Assessing Bioavailability of Typical Lakes and Reservoirs in Northeast China Based on Phosphorus Fractions

To explore the eutrophication degree in the typical lakes and reservoirs of the northeast region of China, the bioavailability of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) of the lakes has been examined in this study. The laboratory incubation was carried out at 20 °C for 55 days and the concentrations of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), DOP and the microbial biomass have been detected. Results showed that, during the process of incubation, the concentrations of TDP and DRP were increased, whereas the DOP was decreased, which leads to the decreased mineralization rate. In addition, the changes of microbial biomass were fluctuant, but they had significantly positive effects on the concentration changes and mineralization rate of DOP (p < 0.05). The correlation analysis among the phosphate fractions showed that the TDP significantly promoted the DRP concentration, mineralization rate of DOP and the cumulative mineralization of DOP. The kinetics model was conducted to predict the further mineralization of DOP and to analyze the pollution degree of the eight lakes and reservoirs. Accordingly, the lakes with high DRP and TDP had worse water quality and are prone to algae blooms.

Manure Application Timing and Tillage Influence on Nutrient Loss from Snowmelt Runoff

Winter manure application contributes substantial nutrient loss during snowmelt and influences water quality. The goal of this study is to develop best management practices (BMPs) for winter manure management. We compared nutrient concentrations in snowmelt runoff from three dates of feedlot solid beef manure application (November, January, and March) at 18 tons ha−1 on untilled and fall-tilled plots. The manure was applied at a single rate. Sixteen 4 m2 steel frames were installed in the fall to define individual plots. Treatments were randomly assigned so that each tillage area had two control plots, two that received manure during November, two in January, and two in March. Snowmelt runoff from each individual plot was collected in March and analyzed for runoff volume (RO), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), total suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus (TP), and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP). Snowmelt runoff concentrations and loads of NH4-N, TKN, TP, and TDP were significantly higher in runoff from manure application treatments compared to control. The concentration of NH4-N and loads of NH4-N and TDP were significantly (p = 0.05) greater (42%, 51%, and 47%, respectively) from untilled compared to fall-tilled plots. The November application significantly increased RO, NH4-N, and TDP concentrations and loads in the snowmelt runoff compared to January and March applications. Results showed that nutrient losses in snowmelt runoff were reduced from manure applications on snow compared to non-snow applications. The fall tillage before winter manure application decreased nutrient losses compared to untilled fields.

Modelling Dissolved Phosphorus Losses from Accumulated Soil Phosphorus and Applied Fertilizer and Manure for a National Risk Indicator

Balancing the weighting of various components of phosphorus loss in models is a critical but often overlooked step in accurate estimation of risk of P loss under field conditions. This study compared the P loss coefficients used to predict dissolved P losses from desorption from accumulated P in the soil, and those incidental to applications of P as fertilizer or manure, with extraction coefficients determined from actual P losses reported in literature for sites in Canada, with the addition of some sites with similar soils and climate from the northern tier of the United States. The extraction coefficients for dissolved P measured in runoff water was greater by a factor of 6.5X in year-round edge-of-field measurements than in runoff boxes, indicating that models using P extraction coefficients derived from runoff box experiments will be underestimating the magnitude of losses from P accumulation in soil. Differences among the measurement methods (runoff box, rainfall simulator or edge-of-field) were not evident for incidental losses from applied P, but current models appear to over-predict the losses of applied P. Good fit between measured and modelled DP concentrations were achieved by applying coefficients of 0.275 to the fertilizer equations, and 0.219 to the manure equations, implying that 72.5% of fertilizer P and 78% of manure P are not available for runoff. This study underlines the importance of considering the relative weights of the various components of P loss as new models are developed and validated.

Runoff-associated nitrogen and phosphorus losses under natural rainfall events in purple soil area: the role of land disturbance and slope length

Land disturbance and slope length play key roles in affecting runoff-associated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses in different forms under natural rainfall. Field monitoring was conducted in nine plots located parallel on a 15° purple slope in southwest China. Three slope lengths (20-, 40-, 60-m) combined with measures of artificial disturbance and natural restoration were implemented. The highest N concentration was observed in soft rainfall events across all plots. The highest P concentration was recorded in heavy rainfall events for the artificially disturbed plots and in soft rainfall events for the naturally restored plots. Land disturbance differed orthophosphate concentration in 20-m plot, and affected N and P loss amounts in different forms. Slope length differed total dissolved phosphorus concentration in naturally restored plots, and also differed the loss amounts of total dissolved nitrogen and orthophosphate in artificially disturbed plots. Naturally restoration reduced loss amounts of total nitrogen and total phosphorus by 62.14–79.05% and 79.28–83.43% relative to artificial disturbance, respectively. Concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen, total phosphorus and dissolved phosphorus were closely correlated with rainfall and runoff variables, respectively, in artificially disturbed plots. Our results highlight the dominant role of natural restoration in reducing erosion and nutrient loss in sloping land.

Preparation and application of an innovative integrated agent product for phosphorus control and oxygen release

In this study, an oxygen-releasing and phosphorus-controlling agent (ORPC) consisting of calcium peroxide (CaO2), bentonite, cement, stearic acid (SA), citric acid (CA) and fine sand was synthesized successfully and used to purify rich-phosphorus river water. The removal of phosphorus using ORPC was studied in actual river water and the results found that over 75.0% phosphorus was removed by adding ORPC at 30 mL h−1 flow rate in the initial phosphorus concentrations of 0.76 mg L−1. The ORPC was further used to evaluate the changes of aluminum phosphate (Al-P), ferric phosphate (Fe-P) and calcium phosphate (Ca-P) in sediment. Fe-P, Al-P, and Ca-P in the sediment increased from 0.14, 0.196, and 1.63 mg g−1 to 0.159, 0.372, and 2.74 mg g−1 respectively within 28 days, indicating that the total dissolved phosphorus in the overlying water could be adsorbed by ORPC and further transformed into Al-P, Ca-P, and Fe-P in the sediment, thus inhibiting the release of endogenous phosphorus in sediment to water. Besides, the performance of ORPC with various contents of SA and CaO2 was investigated. In summary, ORPC can be employed to adsorb phosphorus in water and prevent phosphorus release from sediment, therefore achieving the purpose of controlling phosphorus and maintaining DO at a reasonable level.