OECD Sponsored workshop

 

Practical and innovative measures

for the control of

agricultural phosphorus losses to water

 

Tuesday 16 June - Friday 19 June 1998

 

at

 

Greenmount College of Agriculture and Horticulture,

Northern Irel and

 

Workshop paper abstracts & poster papers

Edited by R.H. Foy and R. Dils

 

Foreword

 

On behalf of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland and the Queen’s University of Belfast, I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to all the speakers and delegates who are attending this OECD Workshop. The number of countries represented bear testimony to the continuing and growing interest in the topic of agricultural phosphorus loss to water. Indeed, eutrophication as a water quality issue shows no sign of abating. Rather the reverse is true, with concerns regarding its impact on river habitats coming to the fore, not to mention new and more exotic algal species and toxins manifesting themselves, almost it seems, on an annual basis.

This Workshop follows on from the Wexford Workshop, Phosphorus Loss to water from agriculture held at Johnstown Castle in 1995. Those, including myself, who attended that workshop were agreed that phosphorus loss from land is a definable problem and that management action by farmers would be necessary to alleviate the adverse consequences of excessive phosphorus inputs to our aquatic systems. Under these circumstances it is essential that the best available scientific advice is on hand when deciding on measures which will lower phosphorus losses. This workshop is therefore timely in bringing together experts from many agronomic disciplines, who can provide an international assessment on practical and innovative control measures. Undoubtedly it is essential that all those directly involved within the agricultural industry critically and collectively examine current practices to identify how improvements can be made. I look to this Workshop for help in devising these practical solutions. 

On behalf of the workshop organisers I wish to acknowledge with thanks, the financial support provided by the OECD. The workshop has also received support, which is very much appreciated, from the EU through the INTERREG programme and the Fertiliser Manufacturers Association.

  

DR CECIL H McMURRAY

Chief Scientific Officer

Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland

 

 Acknowledgements

This workshop is organised under the aegis of the OECD Co-operative Research Programme: Biological resource management for sustainable agricultural systems, Theme 4 Surface & ground water quality and agricultural practices.

In addition the workshop organisers wish to acknowledge support from the EU Interreg Initiative administered through the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland & the Fertiliser Manufacturers Association.

 

Organising Committee

R.H. Foy Agricultural & Environmental Science Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

A.N. Sharpley USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Laboratory, USA.

P.J.A. Withers ADAS Bridgets, UK.

H. Tunney TEAGASC, Johnstown Castle Research Centre, Ireland.

R. Dils Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, The Queen’s University Belfast.

L.A. McLarnon Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, The Queen’s University Belfast.

Workshop Programme

Tuesday 16 June 1998

 

Introductory Papers

13.30 Workshop Opening

13.45 Processes governing phosphorus bioavailability in temperate soils and their relevance to phosphorus loss to water. Emmanuel Frossard (Institute of Plant Sciences, ETH Zurich Switzerland), Leo Condron (New Zealand), A. Oberson (Switzerland), S. Sinaj (Switzerland) & J.C. Fardeau (France).

14.15 Potential for preferential pathways for phosphorus transport. Regis Simmard (Agriculture Canada), Philip Haygarth (UK) & Suzanne Beauchemin (Canada).

15.45 Prospects for controlling diffuse phosphorus loss to water. Paul Withers (ADAS, UK), Ian Davidson (MAFF) & Bob Foy (Northern Ireland).

16.15 Nutrient management planning: justification, theory, practice. Doug Beegle (Penn State University, USA), Owen Carton (Ireland) & John Bailey (Northern Ireland).

 

Wednesday 17 June 1998

Managing P inputs to crops

9.00 Phosphorus in agriculture: Some aspects of maximising benefit and minimising risk in farming practice. Barry Higgs (Fertiliser Manufacturers Association, UK), A. E. Johnston (IACR-UK), J. L. Salter (Fertiliser Manufacturers Association, UK) & C. J. Dawson (Chris Dawson and Associates, UK).

