Pathways of Nutrient Movement

Kerry Goodrich, AgronomistNRCS/Central National Technology Support Center

Nutrient Cycles

• Nutrients are not static in the environment

• All nutrients have cycles.

• Nutrient cycles typically have leaks.

Nitrogen Losses and Transformations

Volatilization

Mineralization

Leaching

Denitrification

Nitrification

The nature and properties of Soil 13th edition Nyle C. Brady and Ray R. Weil 2002

Nitrogen Cycle

Source: CORE4 Conservation Practices Manual

Source: CORE4 Conservation Practices Manual

General pool’s of P

Plant residue manure, sludge

Fertilizer

Plant tissue

Soil Organism biomass

Soil in active soil organic Matter

P in slow and passive soil organic matter pool

P retained by clay &By Fe & Al oxides

SoilSolution

Very slow Ca-P minerals

ReadilySolubleCa-P

DominantForms of inorganic P @ High pH andCalcareoussoils

DominantForms @Low pH andNon calcareoussoils

Root uptakeEnhanced by mycorrhizae

Mineralization

Immobilization

Desorption

Adsorption

P occluded in Fe and Al minerals-extremely insoluble

Inorganic forms of P

Input

Losses onErodedparticles

Losses inrunoff

Organic forms of P Brady, Weil 2002Page 618 13th edition

Losses inleaching

Principal Pathways by which Phosphorous is lost from the soil?

1) Plant Removal (5 to 50 kg/ha annual)

2) Erosion- phosphorous carrying particles (.1 to 10 kg/ha annual) on organic and mineral particles

3) Dissolved phosphorous runoff(.01 to 3 kg/ha annual)

Losses:

The nature and properties of Soil 13th edition Nyle C. Brady and Ray R. Weil 2002

Source: CORE4 Conservation Practices Manual

Jim Hoorman, Ohio State University

Use and Retention of Nutrients

Environmental Concerns Related to Manure Land Application of Method

• Odors and other air quality concerns

• Nutrients and fecal coliform in runoff

• Movement of nutrients to groundwater and subsurface flow, particularly via preferential flow.

Exchange Capacity of Soils

• Cation Exchange Capacity- Montmorilinitic clay – (60 – 100)- Kaolinitic clay – (< 15)- Humus – (100 – 300)

• Anion Exchange Capacity

20 years of similar tillage intensity and C inputsbut contrasting types of organic inputs

Crop residuesCover Crops

Animal manureCrop residues

Manure Improves Soil by:

Physical Chemical

Biological

• Increasing buffering capacity

• Increasing chemical activity

• Increasing cation exchange capacity

• Providing N, P, K• Moderating soil

pH• Increasing

biogeochemical nutrient cycling

•Reducing Bulk density

• Increasing OM• Increasing Aggregate stability

• Increasing infiltration

• Increasing Water holding capacity

• Improving Pore size distribution

• Reducing soil toxicosis• Increasing microbial biomass• Increasing soil organisms diversity• Increasing enzymatic activity• Increasing nutrient and vitamin concentration in plants

OM

Grazing Disease - Manure Pox

What were Laurel and Hardy's first names?

A. Joe and BobB. Bruce and SteveC. Dave and BusterD. Stan and Oliver

Joe a

nd Bob

Bruce

and Steve

Dave and Buste

r

Stan and O

liver

0% 0%0%0%

Pathways of Nutrient Movement

Questions: