Abstract
Nutrient content and pH of precipitation samples collected at six sites during 1971–1973 were studied to determine the fraction of rainfall and snowmelt and the amounts of N, S, and P added by precipitation over Iowa The amount of NH4-N ha−1 added by precipitation annually at each site was about equal to that added as N03-N. The amounts of inorganic N ha−1 yr−1 added ranged from 10 kg in north-central to 14 kg in west-central Iowa, and the annual amounts of S04-S ha−1 added ranged from 13 kg in northeastern to 17 kg in north-central Iowa. It is estimated that, on average, precipitation adds about 0.6 kg of NH4-N, 0.6 kg of N03-N, and 1.5 kg of S04 -S ha−1 monthly in Iowa. However, the data indicated that, on an annual basis, the contribution of precipitation to P in soil is very small; at the most, about 0.1 kg of water-soluble P04-P ha−1 was added annually in Iowa. No N02-N could be detected in any of the precipitation samples analyzed.
Average pH value of the rainfall and snowmelt samples collected at each site during each year was about 6, individual samples seldom reached as low as pH 4. The data indicate that the concentration of S04-S in precipitation in this region is seasonal, high during fall and winter and low during spring and summer.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allison, F. E.: 1965, in W. V. Bartholomew and F. E. Clark (ed.), Agronomy 10, 573.
Allway, F J., Marsh, A. W., and Methley, W. J.: 1937, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 2, 229.
Barrett, E. and Brodin, G.: 1955, Tellus 7, 251.
Coleman, R.: 1966, Soil Sci. 101, 230.
Elliott, L. F., Schuman, G. E., and Viets, F. G., Jr.: 1971, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 35, 752.
Erdman, L. W.: 1923, Soil Sci. 15, 135.
Erickson, E.: 1963, J. Geophys. Res. 68, 4001.
Faller, N.: 1970, Sulphur Inst. J. 6, 5.
Feth, J. H.: 1966, Water Resour. Res. 2, 41.
Gambell, A. W. and Fisher, D. W.: 1964, J. Geophys. Res. 69, 4203.
Harper, H. J.: 1942, Okla. Acad. Sci. Proc. 23, 73.
Hoeft R. G., Keeney, D. R., and Walsh, L. M.: 1972, J. Environ. Qual. 1, 203.
Hutchinson, G. L. and Viets, F. G., Jr: 1969, Science 166, 514.
Junge, G. E.: 1958, Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 39, 241.
Junge, C. E.: 1960, J. Geophys. Res. 65, 227.
Likens, G. E. and Bormann, F. H.: 1974, Science 184, 1176.
Meetham, A. R.: 1950, Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 76, 359.
Olsen, R. A.: 1957, Soil Sci. 84, 107.
Olson, R. A., Seim, E. C., and Muir, J.: 1973, Water Resour. Bull. 9, 301.
Robinson, E. and Robbins, R. C.: 1968, Stanford Res. Inst. J. Dec. p. 4.
Robinson, E. and Robbins, R. C.: 1970, J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc. 20, 303
Stewart, B. A.: 1970, Environ. Sci. Technol. 4, 579.
Tabatabai, M. A. and Bremner, J. M.: 1972, Agron. J. 64, 40.
Tabatabai, M. A. and Laffen, J. M.: 1976, J. Environ. Qual. (in press).
Tarrant, R. F., Lu, K. C., Chen, C. S., and Bollen, W. B.: 1968, Tellus 20, 554.
Taylor, A. W., Edwards, W. M., and Simpson, E. C.: 1971, Water Resour. Res. 7, 81.
Ulrich, A., Tabatabai, M. A., Ohki, K., and Johnson, C. M.: 1967, Plant Soil 26, 235.
Walker, D. R.: 1969, Can. J. Soil Sci. 49, 409.
Widdowson, J. P. and Hanway, J. J.: 1974, Iowa Agric. Home Econ. Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 579, 713.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, and Agricultural Engineer, North Central Region, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, respectively.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tabatabai, M.A., Laflen, J.M. Nutrient content of precipitation over Iowa. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 6, 361–373 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182877
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182877