9.25 Innovative measures for soil testing and defining phosphorus requirements of arable crops. Christian Morel (INRA, France), H. Tunney (TEAGASC Ireland), D. Plénet (INRA France) & S. Pellerin (INRA France).

 

Phosphorus in animal diets and manures

 13.25 Prospects for minimising phosphorus-excretion in ruminants by dietary manipulation. Henk Valk (ID-DLO, Netherlands), John Metcalf (UK) & Paul Withers (UK).

13.50 Reducing phosphorus excretion from poultry. Kertsin Oloffs (Martin Luther Universitat Halle Wittenberg, Germany), J. Cossa & H. Jeroch (Germany).

14.15 A review of phosphorus utilisation in pigs. Hanne Damgaard-Poulsen (Research Centre Folum, Denmark).

14.35 Recommendations on phosphorus-supply for pigs with respect to pig performance and the environment. Andreas Berk & E. Schulz (Institute of Animal Nutrition, Germany).

16.00 Reducing phosphorus runoff and inhibiting ammonia loss from poultry manure with aluminium sulfate. Philip A. Moore, Jr. (University of Arkansas, USA), T.C. Daniel (USA) & D.R. Edwards (USA).

 

Thursday 18 June 1998

Soil tests as a management tool

 8.45 Integrating soil phosphorus testing into environmentally based agricultural management practices. Tom Sims (University of Delaware, USA), R. R. Simard (Canada), O. F. Schoumans (Netherlands) & A. C. Edwards (Scotland).

9.15 Developing an indicator to predict the risk of soil phosphorus movement in drainage water. Philip C. Brookes (IACR Rothamsted, UK) & N. Hesketh (UK).

9.40 Modelling soil P quality and P leaching to groundwater and surface water. Oscar Schoumans (DLO Winand Staring Centre, Netherlands) & Piet Groenendijk (NL).

Phosphorus control measures

11.00 Practical techniques for controlling soil water erosion from arable land. Brian Chambers (ADAS, UK), T.W.G. Garwood & R.J. Unwin (UK).

11.30 Buffer zones and constructed wetlands as filters for agricultural phosphorus. Jaana Uusi-Kämppä, Risto Uusitalo, Hakan Jansson (Agricultural Research Centre of Finland), Bent Braskerud & Nina Syversen (Centre for Soil and Environmental Research, Norway).

13.30 Integrating phosphorus and nitrogen management at the catchment scale. Louise Heathwaite (University of Sheffield, UK), Andrew Sharpley & William Gburek (USDA-ARS, USA).

13.55 Risk assessment indices for phosphorus losses from the landscape. Jerry Lemunyon (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USA) & W.L. Magette (UCD, Ireland).

14.20 New Zealand experience in measuring, modelling and managing sources of phosphorus in catchment runoff. Alan G. Gillingham, B.S Thurrold, D.M Wheeler (AgResearch, New Zealand) & H. Rodda (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand).

Lough Neagh

16.30 Increasing diffuse phosphorus losses in the Lough Neagh catchment: soil phosphorus accumulation vs increasing manure phosphorus losses. Roger Smith (Department of Agriculture, NI)

18.30 Maid of Antrim Cruise on Lough Neagh

 

Friday 19 June 1998

Future research areas

9.00 Site specific considerations for managing phosphorus. Jim Schepers (Univ. of Nebraska, USA), G.E. Varvel & M.L. Schlemmer (USDA- Agricultural Research Service).

9.30 Novel techniques for assessing impacts of phosphorus transfer to running waters. Tony Edwards, H. Twist (MLURI - Scotland) & G.A. Codd (Dundee University, UK).

11.00 Phosphorus research strategies to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Andrew Sharpley (USDA-ARS, USA) & H. Tunney (Ireland).

 

Contents of Workshop Proceedings

Abstracts of invited papers

Pages

 

Processes governing phosphorus bioavailability in temperate soils and their relevance to phosphorus loss to water.

 

E. Frossard, L.M. Condron, A. Oberson, S. Sinaj and J.C. Fardeau

1

 

 

Potential for preferential pathways for phosphorus transport.

