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Research article2007Peer reviewed

Forms and retention of phosphorus in an illite-clay soil profile with a history of fertilisation with pig manure and mineral fertilisers

Ulen B, Snall S

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) binding to minerals and ion exchange capacity in different clay fractions were examined for a non-calcareous soil in southwest Sweden. The soil had received pig slurry during three decades, 2 kg lower than the recent maximum load of 22 kg P ha(-1) year(-1) as regulated by livestock density legislation. The topsoil was found to contain 33% clay by weight. Illite was the predominant clay mineral and constituted 13% of total soil. Vermiculite (10%), K-feldspar (14%) and plagioclase (21%) also constituted significant proportions of the mineralogical matrix. Within the most fine-grained clay fraction, 50% of which was less than 0.1 mu m in particle size, illite and vermiculite dominated totally, 50 and 23% respectively. In fine-grained (FG), most fine-grained (MFG) and colloidal fractions, there were strong relationships (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.98-1.00) between calcium (Ca) and P. There was a low molar ratio Ca:P in added manure and the presence of Ca-P complexes in the fine soil fractions was indicated. In contrast, in the coarse soil fraction (> 2 mu m), there was a clear relationship (Pearson coefficient 0.97) between P and iron oxide (Fe2O3) and between P and aluminium oxide (Al2O3) throughout the soil profile. Thus even for non-calcareous soils, formation of Ca-P complexes should be taken into account with regards to losses of colloidal P to drainage water. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Published in

Geoderma
2007, Volume: 137, number: 3-4, pages: 455-465
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

      SLU Authors

    • Ulen, Barbro

      • Department of Soil Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Agricultural Science
    Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2006.10.003

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/14636