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Losses of sediment, organic matter, and nutrients in the Argentinean Pampas through rainfall simulation experiments

  • Soils, Sec 5 • Soil and Landscape Ecology • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Runoff caused by rainfall events contributes to the watercourses pollution through the export of OM, nutrients, and sediments from soils. This study aimed to assess the loss of OM, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediments by the runoff of soils under agriculture and cattle farming.

Materials and methods

Three pedons located on the top of the slope, in the backslope, and one close to the alluvial plain (CoAoMo) were selected as study sites. Experiments using a drop-forming rainfall simulator on runoff microplots were carried out under laboratory conditions. The physical and chemical characteristics of soils, sediments, and runoff waters were analyzed.

Results and discussion

The rainfall took part in the soil acidification process through hydric erosion and lixiviation. Hydric erosion produced the loss of divalent cations associated with sediments transported by runoff waters, whereas the loss of monovalent ions (sodium) was linked with a leaching process. The losses of sediment, divalent cations, OM, NK, and P Bray were more marked in soils with a higher position in the landscape and higher slope. On the other side, CoAoMo showed the lowest sediments loss, OM, and NKj due to its high sodium concentration that decreases sediment detachment during the runoff processes. However, CoAoMo, which presented the highest TRP into runoff waters, would be the product of exogenous contamination. Sediments were enriched in fine materials, OM (EF: 1.16–1.32) and NK (EF: 1.31–1.69).

Conclusion

According to these results, the particulate fraction represents the major proportion of nutrients in the runoff waters. Non-conservative management of these soils could conduct to a loss of plant cover that became them susceptible to intense erosion .

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Availability of data and materials

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

Abbreviations

Co-Ao-Mo:

Alkaline complex of the alluvial plane of Morales stream

EC:

Electrical conductivity

OM:

Organic matter

OC:

Dissolved organic carbon

POC:

Particulate organic carbon

P Bray:

Phosphorus extractable

NKj:

Nitrogen Kjeldahl

TRP:

Total reactive phosphorus

EF:

Enrichment factor

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Funding

This study was funded by the National Science and Technology Agency (ANPCyT) and the University of Buenos Aires through the PICT-2012–2837 and UBACyTAG548 and UBACyT GEF 282.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cátedra de Química Analítica, Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Marcelo De Siervi, Silvana Arreghini & Alicia Fabrizio de Iorio

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  1. Marcelo De Siervi
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  2. Silvana Arreghini
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  3. Alicia Fabrizio de Iorio
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Contributions

All the authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Marcelo Silvano De Siervi, Silvana Arreghini, and Alicia Rosa Fabrizio de Iorio. The first draft of the manuscript was written collectively by all the authors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Marcelo De Siervi.

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De Siervi, M., Arreghini, S. & de Iorio, A.F. Losses of sediment, organic matter, and nutrients in the Argentinean Pampas through rainfall simulation experiments. J Soils Sediments 22, 2485–2498 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03243-7

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