 

R.R. Simmard, P.M. Haygarth and S. Beauchemin

2-4

 

 

Prospects for controlling diffuse phosphorus loss to water.

 

P.J.A Withers, I.A. Davidson and R.H. Foy

5

 

 

Nutrient management planning: justification, theory, practice.

 

D.B. Beegle, O.T. Carton and J. Bailey

6

 

 

Phosphorus in agriculture: some aspects of maximising benefit and minimising risk in farming practice.

 

B. Higgs, A.E. Johnston, J.L. Salter and C.J. Dawson

7-8

 

 

Innovative measures for soil testing and defining phosphorus requirements of arable crops.

 

C. Morel, H. Tunney, D. Plénet and S. Pellerin

9

 

 

Prospects for minimising phosphorus-excretion in ruminants by dietary manipulation.

 

H. Valk, J.A. Metcalf and P.J.A. Withers

10

 

 

Reducing phosphorus excretion from poultry.

 

K. Oloffs, J. Cossa and H. Jeroch

11

 

 

A review of phosphorus utilisation in pigs.

 

H. Damgaard-Poulsen

12

 

 

Recommendations on phosphorus-supply for pigs with respect to pig performance and the environment.

 

A. Berk and E. Schulz

13

 

 

Reducing phosphorus runoff and inhibiting ammonia loss from poultry manure with aluminium sulfate.

 

P. A. Moore, Jr., T.C. Daniel and D.R. Edwards

14

 

 

Integrating soil phosphorus testing into environmentally based agricultural management practices.

 

J.T. Sims, R.R. Simmard, O.F. Schoumans and A.C. Edwards

15

 

 

Developing an indicator to predict the risk of soil phosphorus movement in drainage water.

 

P.C. Brookes and N. Hesketh

16

 

 

Modelling soil phosphorus quality and phosphorus leaching to groundwater and surface water.

 

O.F. Schoumans and P. Groenendijk

17

 

 

Practical techniques for controlling soil water erosion from arable land.

 

B. Chambers, T.W.G. Garwood and R.J. Unwin

18-19

 

 

Buffer zones and constructed wetlands as filters for agricultural phosphorus.

 

J. Uusi-Kämppä, R. Uusitalo, H. Jansson, B. Braskerud and N. Syversen

20

 

 

Integrating phosphorus and nitrogen management at the catchment scale.

 

A.L. Heathwaite, A.N. Sharpley and W. Gburek

21

Risk assessment indices for phosphorus losses from the landscape.

 

J. Lemunyon and W.L. Magette

22

 

 

New Zealand experience in measuring, modelling and managing sources of phosphorus in catchment runoff.

 

A.G. Gillingham, B.S. Thurrold, D.M. Wheeler and H. Rodda

23

 

 

Site specific considerations for managing phosphorus.

 

J.S. Schepers, G.E. Varvel and M.L. Schlemmer

24

 

 

Novel techniques for assessing impacts of phosphorus transfer to running waters.

 

A.C. Edwards, H. Twist and G.A. Codd

25

 

 

Phosphorus research strategies to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

 

A.N. Sharpley and H. Tunney

26-27

 

 

Poster Papers

1. Modelling soil phosphorus transfer

 

 

 

 

 

A conceptual model for describing phosphorus transfer from agricultural soils.

 

 

P.M. Haygarth and S.C. Jarvis

30-31

 

 

 

 

Modelling soil transport processes for soluble and particulate phosphorus.

 

 

M. McGechan and D.R. Lewis

32-33

 

 

 

 

Modelling phosphorus transport in agricultural catchments.

 

 

S. Tattari and I. Bärlund

34-35

 

 

 

 

Assessment of agricultural management practices on phosphorus loads
Using the icecream model

 

I. Bärlund, S. Tattari and S. Rekolainen

36-37

 

 

 

 

Simulation of the phosphorus cycle in soil by icecream.

 

 

K. Siimes, M. Yli-Halla and H-R. Tuhkanen

38-39

 

 

 

 

Effect of tillage erosion on soil P status and potential P loss.

