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Leaching Losses of Ammonium and Nitrate in the Reclamation of Sand Spoils in Cornwall¹

ABSTRACT

Reclamation studies on sand spoils in Cornwall have shown a difficulty in maintaining adequate levels of nitrogen for plant growth. Information is presented to show that the movement of NO₃^– and NH₄⁺ is highly correlated with rainfall (r = 0.89 and 0.92, respectively). Nitrate leaching (4.1 cm/cm rain) is more serious than NH₄⁺ leaching (2.5 cm/cm rain), and calculations show that more than 98% of the NO₃^– fertilizer applied to bare sand spoil will be leached beyond the surface 20 cm with an average month of summer rainfall (9.7 cm). Maximum inorganic-N fertilizer recoveries of 40 kg/ha are predicted for grass swards established on spoils flattened by earth-moving equipment, while recoveries < 20 kg N/ha are likely on steeply sloping sand heaps. Grass test crops recovered 26 and 35% of the fertilizer-N on a level site when NaNO₃ and (NH₄)₂SO₄ were applied at 125 kg N/ha.

Key Words: nitrate dispersion • fertilizer-N • sandy mining spoils • nitrogen accumulation • derelict land

¹ Contribution from the University of Liverpool, Botany Department, P. O. Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX, England.

² Postdoctoral Research Fellow; present address 516 Roy Ave., Stoughton, WI 53589.

Received for publication January 3, 1975.

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