Unraveling spatial heterogeneity of soil legacy phosphorus in subtropical grasslands

Soil legacy phosphorus and loss risk in subtropical grasslands

The accumulation of soil legacy phosphorus (P) due to past fertilization practices poses a persistent challenge for agroecosystem management and water quality conservation. This study investigates the spatial distribution and risk assessment of soil legacy P in subtropical grasslands managed for cow-calf operations in Florida, with two pasture types along the intensity gradient: improved vs semi-native pastures. Soil samples from 1438 locations revealed substantial spatial variation in soil legacy P, with total P concentrations ranging from 11.46 to 619.54 mg/kg and Mehlich-1 P concentrations spanning 0.2-187.27 mg/kg. Our analyses revealed that most of the sites in semi-native pastures may function as P sinks by exhibiting positive Soil P Storage Capacity (SPSC) values, despite having high levels of soil total P. These locales of higher SPSC values were associated with high levels of aluminum, iron, and organic matter that can adsorb P. In addition, our results from spatial random forest modelling demonstrated that factors including elevation, soil organic matter, available water storage, pasture type, soil pH, and soil order are important to explain and predict spatial variations in SPSC. Incorporating SPSC into the Phosphorus Index (PI) spatial assessment, we further determined that only 3% of the study area was considered as high or very high PI categories indicative of a significant risk for P loss. Our evaluation of SPSC and PI underscores the complexity inherent in P dynamics, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to assessing P loss risk. Insights from this work not only help optimize agronomic practices but also promote sustainable land management, thus ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of grass-dominated agroecosystems.