Earth Sciences Commons^™

Natural Resource Management Issues For The South Coast Regional Strategy, B Nicholas

Resource management technical reports

This report has been prepared by the Agricultural Resource Management Program of the Department of Agriculture to assist SCRIPT (South Coast Regional Initiative Planning Team) in preparing the regional strategy. It records the key natural resource management issues threatening agricultural land on the south coast of Western Australia. Managing agricultural land effectively should be a priority in reducing the risks of land degradation on all assets-productive agricultural land, biodiversity and waterways.

The Use Of Bauxite Residue To Control Diffuse Phosphorus Pollution In Western Australia – A Win-Win-Win Outcome, Robert Summers, Mark Rivers, Martin Clarke

Conference papers and presentations

The Department of Agriculture, Western Australia has been working with Alcoa World Alumina Australia Ltd for more than ten years investigating the potential to use bauxite refining residues as soil amendments for the poor, acidic, sandy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain in south west Australia. Regional waterways, especially the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary, have historically been susceptible to nuisance algal blooms fed by phosphorus in run-off from farmland and urban areas. Extensive laboratory, field and catchment-scale trials have shown the ability of soil amendment with fine bauxite refining residue (now trademarked in this context as Alkaloam™) to reduce …

Grass Or Trees? Performance Of Riparian Buffers Under Natural Rainfall Conditions, Australia, Lucy Mckergow, I Prosser, R Grayson, David Weaver, D Heiner

Journal articles

Riparian vegetation can trap sediment and nutrients derived from hillslopes. Most research into the effectiveness of riparian buffers has been experimental and little quantitative data exists on performance under natural field conditions. This study reports on grass and tree buffer performance under natural rainfall conditions in two contrasting Australian environments. Buffers receiving runoff from hillslopes cropped with bananas were monitored over a 4-year period in the wet topics of Far North Queensland (FNQ). Runoff, bedload and suspended loads were measured leaving the crop and leaving 15 m wide dense grass and remnant rainforest riparian buffers. The grass buffer was able …

Consequences Of Reservoir Drainage On Downstream Water Chemistry, Suspended Sediment, And Nutrients, Southwest Missouri, Mark W. Bowen

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Construction and subsequent draining of reservoirs can have dramatic affects on the release of nutrients and sediments to waterways. This study describes how the temporary draining of a small reservoir for dam repair influences downstream water quality. The Valley Mill Reservoir has a surface area of 6.1 hectares and volume of 150,000 m3 when filled. Water chemistry monitoring and water sampling were performed at six sites during baseflow and ten sites during runoff events for one year. Water samples were analyzed for total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), and total suspended sediment (TSS) concentrations. Results indicate that draining of Valley …

Sorption Of Phosphorus By Soils : How It Is Measured In Western Australia, Michael D A Bolland, D G. Allen, N J. Barrow

Bulletins 4000 -

Most soils used for agriculture in Western Australia had insufficient indigenous native phosphorus P for the introduced agricultural plant species used in the region so fertiliser P had to be applied. This bulletin covers how water-soluble P WSP fertilisers are made, and how the P in the fertilisers dissolves and reacts with soil in the year of application and in the years after application, how soils sorb P and procedures and soil tests used to estimate the capacity of soils to sorb P.

The Application Of A Diatom-Based Transfer Function To Evaluate Regional Water-Quality Trends In Minnesota Since 1970, J. M. Ramstack, Sherilyn C. Fritz, D. R. Engstrom, S. A. Heiskary

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Significant population growth over the last three decades, as well as efforts to improve surface-water quality mandated by the Clean Water Act, potentially have had opposing influences on aquatic ecosystems in the U.S. Because historical data on water-quality trends are limited over this time period, we developed a diatom-based transfer function to reconstruct chloride, color, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), total phosphorus (TP), and pH in 55 Minnesota lakes. The lakes span three different ecoregions, as well as the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and differ in their history of settlement and land use, and in surficial geology, climate, and vegetation. Lakes …

Value Of Nutrients In Poultry Litter When Applied In The Fall, Monroe Rasnake, George Kelley

Soil Science News and Views

The value of nutrients in poultry litter depends not only on how much nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) it contains, but also on how it is handled and applied. The following table compares the value of 19 poultry litter samples from Hopkins County analyzed for N, P & K and the litter then spread in the fall. The samples include pullet, breeder and broiler manures, with storage times up to one year. Nutrient values were based on a comparison with urea (46-0-0) at $199/ton, triple super phosphate (0-46-0) at $215/ton and muriate of potash (0-0-60) at $165/ton.

