Conversion of Conservation Tillage to Rotational Tillage to Reduce Phosphorus Losses during Snowmelt Runoff in the Canadian Prairies.

In a preceding study, converting conventional tillage (ConvT) to conservation tillage (ConsT) was reported to decrease nitrogen (N) but to increase phosphorus (P) losses during snowmelt runoff. A field-scale study was conducted from 2004 to 2012 to determine if conversion of ConsT to rotational tillage (RotaT), where conservation tillage was interrupted by a fall tillage pass every other year, could effectively reduce P losses compared with ConsT. The RotaT study was conducted on long-term paired watersheds established in 1993.

Nutrient and sediment losses in snowmelt runoff from perennial forage and annual cropland in the canadian prairies.

An 8-yr field-scale study, 2005 to 2012, investigated effects of agricultural land use on nutrient and sediment losses during snowmelt runoff from four treatment fields in southern Manitoba. In 2005, two fields with a long-term history of annual crop (AC) production were planted to perennial forage (PF), while two other fields were left in AC production. In 2009, the AC fields were converted to PF, while the PF fields were returned to AC.

Critical factors affecting field-scale losses of nitrogen and phosphorus in spring snowmelt runoff in the canadian prairies.

A long-term, field-scale study in southern Manitoba, Canada, was used to identify the critical factors controlling yearly transport of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) by snowmelt runoff. Flow monitoring and water sampling for total and dissolved N and P were performed at the edge of field. The flow-weighted mean concentrations and loads of N and P for the early (the first half of yearly total volume of snowmelt runoff), late (the second half of yearly total volume of snowmelt runoff), and yearly snowmelt runoff were calculated as response variables.