Phosphorus lability across diverse agricultural contexts with legacy sources.

The buffering of phosphorus (P) in the landscape delays management outcomes for water quality. If stored in labile form (readily exchangeable and bioavailable), P may readily pollute waters. We studied labile P and its intensity for >600 soils and sediments across seven study locations in the United States.

A short history of the phosphorus index and Andrew Sharpley's contributions from inception through development and implementation.

In the 1980s, growing recognition of agricultural phosphorus (P) sources to surface water eutrophication led to scrutiny of animal feeding operations. In 1990, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) invited prominent scientists to find a solution. It was at an initial meeting that Dr.

Kinetics of phosphorous sorption to biochar-amended soils.

Biochar has been investigated as a potential soil amendment for increasing P sorption to soils. Several studies of shown that coating biochar with Fe oxides can increase the amount of P sorbed to the biochar, yet little is known about the kinetics of P sorption to soils amended with Fe-coated biochar. In this study, the kinetics of P sorption are measured in four soils with contrasting surface properties and textures.

Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for predicted soil test phosphorus using the Annual Phosphorus Loss Estimator model.

In this study we conducted a sensitivity and uncertainty analysis using the Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE) model focusing on model predictions of soil test phosphorus (STP). We calculated and evaluated the sensitivity coefficients of predicted STP and changes in STP using 1- and 10-yr simulations with and without P application. We also compared two methods for estimating prediction uncertainties: first-order variance approximation (FOVA) and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS).

Development of PLEAD: A Database Containing Event-based Runoff Phosphorus Loadings from Agricultural Fields.

Computer models are commonly used for predicting risks of runoff P loss from agricultural fields by enabling simulation of various management practices and climatic scenarios. For P loss models to be useful tools, however, they must accurately predict P loss for a wide range of climatic, physiographic, and land management conditions. A complicating factor in developing and evaluating P loss models is the relative scarcity of available measured field data that adequately capture P losses before and after implementing management practices in a variety of physiographic settings.

Comparing an Annual and a Daily Time-Step Model for Predicting Field-Scale Phosphorus Loss.

A wide range of mathematical models are available for predicting phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural fields, ranging from simple, empirically based annual time-step models to more complex, process-based daily time-step models. In this study, we compare field-scale P-loss predictions between the Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE), an empirically based annual time-step model, and the Texas Best Management Practice Evaluation Tool (TBET), a process-based daily time-step model based on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. We first compared predictions of field-scale P loss from both models using field and land management data collected from 11 research sites throughout the southern United States.

Use of Annual Phosphorus Loss Estimator (APLE) Model to Evaluate a Phosphorus Index.

The Phosphorus (P) Index was developed to provide a relative ranking of agricultural fields according to their potential for P loss to surface water. Recent efforts have focused on updating and evaluating P Indices against measured or modeled P loss data to ensure agreement in magnitude and direction. Following a recently published method, we modified the Maryland P Site Index (MD-PSI) from a multiplicative to a component index structure and evaluated the MD-PSI outputs against P loss data estimated by the Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE) model, a validated, field-scale, annual P loss model.

Evaluation of the TBET Model for Potential Improvement of Southern P Indices.

Due to a shortage of available phosphorus (P)-loss datasets, simulated data from an accurate quantitative P transport model could be used to evaluate a P Index. The objective of this study was to compare predictions from the Texas Best Management Practice Evaluation Tool (TBET) against measured P-loss data to determine whether the model could be used to improve P Indices in the southern region. Measured P-loss data from field-scale study sites in Arkansas, Georgia, and North Carolina were used to assess the accuracy of TBET for predicting field-scale loss of P.

Applicability of models to predict phosphorus losses in drained fields: a review.

Most phosphorus (P) modeling studies of water quality have focused on surface runoff loses. However, a growing number of experimental studies have shown that P losses can occur in drainage water from artificially drained fields. In this review, we assess the applicability of nine models to predict this type of P loss.

Phosphorus fate, management, and modeling in artificially drained systems.

Phosphorus (P) losses in agricultural drainage waters, both surface and subsurface, are among the most difficult form of nonpoint source pollution to mitigate. This special collection of papers on P in drainage waters documents the range of field conditions leading to P loss in drainage water, the potential for drainage and nutrient management practices to control drainage losses of P, and the ability of models to represent P loss to drainage systems. A review of P in tile drainage and case studies from North America, Europe, and New Zealand highlight the potential for artificial drainage to exacerbate watershed loads of dissolved and particulate P via rapid, bypass flow and shorter flow path distances.