Fertigation Of Vegetables In Western Australia, J Burt

Bulletins 4000 -

Fertigation is the technique of using soluble fertilisers to supply essential nutrients to vegetables through sprinkler or trickle irrigation systems, or by means of a boom spray. It is ideally suited to most horticultural areas in Western Australia, especially the sandy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain that have a poor capacity to retain nutrients.

Before and after planting, nutrients are often applied to vegetables on soils of the Swan Coastal Plain by applications of poultry manure* or solid fertilisers. After planting, fertigation is a safe and effective method of applying top-dressings of nutrients to crops, especially after the rows …

The Efficacy Of Plant Residue Degradation Products On Phosphorus, Iron, Iodine, And Fluorine Bioavailability To Plants, Cheryl L. Mackowiak

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Plant and animal wastes degrade in soils to form relatively stable humified compounds, which form ion complexes that affect the bioavailability of elements in the soil solution. Hydroponic studies with wheat and rice were conducted to characterize the effect of humic acid (HA) on phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), fluorine (F), and iodine (I) bioavailability. Ferrihydrite [Fe(OH)₃] precipitation was greater on root surfaces without HA or synthetic chelates. Oxides such as ferrihydrite strongly adsorb P and provide exchange sites for metals. HA reduced this precipitate and increased P and Fe uptake.

Humic acid had no effect on F toxicity …

Before And After Riparian Management: Sediment And Nutrient Exports From A Small Agricultural Catchment, Western Australia, Lucy Mckergow, David Weaver, I Prosser, R Grayson, A. E.G. Reed

Conference papers and presentations

Riparian vegetation can trap sediment and nutrients coming from hillslopes and reduce stream bank erosion. This study presents results from a 10 year stream monitoring program in a small agricultural catchment near Albany, Western Australia. In 1996, a 1.6 km stream reach was fenced, planted with eucalyptus species and managed separately from the adjacent paddocks. Stream flow, nutrient and sediment concentration data were collected at the downstream end of the fenced riparian area between 1991 and 2000, so there are data for the “before” and “after” riparian management periods. Suspended sediment concentrations fell dramatically following riparian management; the average event …

Relationships Between Stream Order And Management Priority: A Water Quality Case Study, David Weaver, Adrian Reed, John Grant

Conference papers and presentations

Seagrass, which once dominated the habitat of Oyster Harbour on the south coast of Western Australia has been replaced by macroalgae because of increased nutrient and sediment discharge from the rural dominated catchment. Total Phosphorus (TP), Total Nitrogen (TN), Suspended Sediment (SS) and Electrical Conductivity (EC) concentrations from a catchment – wide (168 sites), event-driven snapshot, water quality monitoring program conducted from 1994 to 1996, were analysed in relation to stream order and published survey data on riparian zone condition. This analysis was performed to examine relationships between stream order, riparian zone condition and water quality, and implications for the …

Drawdown Of Soil Test Phosphorus And Potassium Levels By Alfalfa, Kenneth L. Wells, James E. Dollarhide

Soil Science News and Views

Alfalfa hay production removes large amounts of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) from soils. Because of this, there is always interest in the reduction of soil test phosphorus (STP) and soil test potassium (STK) levels by high-yielding alfalfa. Periodic soil sampling for 2 years during an on-farm· fertilizer study on a high yielding alfalfa field provided an insight into this.

Phosphorus In The Landscape: Diffuse Sources To Surface Waters. Land And Water Resources Research And Development Corporation. Occasional Paper 16/98, Richard Davis, Anne Hamblin, E O'Loughlin, Nic Austin, R Banens, P Cornish, P Hairsin, M Mcculloch, Phil Moody, J Olley, B Prove, I Smalls, David Weaver

All other publications

The National Eutrophication Management Program (NEMP) and Environment Australia convened a workshop to develop a coherent overview of the sources and transport of diffuse phosphorus in Australian catchments based on the latest knowledge. The Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation (LWRRDC) and the Murray–Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) jointly fund NEMP. A select group of scientists attended the workshop and developed a coherent statement about phosphorus sources and transport in Australian catchments. The group did not extend this statement to include recommended management practices. This paper reports the findings from the workshop. State governments have developed algal and nutrient …

Application Of Simplified Phosphorus Transport Models To Pasture Fields In Northwest Arkansas, Dwayne R. Edwards, C. T. Haan, Andrew N. Sharpley, John F. Murdoch, Tommy C. Daniel, Philip A. Moore Jr.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Runoff transport of phosphorus (P) is often predicted from simple equations with parameters determined from data applicable primarily to row-cropped and fallow cover conditions. The applicability, accuracy, and precision of such P transport prediction equations under pasture situations are less well defined. The objectives of this study were to determine parameters of simplified runoff P transport equations for pasture fields and to assess the accuracy and precision of the equations. Runoff, sediment yield, soluble P transport, and particulate P transport data were collected from four pasture fields in northwestern Arkansas. Runoff event enrichment ratios and extraction coefficients were computed, and …

