Phosphorus availability and leaching losses in annual and perennial cropping systems in an upper US Midwest landscape

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

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99877-7

Phosphorus availability and leaching losses in annual and perennial cropping systems in an upper US Midwest landscape

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 13;11(1):20367. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99877-7.

Authors

Mir Zaman Hussain^{1

2}, Stephen K Hamilton^{3

4

5

6}, G Philip Robertson^{3

4

7}, Bruno Basso^{3

4

8}

Affiliations

¹ W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, 49060, USA. mirzamanhussain@gmail.com.
² Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA. mirzamanhussain@gmail.com.
³ W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, 49060, USA.
⁴ Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
⁵ Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
⁶ Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA.
⁷ Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
⁸ Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.

Abstract

Excessive phosphorus (P) applications to croplands can contribute to eutrophication of surface waters through surface runoff and subsurface (leaching) losses. We analyzed leaching losses of total dissolved P (TDP) from no-till corn, hybrid poplar (Populus nigra X P. maximowiczii), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus), native grasses, and restored prairie, all planted in 2008 on former cropland in Michigan, USA. All crops except corn (13 kg P ha^-1 year^-1) were grown without P fertilization. Biomass was harvested at the end of each growing season except for poplar. Soil water at 1.2 m depth was sampled weekly to biweekly for TDP determination during March-November 2009-2016 using tension lysimeters. Soil test P (0-25 cm depth) was measured every autumn. Soil water TDP concentrations were usually below levels where eutrophication of surface waters is frequently observed (> 0.02 mg L^-1) but often higher than in deep groundwater or nearby streams and lakes. Rates of P leaching, estimated from measured concentrations and modeled drainage, did not differ statistically among cropping systems across years; 7-year cropping system means ranged from 0.035 to 0.072 kg P ha^-1 year^-1 with large interannual variation. Leached P was positively related to STP, which decreased over the 7 years in all systems. These results indicate that both P-fertilized and unfertilized cropping systems may leach legacy P from past cropland management.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.