Available phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, and other cations in a long-term grazing experiment in south-western Victoria

2002 ◽  
Vol 53 (12) ◽  
pp. 1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. D. Cayley ◽  
M. R. McCaskill ◽  
G. A. Kearney
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Single Superphosphate ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Stocking Rates

Relationships between amounts of superphosphate applied to pasture and stocking rate on available nutrient status were assessed from 1979 to 2000 on a chromosol derived from basalt at Hamilton, Victoria. The pastures were stocked with sheep at low, medium, or high grazing pressures in factorial combination with 6 levels of superphosphate. Overall annual amounts of single superphosphate (8.8% P, 11% S, 19% Ca) applied ranged from 0.4 to 36 kg P/ha. Potassium chloride (KCl) was applied to all plots periodically. Average stocking rates ranged from 7 to 19 dry sheep equivalents (DSE)/ha. The nutrient status of plots was monitored by sampling the soil to a depth of 10 cm, avoiding the areas used by the sheep for camping. In 1994, samples of topsoil (0–5 cm and 5–10 cm) were taken from the camp areas and non-camp areas in each plot in order to assess 'plant-available' P, S, and extractable cations. Changes in P and S with depth to 80 cm in high and low grazing pressure treatments were also assessed. The influence of cumulative P applied on Olsen P varied with time and grazing pressure. During the first 12–15 years, the Olsen P of high grazing pressure plots was greater than that of low grazing pressure plots, but subsequently the reverse has been the case. Plant-available S also increased where more superphosphate had been applied. Levels were greater than 7 mg S/kg soil except at the lowest level of superphosphate, indicating that forms of P fertiliser with less S could be used here. After initial applications of KCl, this fertiliser was not applied for 8 years. During this time the K status fell from 270 to 120 mg K/kg soil, just above where plant responses to K are likely, emphasising the need to monitor the K status of productive pastures on these soils. Levels of exchangeable Mg2+ fell as more superphosphate was used, whereas levels of Ca2+ rose. The Olsen P of soil deeper than 10 cm was always less than 5 mg P/kg soil. P supply to deep-rooted pasture plants may thus be limiting when the topsoil is dry. These results, together with published assessments of animal production at this site, show that for pastures fertilised annually, the Olsen P associated with the most profit varied from 7 mg P/kg soil at 7 ewes/ha (10.5 DSE/ha), to 14 mg P/kg soil at 18 ewes/ha.

Soil audit of a long-term phosphate experiment in south-western Victoria: total phosphorus, sulfur, nitrogen, and major cations

2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 737 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. McCaskill ◽  
J. W. D. Cayley
Keyword(s):  
Soil Profile ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Single Superphosphate ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Total Soil ◽  
Western Victoria

A nutrient audit was conducted on a long-term grazed fertiliser experiment at Hamilton in south-western Victoria to determine the fate of applied phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S). Single superphosphate had been applied at rates averaging between 1 and 33 kg P/ha.year since the start of the experiment in 1977. Soil samples were taken in 1994 by coring to a depth of 80 cm, and analysed for total soil nutrient concentration. Most (80%) applied P was in the top 43 cm of the soil profile. A further 6.5% had been transferred to sheep camp areas and 6.5% had been exported as product. It was estimated that <0.4% of applied P left the site in surface water movement. Unaccounted P (6.6%) was probably in the soil, but could not be detected because of the relatively wide confidence margin for total soil P. Only 31% of applied S was detected in the top 43 cm, 3.6% had been transferred to sheep camps, and 4.9% exported in product. Unaccounted S (60%) had probably moved deeper into the soil where it could not be detected from background levels of total soil S. Bulk density in the 0–5-cm layer increased by 1% for each additional ewe per ha, but decreased by up to 0.4% for each kg/ha.year of P fertiliser. Soil nitrogen (N) accumulated at 46 kg N/ha.year at the highest P application rate.Differences in total potassium (K) between low and high fertility treatments indicated that 20 kg K/ha.year had moved out of the 5–19-cm soil layer of the high fertility treatment. This was attributed to competition for exchange sites from calcium (Ca) in the superphosphate. It was concluded that fertilisers with a higher P : S ratio and a lower Ca content than superphosphate are more appropriate for the basalt-derived duplex soils because they would reduce problems associated with displacement of K in the soil profile.