Correlating Soil Test Phosphorus Losses In Runoff, D. H. Pote, T. C. Daniel, P. A. Moore Jr., D. J. Nichols, D. R. Edwards, A. N. Sharpley

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Phosphorus in agricultural runoff is often a major cause of accelerated eutrophication of lakes and streams. Previous research has indicated that the amount of dissolved P (DP) in runoff is directly related to P content of the surface soil. Decades of fertilizer application at rates exceeding those of crop uptake have elevated soil test P (STP) levels in areas of intensive crop and livestock production, making this the major source of DP loss in runoff. The objective of our experiment was to relate STP content of Captina silt loam to P concentration and loss in runoff, and determine which STP …

Production And Nutrient Content Of Broiler Litter, Monroe Rasnake, Mike Williams

Soil Science News and Views

How much litter is produced in a broiler house in one year? How much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is present in broiler litter? These are questions that concern broiler producers and others who have an interest in the use and safe disposal of broiler litter. A project was initiated with support of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the cooperation of several broiler producers in Carlisle County to help answer these questions.

Estimated Nutrient Content And Uptake By Kentucky's Crops, Kenneth L. Wells, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

A commonly asked question by crop producers is, "how many pounds of plant nutrients do my crops take up?" While the absolute answer to this varies by yield and soil fertility, useful estimates can be made from research data to enable a producer to have a "ballpark" value for nutrient up-take by some of the major crops of Kentucky. The following tables contain estimates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P),and potassium (K) contained in certain crops and the amount of N, phosphate (P₂O₅), and potash (K,O) taken up by tobacco, corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa hay, clover grass …

Fall Fertilization And Liming For Tobacco Production, J. L. Sims, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

Proper nutrition of tobacco is a prerequisite for achieving high yields of cured leaf possessing desirable marketing characteristics. Together with the variety grown, soils, climate, and curing conditions, a desirable nutrient environment greatly influences yield, quality, and usability of the leaf produced. Late summer and early fall is a good time to select fields for future tobacco crops or to sample this year's tobacco fields which will be used for tobacco next year, and to assess their needs for lime, phosphorus, and potassium. Planning fertilization strategies this fall that lead to increased profit is much more effective than waiting until …

Farm Nutrient Management, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

Nutrient management is becoming a buzz word in today's vocabulary of crop and livestock production. In the past it was applied to efficient management of all nutrient sources used for crop production. More recently it is being used to account for all nutrients used for crop production that are brought onto the farm, removed from the farm in crop and animal products, and reallocated within the farm unit. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the nutrients of concern with nitrogen and phosphorus being most important.

The Kinetics Of Organic Matter Mineralization In Anoxic Marine Sediments, David J. Burdige

OES Faculty Publications

The kinetics of sulfate reduction and inorganic nutrient production (ΣCO_2, ammonium, and phosphate) were examined in the sediments at five sites in the southern Chesapeake Bay, using long term (> 200 d) sediment decomposition experiments. Average first order rate constants for these processes (at 25^oC) decreased from 8.2 to 3.7 yr^-1 in the surface sediments (0-2 cm), to 2.1 to 0.2 yr^-1 at 12-14 cm. The C/N and C/P ratios of the organic matter undergoing decomposition also increased with depth at these sites. Taken together, these results indicate that the reactivity of the organic matter …

Effectiveness Of Surface Application Of Phosphorus And Potassium On Yield Of No-Till Corn Grown On Soils Testing Low Or Medium Below A Depth Of 3 Inches, Grant W. Thomas

Soil Science News and Views

When crops are grown continuously under no-tillage or very minimum tillage, there is a tendency for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) to become concentrated at or near the soil surface. This occurs when P and K fertilizers are broadcast on the surface and not mixed with the soil as would occur with plowing. The result is a stratification of P and K such that the surface few inches become very high in those nutrients, but soil test levels remain largely unaffected below that. The question is whether high yields of no-till crops can be obtained under these conditions.

