Transport and fate of nitrate within soil units of glacial origin

Nitrate Transport in the Unsaturated Zone

“…The active fields were continuously farmed, and the fields received an annual application of synthetic fertilizers or manure. The soils within the SBZ have maintained consistent levels of NO3 --N, albeit a magnitude lower in concentration than in the corn field soils analyzed by Moore and Peterson (2007). Prior to the growing season, the median NO3 --N concentration measured (Table 1) were similar to the median NO3 --N concentration observed by Sanks et al (2015).…”

“…Generally, the NO3 --N concentration observed in the soil within the SBZ was lower than NO3 --N observed in active agricultural fields located around the study area. Moore and Peterson (2007) observed nitrate concentration up to a magnitude higher within active soybean and corn fields in central Illinois. At depths of 30 cm within the soils underlying the soybean fields, the nitrate levels ranged from 0.01 to 0.2 g/kg, while in the soils growing corn, the levels ranged from 0.02 to 0.05 g/kg.…”

Helianthus maximiliani and species fine‐scale spatial pattern affect diversity interactions in reconstructed tallgrass prairies

“…Anecdotally, these annual sunflowers are known to forage for nitrogen leached beyond the typical crop root zone and are planted to recover “lost” nitrogen in agricultural systems. What limited research exists supports this assertion (Canadell et al, ; Corbeels, Hofman, & Cleemput, ; López‐Bellido, López‐Bellido, Castillo, & López‐Bellido, ; Moore & Peterson, ). Interestingly, in a North Dakota, USA row crop species rotation study, annual sunflower was the only nonlegume whose residue enhanced subsequent crops (Krupinsky et al, ), an effect potentially related to higher leaf nutrient content (Fässler et al, ).…”

“…Anecdotally, these annual sunflowers are known to forage for nitrogen leached beyond the typical crop root zone and are planted to recover "lost" nitrogen in agricultural systems. What limited research exists supports this assertion (Canadell et al, 1996;Corbeels, Hofman, & Cleemput, 1998;López-Bellido, López-Bellido, Castillo, & López-Bellido, 2003;Moore & Peterson, 2007). Interestingly, in a North…”