Phosphorus desorption and isotope exchange kinetics in agricultural soils

Abstract

To improve phosphorus (P) fertilization and environmental assessments, a better understanding of release kinetics of solid-phase P to soil solution is needed. In this study, Fe (hydr)oxide-coated filter papers (Fh papers), isotopic exchange kinetics (IEK) and chemical extractions were used to assess the sizes of fast and slowly desorbing P pools in the soils of six long-term Swedish field experiments. The P desorption data from the Fh-paper extraction of soil (20 days of continual P removal) were fitted with the Lookman two-compartment desorption model, which estimates the pools of fast (Q1) and slowly (Q2) desorbing P, and their desorption rates k1 and k2. The amounts of isotope-exchangeable P (E) were calculated (E1min to E>3 months) and compared with Q1 and Q2. The strongest relationship was found between E1 min and Q1 (r2 =.87, p