Using Residual Soil Fertility Effectively, Grant W. Thomas

Soil Science News and Views

During the past 30 years, the use of commercial fertilizer in Kentucky has resulted in increases in the levels of phosphorus and potassium in soils. As might be expected, the soil test levels are higher with tobacco than with any other crop. but all soils for all crops show increases in fertility levels. Comparisons between 1975 and 1985 (the latest year available) show the proportion of samples sent to the University of Kentucky that are medium or high in soil test phosphorus has increased considerably. Even more striking is the decrease in very low values of phosphorus.

The Soil Phosphorus Store, G S P Ritchie, D. M. Weaver

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The management of the soil phosphorus store, or 'super bank' to minimise phosphorus leaching losses is a vital part of any strategy to reduce algal pollution of the Peel-Harvey estuary.

Phosphorus can exist in the soil in four main 'pools'. it may occur in the soil solution or in one of the three pools that contain phosphorus in solid forms. This phosphorus can be in compounds (fertilisers, dead plant material); adsorbed (attached) to soil particles such as organic matter, clay and iron oxide; or as constituents of micro-organisms.

The Distribution And Properties Of Lateritic Gravels At Yalanbee And Their Interactions With Soil Phosphorus, David Weaver

All other publications

This study aimed at investigating the distributive patterns and properties of lateritic gravels at "Yalanbee" (C.S.I.R.O. research station) and how these properties and patterns e ffect the adsorption of phosphorus onto the lateritic gravels. It also aimed partly at investigating the effect of the presence of lateritic gravels on the adsorption of phosphate by "whole soils". Gravels in the Yalanbee soil had migrated since their formation as was shown by their abundance and large size at the top of a slope which graded to less abundant, smaller and more rounded gravels further down the s lope. The distribution of gravels …

The Status Of Sulfur Fertilization Of Crops In Kentucky, Lloyd W. Murdock

Soil Science News and Views

Sulfur has long been recognized as being essential for the growth of plants and animals due to it being necessary for production of several amino acids. Although regarded as a "secondary" element, it is required by plants in fairly high amounts, very similar to that of phosphorus. Sulfur deficiency symptoms in plants are somewhat similar to those of nitrogen since an overall uniform pale-green leaf color develops. Sulfur deficiencies are often found in crops growing on sandy soils with low organic matter content.

The Phosphorus Dynamics Of A Eutrophic Prairie Reservoir, John F. Bender

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

No abstract provided.

Properties Of Soils In The Solid Set Irrigation Area Of The Sandhills Agricultural Laboratory, David T. Lewis

Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station: Historical Research Bulletins

The introduction of irrigated agriculture and the attendant increase in intensity of land use for agricultural purposes in the Sandhills region of Nebraska requires additional data regarding soils in the area. This work investigated landscape relationships and some of the morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of the soil in one irrigated valley. The soils in this valley contain greater amounts of silt and clay than do the soils on the nearby dunes. In addition, some of the valley soils contain layers of much higher clay content and corresponding cation exchange and water holding capacity than the dunal soils and …

1972 Progress Report: Soil As A Factor In Modelling The Phosphorus Cycle In The Desert Ecosystem, J. J. Jurinak, R. A. Griffin

Elusive Documents

The research conducted in 1972 emphasized a nutrient assay of soil from the Curlew Valley site, phosphorus inventory of the vegetation and rabbit droppings, and further chemical characterization of soil phosphorus, which also included determination of the kinetics and energetics of the calcium carbonate-phosphate system.

Sulfur Fertilizers For Alfalfa Production In Nebraska, R. L. Fox, A. D. Flowerday, F. W. Hosterman, H. F. Rhoades, R. A. Olson

Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station: Historical Research Bulletins

In order to elaborate all aspects of the sulfur problem in alfalfa production, a series of field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments was initiated to determine: 1. The influence of sulfur fertilization on the yield of alfalfa in Nebraska. 2. The influence of sulfur fertilization on the protein, vitamin A, and sulfur contents of alfalfa. 3. The sulfur supplying capacities of various soils under field and greenhouse conditions. 4. The sulfur content of precipitation at widely scattered points in Nebraska. 5. Soil properties associated with sulfur deficiency. 6. Optimum methods for estimating the sulfur status of soils by soil testing. The …

The Effect Of Chelates On Phosphorus Availability And Mobility, Salah Ahmed Tahoun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Soil-phosphorus relations and plant-phosphorus relations have attracted the interest of many investigators since Liebig introduced his famous theory about the importance of the mineral matters to the plant in 1840. It was soon realized that phosphorus nutrition was a problem not easily solved for two reasons. 1. The added phosphorus fertilizers, soon after soil application are converted by some reactions in the soil to complex compounds far less soluble, consequently less available to the plant. Conclusions about this process led to controversial debates until it was discovered that a general statement covering all soils was impossible since the reactions involved …