Calibration of methods for soil and diagnostic plant analysis in the Hungarian National Fertilization Long-term Trials. I. Comparison of soil P tests for agronomic purposes in the soils of long-term experiments

2011 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-358
Author(s):  
Péter Csathó ◽  
Marianna Magyar ◽  
Erzsébet Osztoics ◽  
Katalin Debreczeni ◽  
Katalin Sárdi
Keyword(s):  
Plant Analysis ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
Long Term Experiments ◽  
Soil P Tests

A szabadföldi trágyázási (tartam)kísérletek eredményeit talaj-, illetve diagnosztikai célú növényvizsgálatok segítségével tudjuk kiterjeszteni, általánosítani – figyelembe véve természetesen a kiterjesztés korlátait is. Célszerűnek láttuk ezen túl a talaj könnyen oldható tápelem-, közöttük P-tartalmát is meghatározni a hazánkban hivatalosan elfogadott AL- (ammónium-laktátos) módszer mellett az Európai Unióban és Észak-Amerikában alkalmazott P-tesztekkel is (CaCl2-, H2O-, Olsen-, Bray1-, LE-, Mehlich3- stb.) a hazai OMTK kísérletek talajmintáiban. A kísérleti helyek talajtulajdonságaiban megnyilvánuló jelentős különbségek lehetőséget adnak rá, hogy a talaj P-teszteket – és a növényi P-felvételt – jellegzetes hazai talajokon, sokszor szélsőséges talajparaméterek mellett vizsgáljuk. Az egyes P-szintek között a 28 év átlagában mintegy évi 50 kg P2O5·ha-1volt a különbség. A P0-szinten mért P-tartalmak jól jelezték az egyes kísérleti helyek talajának eltérő P-ellátottságát, illetve, közvetve, fizikai féleségében, pH és mészállapotában meglévő különbségeket. A P2-szinten – a hazai talajokra, P-igényes növényekre a hazai szabadföldi P-trágyázási tartamkísérleti adatbázisban talált összefüggésekre alapozott – új AL-P határértékek szerint csupán a bicsérdi csernozjom barna erdőtalajon nem javult a P-ellátottság legalább a „jó” szintig. Vizsgálataink megerősítették az AL-módszer függőségét a CaCO3-tartalomtól: a Mehlich3 módszerrel való összefüggésben a karbonátmentes és a karbonátos talajok csoportja erőteljesen elkülönült egymástól. Az AL-P korrekció elvégzése, azaz az AL-P értékeknek egy standard talajtulajdonság-sorra való konvertálása (KA: 36; pH(KCl): 6,8; CaCO3: 0,1%) látványosan csökkentette az AL-módszernek a talaj CaCO3-tartalmától való függőségét. Az AL-P és Olsen-P, valamint a korrigált AL-P és Olsen-P tartalmak összehasonlításában ugynakkor ugyanez az összefüggés nem volt állapítható, ami arra utal, hogy az Olsen módszer bizonyos fokig szintén pH- és mészállapot függő. Kísérleti eredményeink megerősítették a Sarkadi-féle AL-P korrekciós modell helytálló voltát. Fenti megállapításunkat ugyanakkor a növényi P-tartalmakkal való összefüggéseknek is igazolniuk kell. Szükséges tehát a talajvizsgálati eredményeknek a diagnosztikai célú növényvizsgálatokkal, valamint a terméseredményekkel való összevetése. A tartamkísérletek talajai lehetőséget nyújtanak a környezetvédelmi célú P-vizsgálatok értékelésére, a talaj P-feltöltöttsége környezeti kockázatának becslésére. Ezekkel a kérdésekkel a cikksorozat további részeiben kívánunk foglalkozni.

Environmental risk indicators for soil phosphorus status

Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 247 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Moody
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Risk ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Risk Indicators ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
Soils And Sediments ◽  
Optimum Productivity ◽  
Highly Correlated

Biologically available phosphorus (P) is divided operationally into two sources, dissolved reactive P (DRP) and bioavailable particulate P (BPP). Dilute CaCl2-extractable soil P (CaCl2-P) is considered to be the benchmark method for estimating DRP in soils, whereas P desorbed to iron-oxide impregnated filter paper (FeO-P) is the benchmark method for BPP in soils and sediments. Neither of these methods is in routine use in Australia. Selected soil P analyses were carried out on 31 diverse surface soils to develop relationships between the environmental benchmark methods and the routine soil P tests of Colwell-P, Olsen-P, and the single-point P buffer index (PBI). The index (Colwell-P/PBI) was highly correlated with CaCl2-P (r = 0.925, P < 0.001), and both Olsen-P and Colwell-P were highly correlated with FeO-P (r = 0.955 and 0.828, respectively; P < 0.001). It is suggested that these measures can be used as environmental risk indicators for soil P status. The critical values of these measures for optimum productivity were compared to the values of these measures corresponding to threshold values of currently used environmental risk indicators.

