yield. However, no differences in N2O emissions and ryegrass biomass yields were observed between regular and nutrient-enriched biochar treatments, although mineral N leaching tended to be lower in the nutrient-enriched biochar treatment than in the regular biochar treatment. The 15N analysis revealed that biochar application increased the plant uptake of added nitrate, but reduced the plant uptake of added ammonium compared to the fertilizer only treatment. Thus, the uptake of total N derived from added NH4NO3 fertilizer was not affected by the biochar addition, and cannot explain the increase in plant biomass in biochar treatments. Instead, the increased plant biomass at the higher biochar application rate was attributed to the enhanced uptake of N derived from soil. This suggests that the interactions between biochar and native soil organic N may be important determinants of the availability of soil N to plant growth.

Nitrogen leaching from sheep-, cattle- and deer-grazed pastures in the Lake Taupo catchment in New Zealand

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 416 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Hoogendoorn ◽  
K. Betteridge ◽  
S. F. Ledgard ◽  
D. A. Costall ◽  
Z. A. Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Organic N ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Leaching Losses ◽  
Grazed Pastures ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Ammonium N ◽  
The Impact

A replicated grazing study measuring nitrogen (N) leaching from cattle-, sheep- and deer-grazed pastures was conducted to investigate the impact of different animal species on N leaching in the Lake Taupo catchment in New Zealand. Leaching losses of nitrate N from intensively grazed pastures on a highly porous pumice soil in the catchment averaged 37, 26 and 25 kg N/ha.year for cattle-, sheep- and deer-grazed areas, respectively, over the 3-year study and were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Leaching losses of ammonium N were much lower (3 kg N/ha.year for all three species of grazer; P > 0.05). Amounts of dissolved organic N leached were significantly higher than that of mineral N (nitrate N + ammonium N), and over the 3-year study averaged 44, 43 and 39 kg N/ha.year for cattle-, sheep- and deer-grazed areas, respectively (P > 0.05). On a stock unit equivalence basis (1 stock unit is equivalent to 550 kg DM consumed/year), cattle-grazed areas leached significantly more mineral N than sheep- or deer-grazed areas (5.5, 2.9 and 3.4 g mineral N leached/24 h grazing by 1 stock unit, for cattle, sheep and deer, respectively) (P < 0.001). Likewise, based on the amount of N apparently consumed (estimated by difference in mass of herbage N pre- and post-grazing), cattle-grazed pastures leached more mineral N than sheep- or deer-grazed pastures (123, 75 and 75 g mineral N/kg N apparently consumed for cattle, sheep and deer, respectively) (P < 0.01). This study gives valuable information on mineral N leaching in a high-rainfall environment on this free-draining pumice soil, and provides new data to assist in developing strategies to mitigate mineral N leaching losses from grazed pastures using different animal species.

scholarly journals SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF NITROGEN IN CULTIVATED SOIL AT GIAO THUY DISTRICT, NAM DINH PROVINCE

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (2C) ◽  
pp. 186-192
Author(s):  
Ly Thi Thu Ha
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Mineralization ◽  
Seasonal Dynamics ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Saline Soil ◽  
Paddy Fields ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Total N ◽  
Leaching Losses ◽  
Vegetable Rotation

This paper focuses on evaluating the nitrogen mineralization and NH4+ and NO3- leaching from the root zone in cultivated soils of Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province using Synthetic accumulation (SIA) method. Main findings reveal that total N content in vegetable fields and rice-vegetable-rotational fields ranges from 17.68 – 113.68 kgN ha-1, and from 14.64 – 132.59 kgN ha-1, respectively. Total N is also significantly different between saline paddy-fields and fresh-water fields, varies between 16.33 – 82.12 kgN ha-1 and from 23.89 – 74.04 kgN ha-1, respectively. NO3- accounts for a larger proportion in vegetable fields and accumulated higher during the dry season; NH4+ predominates in paddy fields and accumulated mainly in rainy season. The N leaching losses decreased in the following order: vegetable, rice-vegetable rotation, non-saline and saline soil. 

scholarly journals Effects of Supplied Nitrogen Form and Quantity on Growth and Postharvest Quality of Ranunculus asiaticus Flowers

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 1879-1886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nirit Bernstein ◽  
Marina Ioffe ◽  
Moshe Bruner ◽  
Yair Nishri ◽  
Gideon Luria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fertilization ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Total N ◽  
Ranunculus Asiaticus ◽  
N Form ◽  
Flower Quality ◽  
Cut Flower Quality

The form of N supplied to the plant (NH4+ or NO3–) affects growth, morphology and a range of physiological processes in the plant. Little information is available concerning the effects of N form on development, production or quality of cut-flowers. The present study investigated for the first time the effects of N form and quantity on growth, flower production and flower quality of Ranunculus asiaticus L. The plants were cultivated in an inert mineral soilless medium (perlite) and were exposed to two levels of nitrogen fertilization (50 or 100 ppm) and three levels of NH +4 (10%, 20%, or 30%, under 100 ppm nitrogen fertilization). Larger shoots and increased shoot/root ratios were obtained in the lowest (50 ppm) N treatment. This treatment also excelled in flower yield production, resulting in higher numbers of total flower produced as well as higher numbers of long flowers. The results demonstrate an effect of N ferlilization treatments on cut-flower quality. Flowers grown under 50 ppm N application characterized by almost double vase life duration compared to flowers grown under the various 100 ppm N treatments. However, flower quantity and quality were not affected by the level of NH4 applied. The R. asiaticus L. root was less sensitive to the N fertilization treatments than its shoot. Contents of organic N, NO –3, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, Fe, Cu, Zn, B, and Mo in the leaves were not affected by the fertilization treatments. Taken together, our results suggest a low requirement of R. asiaticus L. for N fertilization, and insensitivity to ammonium concentrations in the range of 10 to 30 ppm, 10% to 30% of the total N supplied. Detrimental effects in terms of growth, production and cut flower quality were apparent already under 100 ppm N supply.

The influence of the soil matrix on nitrogen mineralisation and nitrification. IV.Texture

Soil Research ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 329 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. T. Strong ◽  
P. W. G. Sale ◽  
K. R. Helyar
Keyword(s):  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Organic N ◽  
N Mineralisation ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Soil Matrix ◽  
Total N ◽  
Material Texture ◽  
Microbial Attack

Small undisturbed soil volumes (c. 1·7 cm3) were collected from the surface of a small field plot. Soil volumes were treated with clover-derived substrate, dried and rewetted, or retained continuously moist from the field. These soil volumes were then incubated for 20 days at a matric water potential of either –10 or –30 kPa. At the end of the incubation the soil was analysed for volumetric water content (θv), NO-3 -N, NH+4 -N, total N (%N), and percentages of sand, silt, and clay. The texture terms were included in linear regression models, together with %N and θv as predictors of N mineralisation and nitrification. Clay and sand were often observed to have a significant influence on N mineralisation and nitrification, but silt rarely appeared to influence these processes. In soils retained continuously moist, %clay had a negative relationship with N mineralisation and nitrification, but this relationship was positive in soils that had been dried and rewetted. The results suggest that during periods of relatively high moisture content, soils that are higher in clay are able to protect organic N more effectively from microbial attack. However, on drying and rewetting, the protective mechanisms of clay are undermined, the relatively large protected reservoirs of organic N in high clay soils become more vulnerable to microbial attack, and these soils therefore experience a greater flush of N mineralisation than soils with lower clay levels. The negative influence of clay in the continuously moist soils was not as clearly observed in the soils incubated at –10 kPa as in soils incubated at –30 kPa, suggesting that the decomposition of organic N resident in larger pores (10–30 µm neck diameter) may not be as strongly regulated by clay as that resident in smaller pores. When soils were treated with clover-derived substrate, clay had a positive relationship with N mineralisation and nitrification rates. This may have been because clay limited the diffusion of partially decomposed organics away from the decomposing microbial population, thereby helping to facilitate more complete decomposition of the organic material. Texture had very little influence on the nitrification of urea-derived ammonium.

