Changes in nutrient leaching and groundwater quality during long-term studies of an arable field on the Swedish south-west coast

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term (1977-2004) effects of new agricultural practices and reduced acid rain on drainwater and groundwater chemistry for an intensely cultivated arable field with sandy soil in south-west Sweden. Trends in chemical composition of the drainwater were compared with those of atmospheric deposition and groundwater. A modified crop rotation including catch crops significantly decreased the average concentration of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) in drainwater from 13.0 to 7.2 mg l-l. This rotation was also found to be a very effective measure against high NO3-N concentrations in shallow groundwater (>1.7 m below the soil surface). The degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) in the subsoil, calculated to be 10% and 9% by two different laboratory methods, corresponded to an average and constant concentration of dissolved reactive phosphate (DRP) in drainwater of 0.006 mg l-l. Generally lower inputs of acid deposition to the soil were confirmed by a decreasing SO4-S trend (by 3% over 24 years) in drainwater. Changes in cropping had reduced the effect of acid load to the soil, while drainwater alkalinity showed a slow but significant positive trend amounting to 0.4% over 24 years.

Nyckelord

drainwater; groundwater; ionic balance; nutrients; trends; water chemistry

Publicerad i

Hydrology Research
2008, nummer: 39
Utgivare: IWA Publishing

SLU författare

• Ulen, Barbro

  • Institutionen för markvetenskap, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Johansson, Göran

  • Institutionen för markvetenskap, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Simonsson, Magnus

  • Institutionen för markvetenskap, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

UKÄ forskningsämne

Markvetenskap

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2008.030

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/123953