Changes in bicarbonate-extractable phosphorus of a basalt-derived duplex soil associated with applications of superphosphate to pasture grazed by sheep

1999 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 547 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. D. Cayley ◽  
G. A. Kearney
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Empirical Model ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Single Superphosphate ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
Current Value ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Similar Soil ◽  
Extractable Soil

The effect of 3 successive yearly applications of single superphosphate (SSP) to pastures on bicarbonate- extractable soil phosphorus (Olsen P) was measured. The soil was a duplex derived from basalt and the pastures, based on perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover, were continuously stocked with sheep. Six levels of SSP were compared at 3 stocking rates. The amount of P applied annually varied from 0 to 100 kg/ha. These data were used to create an empirical model which used the current value for Olsen P (Olsen Pn), the amount of P applied as fertiliser that year (fert Pn), and a lower limit for Olsen P for basalt-derived duplex soils (Olsen Plow) to predict the Olsen P for the following year (Olsen Pn+1). The model had the form: Olsen Pn+1 = Olsen P low + afert Pn + b(Olsen Pn – Olsen Plow). Olsen P low was fixed at 3 mg P/kg soil, and the coefficients a and b were 0.0995 and 0.8020. The model accounted for 96.6% of the variance in Olsen Pn+1. This model was tested at the same site at 2 other periods: when fertiliser was withheld for 3 years and again after applications of SSP were resumed. The model was also tested against data from another experiment conducted on a similar soil. The model can estimate the amount of fertiliser required to maintain the P status of the soil and predicts that to increase Olsen P by 1 unit in the following year it is necessary to apply 10 kg P/ha in excess of soil maintenance requirement.

Phosphorus fertilizer for nitrogen fertilized dairy pastures. 1. Long term effects on pasture, diet and soil

1997 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. DAVISON ◽  
W. N. ORR ◽  
B. A. SILVER ◽  
R. G. WALKER ◽  
F. DUNCALFE
Keyword(s):  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Panicum Maximum ◽  
Phosphorus Fertilizer ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Single Superphosphate ◽  
Soil P ◽  
P Fertilizer ◽  
Autumn And Winter ◽  
Extractable Soil

The phosphorus fertilizer requirements and long term productivity of nitrogen-fertilized Gatton panic (Panicum maximum cv. Gatton) pastures, grazed by lactating dairy cows, were evaluated over 7 years. Cows grazed at 2·6 cows/ha on pastures that received annually 100 or 300 kg N/ha at each of 0, 22·5 or 45 kg P/ha. Phosphorus treatments were applied as single superphosphate, balanced for calcium by applications of gypsum.The soil had an initial available soil phosphorus content of 40 mg/kg (bicarbonate extraction). At zero P fertilizer (0P), extractable soil P declined at the rate of 1·9 mg/kg each year; at 22·5P it was maintained close to the original level while at 45P it increased at 6·6 mg/kg each year. Increased P fertilizer caused significant (P<0·01) increases in plant P concentration from year 2 onwards. In years 6 and 7 there was significantly less green pasture and leaf on offer in 300N pastures at 0P than with 22·5P and 45P. There was no influence of rate of P fertilizer at 100N on pasture quantity on offer in any year. There were clear trends at 100N of decreasing total pasture and green dry matter (DM) on offer over the 7 years, but not at 300N.Cows at 300N consumed more leaf in the diet in autumn and winter than at 100N. Leaf was 55–60% of the diet in summer and autumn, but decreased to 21% (100N) and 37% (300N) in winter. Dead material in the diet was always higher at 100N. Pasture leaf percentage and leaf yield were the best individual predictors of leaf percentage in the diet. Diet P selected from pasture was reduced by the higher rate of N fertilizer in each season. Estimated P concentrations of the diet selected from pasture for summer, autumn and winter averaged 0·30, 0·38 and 0·28% DM for 100N and 0·19, 0·24 and 0·18% DM for 300N treatments, respectively.The response to P fertilizer was dependent on the rate of N fertilizer applied. The critical bicarbonate extractable soil P level for this soil type, below which pasture responses occurred, was 30 mg/kg at 300N. The critical level at 100N was not reached, but was <23 mg/kg P.

