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TECHNICAL REPORTS

Wetlands and Aquatic Processes

Vertical Distribution of Phosphorus in Agricultural Drainage Ditch Soils

^a Dep. Environmental Science and Technology, Univ. of Maryland, 1109 H.J. Patterson Hall, College Park, MD 20742
^b USDA-ARS, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, University Park, PA 16802
^c Dep. of Agriculture, Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD, 21853

^* Corresponding author (bneed{at}umd.edu).

Received for publication November 8, 2006. Pedological processes such as gleization and organic matter accumulation may affect the vertical distribution of P within agricultural drainage ditch soils. The objective of this study was to assess the vertical distribution of P as a function of horizonation in ditch soils at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Research Farm in Princess Anne, Maryland. Twenty-one profiles were sampled from 10 agricultural ditches ranging in length from 225 to 550 m. Horizon samples were analyzed for total P; water-extractable P; Mehlich-3 P; acid ammonium oxalate-extractable P, Fe, and Al (P_ox, Fe_ox, Al_ox); pH; and organic C (n = 126). Total P ranged from 27 to 4882 mg kg^–1, P_ox from 4 to 4631 mg kg^–1, Mehlich-3 P from 2 to 401 mg kg^–1, and water-extractable P from 0 to 17 mg kg^–1. Soil-forming processes that result in differences between horizons had a strong relationship with various P fractions and P sorption capacity. Fibric organic horizons at the ditch soil surface had the greatest mean P_ox, Fe_ox, and Al_ox concentrations of any horizon class. Gleyed A horizons had a mean Fe_ox concentrations 2.6 times lower than dark A horizons and were significantly lower in total P and P_ox. Variation in P due to organic matter accumulation and gleization provide critical insight into short- and long-term dynamics of P in ditch soils and should be accounted for when applying ditch management practices.

Abbreviations: Al_ox, acid ammonium oxalate-extractable Al • DPS, percent degree of P saturation • Fe_ox, acid ammonium oxalate-extractable Fe • M3P, Mehlich 3-P • P_ox, acid ammonium oxalate-extractable P • S_max, Langmuir P sorption maximum • TP, total P • UMES, University of Maryland Eastern Shore • WEP, water-extractable P

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