Warming Climate May Have Potential To Leach Phosphorous From Soils At Accelerated Rate, Study Shows

[hatrack]

EDIT

Scientists from Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)-funded North Wyke Research have found for the first time that the rate at which a dried soil is rewetted impacts on the amount of phosphorus lost from the soil into surface water and subsequently into the surrounding environment.

Dr Martin Blackwell who is one of the project leaders said: "Our preliminary results show that despite best efforts, the changing climate may limit our ability to mitigate phosphorus losses at certain times of the year, especially summer.

"This is really worrying because high phosphorus concentrations in surface waters can lead to harmful algal blooms which can be toxic, cause lack of oxygen during their decay and disrupt food webs. This can also affect the quality of water for drinking and result in the closure of recreational water sport facilities."

Under laboratory conditions Dr Blackwell and his team re-wet dried samples of UK grassland soil over different time periods, ranging from two hours to 24 hours using the same quantity of water. The leachate - water that has washed through the soil - was then analysed for phosphorus. The study showed that the rate at which a dried soil is rewetted affects the concentration and forms of phosphorus lost in leachate which could potentially contaminate surface water bodies (e.g. rivers and lakes).

EDIT

http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Changing_Climate_Will_Lead_To_Devastating_Loss_Of_Phosphorus_From_Soil_999.html

[LiberalEsto]

1. I wonder if they could harvest the algae

and use it to re-fertilize the soil.

[kestrel91316]

2. That's ok. We can just use the bones of the billions of dead

to put the phosphorus back in.

[Nihil]

3. Works for me ...

... just have to get round that irritating source vs target location issue ...

... and stop all that wasteful cremation business ...

(I remember my mum putting "Blood, fish & bone" fertilizer on the garden ...
didn't think that we'd get round to replacing it with "Blood, flesh & bone" ...)