Depletion, accumulation and availability of soil phosphorus in the Askov long-term field experiment

Soil Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Musibau O. Azeez ◽  
Gitte Holton Rubæk ◽  
Ingeborg Frøsig Pedersen ◽  
Bent T. Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Rock Phosphate ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Available P ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
Extractable P ◽  
P Application ◽  
Plant Available P ◽  
Water Extractable

Soil phosphorus (P) reserves, built up over decades of intensive agriculture, may account for most of the crop P uptake, provided adequate supply of other plant nutrients. Whether crops grown on soils with reduced supply of other nutrients obtain similar use-efficiency of soil P reserves remains unclear. In treatments of the Askov Long-Term Experiment (initiated in 1894 on light sandy loam), we quantified changes in soil total P and in plant-available P (Olsen P, water extractable P and P offtake in wheat grains) when P-depleted soil started receiving P in rock phosphate and when P application to soil with moderate P levels ceased during 1997–2017. Additionally we studied treatments with soil kept unfertilised for &gt;100 years and with soil first being P depleted and then exposed to surplus dressings of P, nitrogen (N) and potassium in cattle manure. For soil kept unfertilised for &gt;100 years, average grain P offtake was 6 kg ha–1 and Olsen P averaged 4.6 mg kg–1, representing the lower asymptotic level of plant-available P. Adding igneous rock phosphate to severely P-depleted soil with no N fertilisation had little effect on Olsen P, water extractable P (Pw), grain yields and P offtake. For soils with moderate levels of available P, withholding P application for 20 years reduced contents of Olsen P by 56% (from 16 to 7 mg P kg–1) and of Pw by 63% (from 4.5 to 1.7 mg P kg–1). However, the level of plant-available P was still above that of unfertilised soil. Application of animal manure to P-depleted soil gradually raised soil P availability, grain yield and P offtake, but it took 20 years to restore levels of plant-available P. Our study suggests symmetry between rates of depletion and accumulation of plant-available P in soil.

Studies in the ecology of the Riverine Plain. V. Plant density response of species in a Danthonia caespitosa grassland to 16 years of grazing by Merino sheep

1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 255 ◽  
Author(s):  
OB Williams
Keyword(s):  
Plant Density ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Merino Sheep ◽  
Unique Nature ◽  
Feral Animals ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Permanent Quadrats

The species density of 252 permanent quadrats set in plots which were ungrazed and lightly, moderately, and heavily grazed, in a Danthonia caespitosa Gaudich. grassland, was measured on seven occasions between October 1949 and October 1965. The field data were analysed by means of a Response Index and a Grazing Pressure Index to give the grazing responses of 41 individual species. Those species favoured either by grazing or by non-grazing are listed, and their performance examined in relation to published data on the dietary selection exercised by Merino sheep. The present D. caespitosa grassland is a disclimax one resulting from the grazing of domestic and feral animals, and most species have already come into equilibrium with the total environment. It is suggested that the observed reductions in plant density, size, and the seed crop of annual species in the grazed plots was not followed by the elimination of any species because stocking rates applied in the experiment were no more severe than those which brought about the development of the grassland. The possible unique nature of long-term exclosures in a disclimax grassland is noted.

Changes in soil phosphorus availability and potential phosphorus loss following cessation of phosphorus fertiliser inputs

Soil Research ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 427 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Dodd ◽  
R. W. McDowell ◽  
L. M. Condron
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
P Loss ◽  
P Concentration ◽  
Rate Of Decline ◽  
P Retention

Long-term application of phosphorus (P) fertilisers to agricultural soils can lead to in the accumulation of P in soil. Determining the rate of decline in soil P following the cessation of P fertiliser inputs is critical to evaluating the potential for reducing P loss to surface waters. The aim of this study was to use isotope exchange kinetics to investigate the rate of decline in soil P pools and the distribution of P within these pools in grazed grassland soils following a halt to P fertiliser application. Soils were sourced from three long-term grassland trials in New Zealand, two of which were managed as sheep-grazed pasture and one where the grass was regularly cut and removed. There was no significant change in total soil P over the duration of each trial between any of the treatments, although there was a significant decrease in total inorganic P on two of the sites accompanied by an increase in the organic P pool, suggesting that over time P was becoming occluded within organic matter, reducing the plant availability. An equation was generated using the soil-P concentration exchangeable within 1 min (E1 min) and P retention of the soil to predict the time it would take for the water-extractable P (WEP) concentration to decline to a target value protective of water quality. This was compared with a similar equation generated in the previous study, which used the initial Olsen-P concentration and P retention as a predictor. The use of E1 min in place of Olsen-P did not greatly improve the fit of the model, and we suggest that the use of Olsen-P is sufficient to predict the rate of decline in WEP. Conversely, pasture production data, available for one of the trial sites, suggest that E1 min may be a better predictor of dry matter yield than Olsen-P.

