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Estimation of long-term Ca2+ loss through outlet flow from an agricultural watershed and the influencing factors

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Abstract

Soil Ca2+ loss from agricultural lands through surface runoff can accelerate soil acidification and render soil degradation, but the characteristics of Ca2+ loss and influencing factors in watershed scale are unclear. This study was carried out in a watershed with various land uses in a subtropical region of China. The outlet flow was automatically monitored every 5 min all year round, and the water samples were collected twice a year from 2001 to 2011. The concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) of water samples were measured. The dynamic losses of the nutrients through the outlet flow were estimated, and the relationships between the nutrient losses and rainfall intensity as well as antecedent soil moisture were investigated. The results showed that great variations of nutrient concentrations and losses appeared during the investigation period. The average concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, TN, and TP were 0.43, 0.08, 0.10, 0.19, and 0.003 mmol L−1, respectively. The average Ca2+ loss reached 1493.79 mol ha−1 year−1 and was several times higher than for Mg2+, K+, and TN, about 140 times higher than for TP. Rainfall intensity had remarkable effects on Ca2+ concentration (P < 0.01) and loss (P < 0.05) when it reached rainstorm level (50 mm day−1), while a quadratic relationship was observed between antecedent soil moisture and Ca2+ concentration only when rainfall intensity was less than 50 mm day−1. In a word, much greater amounts of Ca2+ were lost from the watershed, and this may be one important contributor to the increasing acidification of acidic soils in subtropical regions.

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Acknowledgments

We greatly appreciate comments from the reviewers. This study was financially supported by National Key Technology Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China no. 2014BAD14B01 and International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China no. 2015DFA90450.

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Correspondence to Wenxue Wei.

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Zhang, W., Yin, C., Chen, C. et al. Estimation of long-term Ca2+ loss through outlet flow from an agricultural watershed and the influencing factors. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 10911–10921 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6145-z

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