Nutrient leaching losses from undisturbed soil cores following applications of piggery wastewater

Soil Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. R. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Organic N ◽  
Soil Core ◽  
Soil Cores ◽  
Organic P ◽  
Piggery Wastewater ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Leaching Losses ◽  
Land Disposal ◽  
Undisturbed Soil Cores ◽  
Soil Colloids

Land disposal of wastewater from intensive livestock industries can result in large amounts of nutrients and salts being applied to soils. When irrigated at rates to meet crop phosphorus (P) requirements, nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), and sulfate (SO4) applied in the wastewater often exceed crop demands, and are susceptible to leaching. Leaching of surface-applied piggery wastewater was investigated using large undisturbed soil cores (30 cm i.d. by 60 or 75 cm long) from 2 piggery wastewater disposal areas (Site 1, Vertosol; Site 2, Sodosol) in south-east Queensland. About 3% of the total wastewater P applied to the Vertosol, and about 10% of that applied to the sodosol, was leached. The magnitude of these losses was consistent with the chemical properties of each soil, and the availability of P sorption sites (i.e. hydrous Fe oxides). The major forms of P in the leachate included both molybdate reactive P (MRP) and unreactive P (UP, includes dissolved organic P, soluble organic P, particulate P, and non-reactive P). Phosphorus leached from the Vertosol was largely (≈80%) as UP because the MRP was sorbed by the soil colloids. Much of the P leached from the sodosol was present as MRP (≈70%) because the wastewater applied to this soil also contained about 70% MRP, and this soil had only a limited ability to sorb MRP. Losses of nitrogen (N) were found to be of a major environmental concern. Both wastewater samples contained very high levels of N, with ammonium (NH4-N) making up about 80% of the total Kjeldahl N (TKN) and organic N about 20%. Negligible amounts of applied NH4-N were detected either sorbed by the soil or in the leachate because it was converted to nitrate (NO3-N) within the soil core. This NO3-N was highly mobile, and was readily leached from the soil cores. Nitrogen represented the major limitation to the long-term use of land for disposal of piggery wastewater. For land disposal to be an effective management option, N applied in piggery wastewater may need to be limited to about 200 kg/ha.year. Significant amounts of Ca, Mg, K, and Na applied in the wastewater were leached from the soil cores. It is recommended that more attention be placed on the impact of N (TKN, NH4-N, and NO3-N), Ca, Mg, K, and Na on the receiving soil and water environments rather than focussing primarily on wastewater P. Management strategies should be developed for disposal sites to minimise leaching losses by maximising nutrient removal from the soil solution through crop uptake, reaction with the soil colloids, and efficient irrigation practices. nitrogen, phosphorus, cations, nitrification, piggery wastewater.

scholarly journals Assessments of N leaching losses from six case study dairy farms using contrasting approaches to cow wintering

2012 ◽  
pp. 51-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Chrystal ◽  
R.M.Monaghan D. Dalley ◽  
T. Styles
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cow ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
High Potential ◽  
System Level ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Forage Crops ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Total N ◽  
Leaching Losses