Effects of superphosphate fertiliser and stocking rate on the nutritive value of perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover herbage

1999 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 537 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Saul ◽  
G. A. Kearney ◽  
P. C. Flinn ◽  
C. L. Lescun
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Infertile Soils

The effect of superphosphate fertiliser on digestible dry matter (DDM) and crude protein (CP) percentages of perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover was assessed on a long-term, grazed experiment in western Victoria. CP of both species increased significantly (3–6 units) where long-term average phosphorus (P) applications were 33 kg/ha.year compared with 1 kg/ha.year. CP of herbage was also greater on paddocks grazed at higher (9–23 ewes/ha) than lower (5–13 ewes/ha) stocking rates (1–3 units). DDM of subterranean clover significantly increased (8–10 units) with higher superphosphate applications but there was little effect on the DDM of perennial ryegrass. Long-term applications of superphosphate were associated with larger increases in both DDM and CP than if the same rate was applied in autumn of the year of measurement. For subterranean clover, 30 kg/ha of P applied to infertile soils (Olsen P 5 mg/kg) in autumn increased the DDM of herbage collected in September by only 4–6 units. The nutritive value of most volunteer pasture species also increased with higher superphosphate applications but the DDM of these species was usually inferior to perennial ryegrass. The results highlight the importance of monitoring nutritive value, pasture composition, and herbage production to quantify fully the likely effect of fertiliser applications on animal production.

The Effects of Grazing on Plant Biodiversity in Arid Ecosystems

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Ward
Keyword(s):  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Arid Ecosystems ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Land Denudation ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Privately Owned

Conventional wisdom views heavy grazing as the major cause of desertification in semiarid and arid areas of Africa, Asia, and Australia (see, e.g., Acocks 1953, Jarman and Bosch 1973, Sinclair and Fryxell 1985, Middleton and Thomas 1997). Nowhere is the effect of heavy grazing more apparent than in the Sahel of Africa (Sinclair and Fryxell 1985). This land denudation has resulted in a negative feedback loop via decreased soil nutrient status and increased soil albedo (due to lower vegetation cover), causing increased evaporation and decreased precipitation, which in turn reduces the stocking capacity of the land, further exacerbating the negative effects of grazing (Schlesinger et al. 1990). A less dramatic result of overgrazing is a long-term decline in agricultural productivity. For example, the arid Karoo region of South Africa has experienced no climatic change over the last two centuries, yet there has been a 50% decline in stocking rates in seven of eight magisterial districts from 1911 to 1981 (Dean and McDonald 1994). These authors ascribe this decline to heavy grazing that reduced palatable plant populations and hence the carrying capacity of the vegetation in the long term. These examples of the negative effects of grazing in arid ecosystems lie in stark contrast with a large number of African studies that compared the effects of commercial (privately owned) and communal (subsistence, no private ownership) ranching on vegetation and soils (e.g., Archer et al. 1989, Tapson 1993, Scoones 1995, Ward et al. 1999a,b, reviewed by Behnke and Abel 1996). In spite of 5–10-fold higher stocking rates on communal ranches, few studies have shown differences in effects on biodiversity, plant species composition and soil quality between these ranching types (Archer et al. 1989, Tapson 1993, Scoones 1995, Ward et al. 1999a,b—fig. 14.1). Similarly, studies of grazing in Mediterranean semiarid grasslands (reviewed by Seligman 1996) and Middle Eastern arid rangelands (Ward et al. 1999b) show that the effects of grazing on biodiversity are relatively small. A consensus has developed in recent years that arid grazing ecosystems are nonequilibrial, event-driven systems (see, e.g., O’Connor 1985, Venter et al. 1989, Milchunas et al. 1989, Parsons et al. 1997).

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