Phosphorus transport into subsurface drains by macropores after manure applications: Implications for best manure management practices

Land application of liquid manure can result in nutrient enrichment of subsurface drainage effluent when conditions promote leaching or macropore flow. This contamination is most likely to occur when precipitation follows manure application closely and may cause environmental impacts to receiving waters. Field and column studies were initiated in New York to investigate the impact of manure applications on phosphorus (P) transport through the soil into subsurface drains. Field studies evaluated tile effluent contamination from liquid manure under wet and dry antecedent soil moisture conditions (year 1) and under disk and plow tillage practices (year 2). In year 1, liquid dairy manure was broadcast on the surface and the field was then irrigated. Though the tile drains in the wet plots flowed much earlier and in greater volume than the drains in the dry plots, both wet and dry plots produced similar average peak total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. Irrigation 6 days later produced similar tile discharges, but the peak TP concentrations were about one-third of the earlier values. Cumulative TP loss was significantly higher from wet than dry plots. In year 2, manure was tilled into the soil via one-pass disking or plowing before irrigation commenced. The disking did not incorporate the manure into the soil as effectively as did plowing and exhibited one order of magnitude higher effluent TP concentrations and cumulative TP loss. The timing of P transport in tile effluent relative to the tile flow is consistent with macropore transport as the primary mechanism moving TP through the soil. Column studies utilizing packed soil and artificial macropores were used to examine further the role of macropore size on P sorption to pore walls. Dissolved P was added directly to the macropore, and the effluent from the macropore showed that soluble P may be transported through macropores 1 mm or greater with negligible P sorption to pore walls. In the absence of macropores, no measurable P was transported through the soil columns. Consequently, high P concentrations observed in the tile drain effluent soon after manure application during the field studies can be attributed to macropore transport processes. Even small continuous macropores are potential pathways. Plowing-in manure apparently disturbs these macropores and promotes matrix flow, resulting in greatly reduced P concentrations in the drainage effluent.