TRANSPORT PREFERENCES OF P FORMS IN WIND-BLOWN SEDIMENTS OF TWO SUSCEPTIBLE SOILS

ITURRI, LAURA A.; FUNK, R.; SOMMER, MICHAEL; BUSCHIAZZO, D.E.

Aeolian Research

Elsevier

Año: 2022

1875-9637

Wind erosion of agricultural soils affects their stock of essential elements for6 plants, like phosphorus (P). It is known that the composition of the eroded7 sediments varies with height, according to the size and density of the transported8 substances. Aim of this study was to analyze the concentration and enrichment9 ratios of P forms in sediments transported by the wind. A wind-tunnel study was10 performed on a sandy- and a sandy loam soil in order to measure P forms11 concentrations in the saltating sediments. P concentrations were also measured12 in the particulate matter (PM) of each soil, gained with the Easy Dust Generator.13 In both soils, inorganic- (Pi) and organic P (Po) were preferentially transported in14 PM, with enrichment ratios of 1.8 and 5.5, respectively. Nevertheless, a Pi/Po of15 0.9 indicated that the accumulation of the minor Po in PM was more pronounced16 than Pi. This agrees with P-rich light and easily erodible organic compounds,17 almost exclusively accumulated in PM, and in relatively heavy and less erodible18 minerals, like apatites, in lower height sediments. Labile P (Pl) was preferentially19 transported in saltating sediments of both soils. This was attributed to the20 selective Bray & Kurtz I?s extraction of the abundant inorganic P forms of these21 sediments. Total P (Pt) copied the transport trends of Pi, the major form.22 According to the transporting trends, Pi and Po would be re-sedimented at longer23 distances from the source than Pl. Outcomes become useful for modeling the24 influence of wind erosion on P cycling.