Phosphorus content in drainage channel sediments

Abstract

Over 75% of mostly lowland area in Vojvodina is distributed on arable agricultural land. During the substantial period over the year that areas are without vegetation and therefore very susceptible to wind and/or water erosion processes. Erosion may induce significant losses of the finest and the most valuable topsoil constitutes with different adsorbed agrochemicals such as nutrient phosphorous (P) forms, which are usually strong bind to soil inorganic matrix (e.g. clay particles etc). Certain portion of erosion material reaches to relatively dense network of ameliorative drainage channels to be permanently/temporarily deposited. Based on analyses of over 80 drainage channel samples P content was discussed in this study. Detected P concentration in analyzed sediments exceeded its concentration in surrounding arable land by multi-fold. Excessive P levels are detected along a particular channel sections also. Markedly higher levels of this nutrient in downstream section sediments exceeded in average by around 50-60% (i.e. maximally up to 5-fold) P levels in upstream locations-cross sections. Obtained results clearly indicate on processes of P overloading in channel sediment materials in comparison to surrounding arable soils as well along to certain network sections.

Keywords

• sediments
• p
• drainage channel
• soil amelioration
• erosion