Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions
In North Atlantic Europe intensive dairy farms have a low nitrogen (N) use efficiency, with high N surpluses often negatively affecting water quality. Low feed input systems on heavy textured soils often need artificial drainage to utilise low cost grassland and remain profitable. Heavy textured soi...
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ftufz:oai:ufz.de:19878 2023-12-10T09:51:51+01:00 Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions Clagnan, E. Thornton, S.F. Rolfe, S.A. Tuohy, P. Peyton, D. Wells, Naomi Susan Fenton, O. 2017-12-07 application/pdf https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19878 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.069 en eng Elsevier Journal of Environmental Management 206;; 1028 - 1038 https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19878 https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.069 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess ISSN: 0301-4797 Ammonium Heavy Soils Artificial drainage Attenuation Stable isotopes Grassland info:eu-repo/semantics/article https://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text 2017 ftufz https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.069 2023-11-12T23:34:48Z In North Atlantic Europe intensive dairy farms have a low nitrogen (N) use efficiency, with high N surpluses often negatively affecting water quality. Low feed input systems on heavy textured soils often need artificial drainage to utilise low cost grassland and remain profitable. Heavy textured soils have high but variable N attenuation potential, due to soil heterogeneity. Furthermore, drainage system design can influence the potential for N attenuation and subsequent N loadings in waters receiving drainage from such soils. The present study utilises end of pipe, open ditch and shallow groundwater sampling points across five sites in SW Ireland to compare and rank sites based on N surplus, water quality and “net denitrification”, and to develop a conceptual framework for the improved management of heavy textured dairy sites to inform water quality N sustainability. This includes both drainage design and “net denitrification” criterion, as developed within this study.N surplus ranged from 211 to 292 kg N/ha (mean of 252 kg N/sourha) with a common source of organic N across all locations. The predicted soil organic matter (SOM) N release potential from top-subsoil layers was high, ranging from 115 to >146 kg N/ha. Stable isotopes analyses showed spatial variation in the extent of specific N-biotransformation processes, according to drainage location and design. Across all sites, nitrate (NO3-N) was converted to ammonium (NH4+-N), which migrated offsite through open ditch and shallow groundwater pathways. Using the ensemble data the potential for soil N attenuation could be discriminated by 3 distinct groups reflecting the relative dominance of in situ N-biotransformation processes deduced from water composition: Group 1 (2 farms, ranked with high sustainability, NH4+ < 0.23 mg N/l, δ15N-NO3− > 5‰ and δ18O-NO3− > 10‰), low NH4+-N concentration coupled with a high denitrification potential; Group 2 (1 farm with moderate sustainability, NH4+ < 0.23 mg N/l, δ15N-NO3− < 8‰ and δ18O-NO3− < 8‰), ... Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic UFZ - Publication Index (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research) Journal of Environmental Management 206 1028 1038 |
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UFZ - Publication Index (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research) |
op_collection_id |
ftufz |
language |
English |
topic |
Ammonium Heavy Soils Artificial drainage Attenuation Stable isotopes Grassland |
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Ammonium Heavy Soils Artificial drainage Attenuation Stable isotopes Grassland Clagnan, E. Thornton, S.F. Rolfe, S.A. Tuohy, P. Peyton, D. Wells, Naomi Susan Fenton, O. Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions |
topic_facet |
Ammonium Heavy Soils Artificial drainage Attenuation Stable isotopes Grassland |
description |
In North Atlantic Europe intensive dairy farms have a low nitrogen (N) use efficiency, with high N surpluses often negatively affecting water quality. Low feed input systems on heavy textured soils often need artificial drainage to utilise low cost grassland and remain profitable. Heavy textured soils have high but variable N attenuation potential, due to soil heterogeneity. Furthermore, drainage system design can influence the potential for N attenuation and subsequent N loadings in waters receiving drainage from such soils. The present study utilises end of pipe, open ditch and shallow groundwater sampling points across five sites in SW Ireland to compare and rank sites based on N surplus, water quality and “net denitrification”, and to develop a conceptual framework for the improved management of heavy textured dairy sites to inform water quality N sustainability. This includes both drainage design and “net denitrification” criterion, as developed within this study.N surplus ranged from 211 to 292 kg N/ha (mean of 252 kg N/sourha) with a common source of organic N across all locations. The predicted soil organic matter (SOM) N release potential from top-subsoil layers was high, ranging from 115 to >146 kg N/ha. Stable isotopes analyses showed spatial variation in the extent of specific N-biotransformation processes, according to drainage location and design. Across all sites, nitrate (NO3-N) was converted to ammonium (NH4+-N), which migrated offsite through open ditch and shallow groundwater pathways. Using the ensemble data the potential for soil N attenuation could be discriminated by 3 distinct groups reflecting the relative dominance of in situ N-biotransformation processes deduced from water composition: Group 1 (2 farms, ranked with high sustainability, NH4+ < 0.23 mg N/l, δ15N-NO3− > 5‰ and δ18O-NO3− > 10‰), low NH4+-N concentration coupled with a high denitrification potential; Group 2 (1 farm with moderate sustainability, NH4+ < 0.23 mg N/l, δ15N-NO3− < 8‰ and δ18O-NO3− < 8‰), ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Clagnan, E. Thornton, S.F. Rolfe, S.A. Tuohy, P. Peyton, D. Wells, Naomi Susan Fenton, O. |
author_facet |
Clagnan, E. Thornton, S.F. Rolfe, S.A. Tuohy, P. Peyton, D. Wells, Naomi Susan Fenton, O. |
author_sort |
Clagnan, E. |
title |
Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions |
title_short |
Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions |
title_full |
Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions |
title_fullStr |
Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions |
title_sort |
influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19878 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.069 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
ISSN: 0301-4797 |
op_relation |
https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19878 https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.069 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.069 |
container_title |
Journal of Environmental Management |
container_volume |
206 |
container_start_page |
1028 |
op_container_end_page |
1038 |
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1784897710409646080 |