Future agriculture with minimized phosphorus losses to waters: Research needs and direction.

The series of papers in this issue of AMBIO represent technical presentations made at the 7th International Phosphorus Workshop (IPW7), held in September, 2013 in Uppsala, Sweden. At that meeting, the 150 delegates were involved in round table discussions on major, predetermined themes facing the management of agricultural phosphorus (P) for optimum production goals with minimal water quality impairment. The six themes were (1) P management in a changing world; (2) transport pathways of P from soil to water; (3) monitoring, modeling, and communication; (4) importance of manure and agricultural production systems for P management; (5) identification of appropriate mitigation measures for reduction of P loss; and (6) implementation of mitigation strategies to reduce P loss.

Stability and Transport of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles in Groundwater and Surface Water.

The effects of groundwater and surface water constituents (i.e., natural organic matter [NOM] and the presence of a complex assortment of ions) on graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) were investigated to provide additional insight into the factors contributing to fate and the mechanisms involved in their transport in soil, groundwater, and surface water environments.

Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for the annual phosphorus loss estimator model.

Models are often used to predict phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural fields. Although it is commonly recognized that model predictions are inherently uncertain, few studies have addressed prediction uncertainties using P loss models. In this study we assessed the effect of model input error on predictions of annual P loss by the Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE) model.

Using a phosphorus loss model to evaluate and improve phosphorus indices.

In most states, the phosphorus (P) index (PI) is the adopted strategy for assessing a field's vulnerability to P loss; however, many state PIs have not been rigorously evaluated against measured P loss data to determine how well the PI assigns P loss risk-a major reason being the lack of field data available for such an analysis. Given the lack of P loss data available for PI evaluation, our goal was to demonstrate how a P loss model can be used to evaluate and revise a PI using the Pennsylvania (PA) PI as an example. Our first objective was to compare two different formulations-multiplicative and component-for calculating a PI.

Biochar pyrolyzed at two temperatures affects Escherichia coli transport through a sandy soil.

The incorporation of biochar into soils has been proposed as a means to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. An added environmental benefit is that biochar has also been shown to increase soil retention of nutrients, heavy metals, and pesticides. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether biochar amendments affect the transport of Escherichia coli through a water-saturated soil.

Escherichia coli diversity in livestock manures and agriculturally impacted stream waters.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolate diversity enhances the likelihood of survival, spread, and/or transmission of the organism among environments. Understanding the ecology of this important organism is requisite for development of more accurate protocols for monitoring and regulatory purposes.

Least-squares analysis of phosphorus soil sorption data with weighting from variance function estimation: a statistical case for the Freundlich isotherm.

Phosphorus soil sorption data are typically fitted to simple isotherms for the purpose of compactly summarizing experimental results and extrapolating beyond the range of measurements. Here, the question of which of the commonly preferred models-Langmuir and Freundlich-is better, is addressed using weighted least-squares, with weights obtained by variance function analysis of replicate data. Proper weighting in this case requires attention to a special problem-that the dependent variable S is not measured, rather is calculated from the measured equilibrium concentration C.

Correlating transport behavior with cell properties for eight porcine Escherichia coli isolates.

In this study we investigate how growth stage and depositional environment affect variability of cell properties and transport behavior of eight porcine E. coli isolates. We compared the surface properties for cells harvested during exponential and stationary growth phase and their transport behavior through columns packed with either uncoated or Fe-coated quartz sand.

Comparative quantification of Campylobacter jejuni from environmental samples using traditional and molecular biological techniques.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis in the world. Given the potential risks to human, animal, and environmental health, the development and optimization of methods to quantify this important pathogen in environmental samples is essential. Two of the most commonly used methods for quantifying C.

Survival of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in biofilms on livestock watering trough materials.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) is the causative agent of Johne's disease, a chronic enteric infection that affects ruminants. Despite the ubiquitous occurrence of Mycobacterium sp.

Weighting formulas for the least-squares analysis of binding phenomena data.

The rectangular hyperbola, y = abx/(1 + bx), is widely used as a fit model in the analysis of data obtained in studies of complexation, sorption, fluorescence quenching, and enzyme kinetics. Frequently, the "independent variable" x is actually a directly measured quantity, and y may be a simply computed function of x, like y = x(0) - x. These circumstances violate one of the fundamental tenets of most least-squares methods that the independent variable be error-free and they lead to fully correlated error in x and y.