ISSN:
1475-2743
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract. As leaching of nutrients and agrochemicals can occur readily in cracking clay soils, which are important to UK agriculture, it is essential to identify management systems for them that can minimize the risk of contaminants reaching surface waters. The long-term Brimstone Farm study has provided considerable evidence on the movement of water and solutes through such soils and offers a unique opportunity to determine the factors influencing these processes. Management procedures, such as subsurface drainage and tillage, which are widely used for the production of cereals in these soil types, greatly influence the risk of contamination. At Brimstone Farm, tillage has been shown to change the hydrology in terms of both water table control and the route of water movement, and to increase the mineralization of nitrogen and the consequent risk of nitrate leaching. Drainage, essential in these soils, also creates a risk of solute losses, especially pesticides. Ways to retain effective drainage yet decrease losses to surface waters are discussed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.1999.tb00094.x
