Assessing site vulnerability to phosphorus loss in an agricultural watershed.
A P index was developed as a tool to rank agricultural fields on the basis of P loss vulnerability, helping to target remedial P management options within watersheds. We evaluated two approaches, a soil P threshold and components of a P index, by comparing site vulnerability estimates derived from these two approaches with measured runoff P losses in an agricultural watershed in Pennsylvania. Rainfall-surface runoff simulations (70 mm h(-1) for 30 min) were conducted on 57 sites representing the full range of soil P concentrations and management conditions found in the watershed. Each site was comprised of two, abutting 2-m2 runoff plots, serving as duplicate observations. For sites that had not received P additions for at least six months prior to the study, Mehlich-3 P concentration was strongly associated with dissolved P concentrations (r2 = 0.86) and losses (r2 = 0.83) in surface runoff, as well as with total P concentration (r2 = 0.80) and loss (r2 = 0.74). However, Mehlich-3 P alone was poorly correlated with runoff P from sites receiving manure within three weeks prior to rainfall. The P index effectively described 88 and 83% of the variability in dissolved P concentrations and losses from all sites in the watershed, and P index ratings exhibited strong associations with total P concentrations (r2 = 0.81) and losses (r2 = 0.79). When site-specific observations were extrapolated to all fields in the watershed, management recommendations derived from a P index approach were less restrictive than those derived from the soil P threshold approach, better reflecting the low P loads exported from the watershed.
Sharpley
A N
AN
USDA-ARS, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802-3702, USA. ans3@psu.edu
McDowell
R W
RW
Weld
J L
JL
Kleinman
P J
PJ
D000383:Agriculture; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005068:Eutrophication; D005544:Forecasting; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D011891:Rain; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014872:Water Movements
D010758:Phosphorus