 

 

G. Heckrath, E. Sibbesen and G. Govers

40-41

 

 

 

 

Modelling phosphorus desorption from spherical aggregates.

 

 

W.J. Chardon and P. de Willigen

42-43

 

 

 

2. Nutrient Management Planning and Phosphorus Recommendations

 

 

 

 

Cost 832 'Quantifying the agricultural contribution to eutrophication'

 

 

P.J.A. Withers and W.J. Chardon

46-47

 

 

 

 

Using whole farm phosphorus budgets to improve phosphorus use efficiency.

 

 

S. Fortune and E. Stockdale

48-49

 

 

 

 

Reducing the phosphorus surplus in dairy farming systems.

 

 

P.J.A. Withers and S. Peel

50-51

 

 

 

 

Modelling in support of sustainable lowland grassland cattle systems.

 

 

K. Topp, C. Watson, A. Hameleers, J. Bax, M. McGechan, C. Thomas and G. Fisher

52-53

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus in Danish agriculture: input, accumulation and losses.

 

 

R. Grant

54-55

 

 

 

 

Actual non-sustainable and future sustainable phosphorus balance of
Agricultural and waster water management in Germany.

 

K. Isermann

56-57

 

 

 

 

Nutrient management issues for North Carolina.

 

 

S.C. Hodges, D.A. Crouse and D.L. Osmond

58-59

 

 

 

 

Nutrient management planning: Lough Erne, Northern Ireland.

 

 

R.M. Dils, N.M. Coyle, J.S. Bailey and R.H. Foy

60-61

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus reductions: the Loch Leven experience.

 

 

D.F. Flint

62-63

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus recommendations for dairying.

 

 

N. Culleton, J. Murphy and H. Tunney

64-65

 

 

 

 

Comparison of phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for grassland.

 

 

J. Humphreys, H. Tunney and P. Duggan

66-67

 

 

 

 

Improvement of the phosphate fertiliser recommendations for flower bulbs.

 

 

P. Ehlert, P. de Willigen, G. Brouwer and O. Oenema

68-69

 

 

 

 

Interculture - an opportunity to utilize phosphorus reserves in soil.

 

 

B. Eichler and D. Köppen

70-71

 

 

 

3. Soil phosphorus tests as indicators of phosphorus loss

 

 

 

 

 

Environmentally sound soil phosphorus tests for sustainable agricultural systems.

 

 

R. Indiati and N. Rossi

74-75

 

 

 

 

Relating soil and runoff phosphorus in an agricultural catchment in the
Upper Chesapeake Bay basin.

 

J. Weld, A.N. Sharpley, D. Beegle and B. Gburek

76-77

 

 

 

 

Soil indicators for management practice and phosphorus leaching losses:
results from lysimeter experiments.

 

R. Meissner, P. Leinweber, J. Seeger and K.U. Eckhardt

78-79

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus in soils and surface water from the Harle-catchment:
Results of a two-year monitoring programme.

 

P. Leinweber

80-81

 

 

 

 

Enzymatic determination of bioavailable organic phosphorus in runoff.

 

 

B.L. Turner and P.M. Haygarth

82-83

 

 

 

4. Soil phosphorus characterisation

 

 

 

 

 

Influence of soil pH amendment on phosphorus desorption.

 

 

I. Garcia-Rodeja and F. Gil-Sotres

86-87

 

 

 

 

Effect of alum-treated and untreated poultry litter on soil test phosphorus.

 

 

M.L. Self-Davis, P.A. Moore, Jr., T.C. Daniel and D.R. Edwards

88-89

 

 

 

 

Evaluation of losses of phosphorus occluded in iron oxides to water.

 

 

J. Torrent, A. Delgano and J.M. Ruiz

90-91

 

 

 

 

National P loss model: I. phosphorus dynamics of Irish soils.

 

 

K. Daly, D. Jeffrey and H. Tunney

92-93

 

 

 

 

The relation between soil solution phosphorus composition and soil
phosphorus status: temporal variations in four sandy soils.

