Impacts of biodegradable plastic mulches on soil health

Nitrogen losses from artificially drained watersheds degrade water quality at local and regional scales. In this study, we used an end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) together with high temporal resolution water quality and streamflow data collected in the 122 km2 Otter Creek watershed located in northeast Iowa. We estimated the contribution of three end-members (groundwater, tile drainage, and quick flow) to streamflow and nitrogen loads and tested several combinations of possible nitrate concentrations for the end-members. Results indicated that subsurface tile drainage is responsible for at least 50% of the watershed nitrogen load between April 15 and November 1, 2015. Tiles delivered up to 80% of the stream N load while providing only 15-43% of the streamflow, whereas quick flows only marginally contributed to N loading. Data collected offer guidance about areas of the watershed that should be targeted for nitrogen export mitigation strategies.

Estimation of tile drainage contribution to streamflow and nutrient loads at the watershed scale based on continuously monitored data.

Four years of continuous use of soil-biodegradable plastic mulch: impact on soil and groundwater quality

A nitrogen mass balance, realized for the lower Oglio River basin (Po River Plain, northern Italy), suggested an elevated impact of agricultural activities in this watershed. Livestock manure, synthetic fertilizers, biological fixation, atmospheric deposition, and wastewater sludge contributed 51, 34, 12, 2, and 1% of total N (TN) input, respectively (basin average 450 kg N ha−1 arable land (AL) year−1, overall input 100 115 t N year−1). Crop uptake, ammonia volatilization and denitrification in soils contributed 65, 21, and 14%, respectively, of TN output (basin average 270 kg N ha−1 AL year−1, overall output 60 060 t N year−1). N inputs exceeded outputs by 40 056 t N year−1, resulting in a basin average surplus of about 180 kg N ha−1 AL year−1. About 34% of the N surplus was exported annually from the basin while the remaining amount (about 26 800 t N year−1) underwent other unaccounted for processes within the watershed.



The relevance of nitrogen removal via denitrification in aquatic compartments within the watershed was evaluated. Denitrification in the secondary drainage network can represent a relevant nitrogen sink due to great linear extension (over 12 500 km), with estimated nitrogen loss up to 8500 t N year−1. Denitrification in the riverbed and in perifluvial wetlands have the potential to remove only a small fraction of the nitrogen surplus (<3%). Evidence suggests the relevance of groundwater as a site of nitrogen accumulation.

Soil Budget, Net Export, and Potential Sinks of Nitrogen in the Lower Oglio River Watershed (Northern Italy)

Water footprint of sugarcane irrigated with treated sewage and freshwater under subsurface drip irrigation, in Southeast Brazil

The loss of nutrients in runoff and leaching water from agricultural land is a major cause of poor water quality in the United States. Scientists (NRCS) developed a technique to estimate the impact of agricultural watersheds on natural water resources. The objectives were to apply the technique on W

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Pam VanNeste

Papers

Loss of Nitrate-Nitrogen by Runoff and Leaching for Agricultural Watersheds