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ARS Home » Plains Area » Temple, Texas » Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #343935
Research Project: Resilient Management Systems and Decision Support Tools to Optimize Agricultural Production and Watershed Responses from Field to National Scale

Location: Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory

Title: Transforming soil phosphorus fertility management strategies to support the delivery of multiple ecosystem services from agricultural systems

Author
item MACINTOSH, KATRINA - Queen'S University - Ireland
item DOODY, DONNACHA - Agri-Food And Biosciences Institute
item WITHERS, PAUL - Bangor University
item MCDOWELL, RICHARD - Agresearch
item Smith, Douglas
item JOHNSON, LAURA - Heidelberg University, Ohio
item BRUULSEMA, TOM - University Of Guelph
item O'FLAHERTY, VINCENT - National University Of Ireland
item MCGRATH, JOHN - Queen'S University - Ireland

Submitted to: Science of the Total Environment
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2018
Publication Date: 2/1/2019
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/6114634
Citation: Macintosh, K.A., Doody, D.G., Withers, P.J., McDowell, R.W., Smith, D.R., Johnson, L.T., Bruulsema, T.W., O'Flaherty, V., McGrath, J.W. 2019. Transforming soil phosphorus fertility management strategies to support the delivery of multiple ecosystem services from agricultural systems. Science of the Total Environment. 649:90-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.272.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.272

Interpretive Summary: In recent years, practitioners have emphasized holistic phosphorus management, however current nutrient management advice delivered to farmers has focused almost exclusively on agronomic productivity. This limits our ability to address national and international strategies for delivery of multiple ecosystem services (such as protecting water quality or encouraging biodiversity), because there is currently no mechanism to quantify and value the delivery of ecosystem services. In this paper, we make the case that soil test phosphorus concentrations could be used as a proxy, whereby different ecosystem services can be evaluated and traded against each other at spatial scales relevant for farmer and national policy objectives. The establishment of such a mechanism allows for the integration and interaction of different stakeholder interests in ecosystem service delivers on farms and in the wider landscape.

Technical Abstract: Despite greater emphasis on holistic phosphorus (P) management, current nutrient management advice delivered at farm scale focuses almost exclusively on agricultural production. This limits our ability to address national and international strategies for delivery of multiple ecosystem services (ES), because there is currently no mechanism to quantify and value ES delivery, and trade-off the costs of potentially sacrificing crop yield. As soil P fertility has a central role in ES delivery, we argue that soil test phosphorus (STP) concentration could be used as a proxy by which different ES can be assessed and traded against one another at spatial scales relevant for farmer and national policy objectives. The establishment of such a mechanism allows for the integration and interaction of different stakeholder interests in ES delivery on farms and in the wider landscape.