 

M. Hens, R. Merckx and K. Vlassak

94-95

 

 

 

 

Long term sorption of phosphorus in relation to soil test values and
other soil properties.

 

R.O. Maguire, R.H. Foy and J.S. Bailey

96-97

 

 

 

 

Factors influencing the relationship between Olsen and calcium chloride extractable phosphorus from some Irish soils.

 

 

R.O. Maguire, R.H. Foy and J.S. Bailey

98-99

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus sorption-desorption kinetics in surface layers of soil from
a long-term slurry experiment.

 

R. Anderson, Y. Wu and P. Christie

100-101

 

 

 

 

Movement of phosphorus down the soil profile, as indicated by Morgan phosphorus values.

 

 

K. Richards, C. Coxon and M. Ryan

102-103

 

 

 

 

The retention and release of phosphorus from soil.

 

 

L. Blake and A.E. Johnston

104-105

 

 

 

 

Transformation of phosphorus in soil mixed with sewage sludge in
incubation experiments.

 

I. Barbolina and E. Otabbong

106-107

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus transfer between red clover and ryegrass via arbuscular
mycorrhizal hyphal links.

 

X. Li, W. Ai and P. Christie

108-109

 

 

 

Field scale spatial variability of soil phosphorus characteristics: degree
of phosphorus saturation and plant-availble phosphorus.

 

M. Geypens, M. Drouillon and L. Vanongeval

110

 

 

 

5. Buffer zones and wetlands

 

 

 

 

 

The structure and function of Danish riparian buffer zones.

 

 

A. Laubel, B. Kronvang and S.E. Larsen

112-113

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus retention in riparian buffer zones in agricultural landscapes in Estonia.

 

 

V. Kuusemets, Ü. Mander, M. Ivask and K. Lõhmus

114-115

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus movements in riparian buffer systems receiving swine lagoon effluent.

 

 

R.K. Hubbard, G.L. Newton and J.G. Davis

116-117

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus release kinetics of soils in a restored wetland.

 

 

J.S Robinson and K.R. Reddy

118-119

 

 

 

6. Surface and erosion phosphorus transport

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of high available phosphorus corn and phytase enzyme addition
to broiler diets on phosphorus runoff from tall fescue plots.

 

P.A. Moore, Jr., T.C. Daniel, W.E. Huff, M.L. Self-Davis, D.R. Edwards, D.J. Nichols, W.F. Jaynes, G.R. Huff, J.M. Balog, N.C. Rath, P.W. Waldroup, and V. Raboy

 

122-123

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus in run-off from agricultural land receiving sewage sludge.

 

 

P.J.A. Withers

124-125

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus in run-off following manure applications to arable land.

 

 

K.A. Smith and D.R. Jackson

126-127

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus export with overland flow from agricultural grassland.

 

 

I. Kurz, C. Coxon and H. Tunney

128-129

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Release and bioavailability of phosphorus in erosion and runoff from
scrub plots reconverted to grassland in Galicia (NW Spain).

 

R. Basantra, B. Soto and F. Díaz-Fierros

130-131

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus losses with different management practices in a silty soil area in Sweden.

 

 

B. Ulén

132-133

 

 

 

 

Preliminary rainfall simulation studies on phosphorus losses from a silt loam soil.

 

 

W. Schiettecatte, D. Gabriels and G. Hofman

134-135

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus transport with sediment particles as affected by the
location of rainstorm peak intensity.

 

P. Strauss and A. Mentler

136-137

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus losses caused by water erosion on slopes: results from
data bases and standard plots.

 

D. Deumlich

138-139

 

 

 

7. Phosphorus in soil leachate and drainage water

 

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus losses following manure applications to a drained clay soil

 

 

R.A. Hodgkinson, J.R. Williams and B.J. Chambers

142-143

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus leaching from soils enriched with phosphorus loadings from
organic manures.

 

A.G. Chalmers and P.J.A. Withers

144-145

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus losses in drainage as affected by tillage and soil texture.

