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Modeling nitrogen leaching from Andosols amended with different composted manures using LEACHM

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Abstract

Andosols, distributed widely around the Pacific basin, have unique soil–water and solute transport properties because of their stepwise water retention curves and high anion-adsorption capacity. The model modification and verification for these properties are crucial for evaluating the potential for improved agricultural management (e.g., using organic matter instead of inorganic fertilizer) to reduce N loss from the soils. Here, we improved an existing biogeochemical model, LEACHM, to predict long-term N leaching from Andosols amended with composted manure, without optimization to fit measured field data. The modified model was verified by observations from a 5.6-year lysimeter experiment with different rates of inorganic N fertilizer plus composted manure (100 + 0, 75 + 25, or 25 + 75%) of two different types (cattle, swine) on lettuce, sorghum (as a catch crop), and Chinese cabbage in rotation. Incorporation of Durner’s bimodal model dramatically improved predictions of drainage water volume and evapotranspiration. The non-linear Langmuir adsorption isotherms for soil NH4 + and NO3 − improved model performance in simulating crop N uptake and N leaching loss. The RMSE, R2, and index of Agreement were evaluated as satisfactory in all lysimeters. Our model explained reasonably well that improved agricultural management decreased in current available N addition rates by 8.82–35.6% and reduced in the yearly averaged NO3 leaching by 8.70–41.8%. A modified model relating soil hydraulic properties and N adsorption properties could thus accurately predict N leaching under different long-term N application rates/types, and could be useful for supporting agricultural management decisions in cropped Andosols.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan, through a research project entitled “Development of Technologies for Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (FY 2010–2014)” and by MAFF science and technology research promotion program for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food industry (28005A).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO (National Agriculture and Food Research Organization), Kannondai 3-1-3, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8604, Japan

    Kei Asada, Sadao Eguchi, Saeko Yada, Yasuhiro Nakajima & Sunao Itahashi

  2. Ibaraki Agricultural Institute, Kamikunii 3402, Mito, Ibaraki, 311-4203, Japan

    Masaharu Ikeba

  3. Tokyo University of Agriculture, Sakuragaoka 1-1-1, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan

    Taku Kato

  4. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kasumigaseki 1-2-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8907, Japan

    Sunao Itahashi

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  1. Kei Asada
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  3. Masaharu Ikeba
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  4. Taku Kato
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Correspondence to Kei Asada.

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10705_2017_9899_MOESM1_ESM.zip

Online Resource 1 Water retention curve as a function of the pressure head for cropped Andosols. Open circle: Observed retention data; solid line: predicted with the Durner model; dashed line: predicted with the vG model, in the case of the upper plowsole, lower plowsole, and subsoil layer in SM75 (25% inorganic fertilizer + 75% swine manure compost). The van Genuchten model parameter α and the first curve of the Durner model parameter α1 are parameters corresponding approximately to the inverses of the Campbell’s air-entry values A and B, respectively, in the figure. Online Resource 2 Long-term lysimeter experiments. Online Resource 3 Summary of crop rotation systems and N application rates in the field experiment. PR indicates plant residue. (CF100, 100% inorganic fertilizer; CM25, 75% inorganic fertilizer + 25% cattle manure compost; SM25, 75% inorganic fertilizer + 25% swine manure compost; CM75, 25% inorganic fertilizer + 75% cattle manure compost; SM75, 25% inorganic fertilizer + 75% swine manure compost). Online Resource 4 Observed and simulated evapotranspiration using the van Genuchten (vG) and Durner models. ○ Observed data; — predicted with the Durner model; - - - predicted with the vG model. Vertical lines range from minimum to maximum observation values. (CF100, 100% inorganic fertilizer; CM25, 75% inorganic fertilizer + 25% cattle manure compost; SM25, 75% inorganic fertilizer + 25% swine manure compost; CM75, 25% inorganic fertilizer + 75% cattle manure compost; SM75, 25% inorganic fertilizer + 75% swine manure compost). Online Resource 5 Observed and simulated yearly averaged amounts of NO3-N leaching from all experimental plots, 2004 to 2009. Online Resource 6 Relationship between NO3-N concentration and δ15N-NO3 in drainage water samples from each lysimeter at a single sampling. CM, cattle manure compost; SM, swine manure compost. Vertical and horizontal lines range from minimum to maximum observation values (ZIP 1528 kb)

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Asada, K., Eguchi, S., Ikeba, M. et al. Modeling nitrogen leaching from Andosols amended with different composted manures using LEACHM. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 110, 307–326 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-017-9899-x

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