The expansion of the southern dairy herd in New Zealand has raised a number of concerns about the sustainability of grazing brassica forage crops. Here we provide an assessment of the contribution of these crops to the potential for N losses to water at a wholefarm system level, and compare these with metrics derived for systems that use alternative approaches for wintering cows. The risks of nutrient losses to water from six Monitor Farms that use contrasting approaches to dairy cow wintering were assessed using the Overseer® Nutrient budgets model (Overseer). This modelling assessment was supplemented with detailed information about the management of effluent generated from off-paddock cow wintering facilities such as wintering pads and covered housing. Predictions of N losses from individual farm blocks indicated that both winter- and summer-grazed brassica forage crops have a relatively high potential for N leaching losses. Expressed at a whole-system level (i.e. accounting for the milking platform, winter forage crop and other support land), the winter forage crops accounted for between 11 and 24% of total N leaching losses, despite representing only 4 to 9% of the area. The high N leaching losses predicted for summer-grazed forage crops were attributed to the limited opportunity for N uptake of excreted urinary N by the following new pasture. Another risk identified for some farms was the current practice of applying effluents collected from off-paddock facilities to land during winter. These assessments suggest that off-paddock cow wintering systems can help to minimise N losses from farms to water, although the storage and safe return to land of effluents and manures generated from the housing facilities is essential if this potential benefit is to be realised. Our assessments also suggest that summer crop paddocks have a relatively high potential for N leaching losses, although further research is needed to confirm this. Keywords: dairy cow wintering, Southland, nitrate leaching, grazed brassica forage crops.

Administration of dicyandiamide to dairy cows via drinking water reduces nitrogen losses from grazed pastures

2013 ◽  
Vol 152 (S1) ◽  
pp. 150-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. G. WELTEN ◽  
S. F. LEDGARD ◽  
J. LUO
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Nitrification Inhibitor ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Gaseous Emissions ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Total N ◽  
Leaching Losses

SUMMARYOral administration of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) to ruminants for excretion in urine represents a targeted mitigation strategy to reduce nitrogen (N) losses from grazed pasture. A farmlet grazing study was undertaken to examine the environmental benefits of administering DCD in trough water to non-lactating Friesian dairy cows that consecutively grazed 12 replicated plots (each 627 m2with a grazing intensity of up to 319 cows/ha/day) during two grazing rotations in the winter of 2007 in the Waikato region, New Zealand. Nitrate-N (NO3−-N) leaching losses were measured using ceramic cup samplers (600 mm soil depth) and gaseous emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) were quantified using a static chamber technique in the DCD and control treatments. Administration of DCD in trough water had no effect on daily water intake by dairy cows, which averaged 15 and 18 l/cow/day for the June and August grazing rotations, respectively. This resulted in a mean daily DCD intake of 46 and 110 g/cow/day, respectively. The DCD farmlet had significantly lower NO3−-N concentrations in leachate at the last three samplings, which reduced total NO3−-N leaching losses by 40% (from 32·0 to 19·2 kg N/ha). The DCD treatment reduced N2O emission rates compared to the control treatment following the August grazing, resulting in a 45% reduction in total N2O emissions relative to the control treatment (from 0·49 to 0·27 kg N2O-N/ha). This preliminary study highlights the potential for administering ruminants with DCD as an effective mitigation option for reducing N losses from agricultural systems.

scholarly journals The distribution of functional N-cycle related genes and nitrogen in soil profiles fertilized with mineral and organic N fertilizer

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Zilio ◽  
Silvia Motta ◽  
Fulvia Tambone ◽  
Barbara Scaglia ◽  
Gabriele Boccasile ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Bacterial Gene ◽  
N Cycle ◽  
Gene Copies ◽  
Soil Microbial Population

AbstractNitrogen (N) fertilizers applied to agricultural soils result in the release of nitrogen, mainly nitrate (NO3-) in addition to nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3), into the environment. Nitrogen transformation in soil is a complex process and the soil microbial population can regulate the potential for N mineralization, nitrification and denitrification. Here we show that agricultural soils under standard agricultural N-management are consistently characterized by a high presence of gene copies for some of the key biological activities related to the N-cycle. This led to a strong NO3- reduction (75%) passing from the soil surface (15.38 ± 11.36 g N-NO3 kg-1 on average) to 1 m deep layer (3.92 ± 4.42 g N-NO3 kg-1 on average), and ensured low nitrate presence in the deepest layer. Under these circumstances the other soil properties play a minor role in reducing soil nitrate presence in soil. However, with excessive N fertilization, the abundance of bacterial gene copies is not sufficient to explain N leaching in soil and other factors, i.e. soil texture and rainfall, become more important in controlling these aspects.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document