 

 

R.R. Simard, A. Vanasse and G.D. Leroux

146-147

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus content in drainage water from cultivated soils in the
Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy).

 

N. Rossi and L. Cavani

148-149

 

 

 

 

Tile drains as a pathway for phosphorus loss in small catchments.

 

 

R.A.Hodgkinson and P.J.A. Withers

150-151

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus in leachate from grassland soils.

 

 

B.L. Turner and P.M. Haygarth

152-153

 

 

 

 

The concentration of dissolved reactive phosphorus in drainage water
as affected by contact with subsoil.

 

T. Peltovuori

154-155

 

 

 

 

Mineral phosphorus fertiliser effects on phosphorus losses and
phosphorus forms in a cracking clay soil.

 

P. Leinweber, J.A. Catt and K.R. Howse

156-157

 

 

 

 

Evaluating strategies to reduce nitrate and phosphate loss to
groundwater and surface water bodies from agricultural land on
Jersey.

 

J.E. Lott, R.J. Parkinson, M.P. Fuller and L. Beattie

158-159

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus in Irish aquifers: implications for input to surface waters.

 

 

G. Kilroy, C. Coxon, K. Rybaczuk and N. Allott

160-161

 

 

 

 

Transfer of colloidal forms of phosphorus in subsurface hydrological pathways.

 

 

R.A. Matthews, N. Preedy, A.L. Heathwaite and P.M. Haygarth

162-163

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Phosphorus export at the stream and catchment scales

 

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus loss to water: a comparison of two physically and
agriculturally contrasting regions of Scotland.

 

P.S. Hooda, H.A. Anderson, A.C. Edwards and I.F. Svoboda

166-167

 

 

 

 

Baseline DRP export for nutrient management planning in a dairy farm-unit catchment.

 

 

T.G. Morgan, Q. Xie, M. Devins, G. Kiely and H. Tunney

168-169

 

 

 

 

Sediment and phosphorus delivery from agricultural catchments in Central Belgium.

 

 

A. Steegen, G. Govers, L. Beuselinck and R. Merckx

170-171

 

 

 

 

The impact of channel erosion on phosphorus loss in small central German catchments.

 

 

M. Rode

172-173

 

 

 

 

Underestimation of phosphorus transported in rivers due to statistical
bias introduced when employing log-log regression equations to predict
loads.

 

S.D. Lennox and R.V. Smith

174-175

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus dynamics within a stream ecosystem.

 

 

B.E. Haggard, D.E. Storm, E.H. Stanley, M.D. Smolen and C.T. Haan

176-177

 

 

 

 

Identifying the spring input loading of soluble reactive phosphorus as
critical in controlling the algal biomass in Lough Neagh.

 

S.D. Lennox, R.V. Smith and K.M. Stronge

178-179

 

 

 

9. Catchment phosphorus export models

 

 

 

 

 

A systematic approach to predict phosphorus transfer from
agriculture in England and Wales using ArcView GIS.

 

A.I. Fraser and T.R. Harrod

182-183

 

 

 

 

Predicting phosphorus loads at the catchment scale.

 

 

S.O. McGuckin, C. Jordan and R.V. Smith

184-185

 

 

 

 

National P loss model: II. Modelling phosphorus datasets on a national scale.

 

 

K. Daly, P. Mills, B. Coulter and H. Tunney

186-187

 

 

 

 

Sources and methods of reducing phosphorus inputs from agriculture to
two Scottish lochs.

 

K. Castle, P. Towler and G. Mackenzie

188-189

 

 

 

 

Modelling historical phosphorus losses from land to freshwater.

 

 

P. Jordan, B. Rippey and N.J. Anderson

190-191

 

 

 

 

Estimating historical phosphorus loads to a small, highly flushed lake
using the sedimentary record.

 

P. Jordan, B. Rippey and H. Tunney

192-193

 

 

 

 

Modelling agricultural phosphorus export from a coastal plain
watershed in the Eastern United States.

 

P.A. Vadas and J.T. Sims

194

 

List of speakers and delegates 195-200

 

Author Index 201-202