Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334

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Geoderma
j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s e v i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / g e o d e r m a

Influence of two organic amendments on the soil physical properties, soil losses,
sediments and runoff water quality
M. Tejada a,⁎, J.L. Gonzalez b
a
Departamento de Cristalografía, Mineralogía y Química Agrícola, E.U.I.T.A. Universidad de Sevilla, Crta de Utrera km. 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
b
Departamento de Química Agrícola y Edafología, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio C-3, Crta N-IV-a, km. 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Article history: Organic soil amendments are increasingly being examined for their potential use in preventing soil losses.
Received 24 September 2007 The influence of two organic wastes (cotton gin crushed compost, CC, and poultry manure, PM) applied
Received in revised form 28 January 2008 during a period of four years on a Xerollic Calciorthid under dryland conditions near to Seville
Accepted 31 March 2008
(Guadalquivir Valley, Andalusia, Spain) on soil physical properties (structural instability and bulk density),
Available online 21 May 2008
soil loss (at 60 and 140 mm h− 1, respectively) and nutrient losses (organic carbon, NO−3–N, NH+4–N, P and K)
Keywords:
in runoff water with the intention of observing possible eutrophication risks in waters, and sediments were
Crushed cotton gin compost studied. CC and PM were applied annually at rates of 3560 and 7120 kg organic matter ha− 1 yr− 1,
Poultry manure respectively. Both organic wastes reduce aggregate instability, bulk density and soil loss. In detail and
Soil erosion compared with the control soil (no organic treatment), CC and PM at the higher dose reduced aggregate
Runoff water quality instability by 21% and 17.8%, respectively, bulk density by 19.6% and 16.9%, respectively, and soil loss under
simulated rain at 140 mm h− 1 by 29.2% and 25%, respectively. Nutrient losses in the runoff water and
sediments were higher in organic-amended soils than in the control soil, particularly in the case of the PM-
amended soils. The lower N/P ratios in runoff water produced by CC and PM treatments suggest a lower
eutrophication risk in water. The variability in these results may be due to the different chemical natures of
the wastes added to soil.
© 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Soil erosion is of great environmental concern since it leads to
decline in soil fertility and the sedimentation of reservoirs (Bruce et
al., 1995). Soils of the Mediterranean area are commonly characterized
by a low organic matter content and are exposed to degradation,
erosion and desertification. For this reason, in recent years the
application of organic wastes, such as sewage sludge (Albiach et al.,
2001; Tejada and Gonzalez, 2007), crop residues (De Neve and
Hofman, 2000; Trinsoutrot et al., 2000), compost (Sikora and Enkiri,
1999; Tejada and Gonzalez, 2007), byproducts with a high organic
matter content (Tejada and Gonzalez, 2004, 2007), etc. to soils has
become increasingly common in an attempt to maintain the soil's
organic matter, to reclaim degraded soils and to supply plant
materials.
Several authors have shown the importance of the soil organic
matter content in soil susceptibility to erosion (Barthès et al., 1999;
Auerswald et al., 2003; Tejada and Gonzalez, 2007), underlining how
an increase in soil organic matter content entails a decrease in soil
⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +34954486469; fax: +34954486436.
E-mail address: mtmoral@us.es (M. Tejada).
loss. However, the influence of organic matter on soil properties and
soil loss depends upon the type, amount, size and dominant
components of the added organic materials (Tejada and Gonzalez,
2006, 2007).
Soil erosion by water is a selective process that generally
removes soil components having smallest size and lowest density
(Lal, 1995). Consequently, sediments are usually enriched in fine silt
and clay-sized particles containing the most stable soil organic
carbon forms in soil because of the physical protection afforded
inside soil aggregates (Golchin et al., 1998; Kay, 1998). Moreover, a
significant part of carbon removed from soils by erosive processes
has been found to be dissolved in runoff water (dissolved soil
organic carbon).
In recent years, soil erosion has been extensively studied using
rainfall simulators. Portable rainfall equipment used on small plots
gives sufficient flexibility to study a variety of processes (e.g.
infiltration, irrigation, interrill erosion and water quality) in different
soils and slopes and in a variety of land uses (Sharpley et al., 1999; De
Lima et al., 2002). In addition, such equipment can be used to collect
data in a relatively short period, providing maximum control over
conditions and rainfall characteristics (Willcox et al., 1986).
The objectives of this work were (1) to study soil physical
properties (structural instability and bulk density) and soil loss, and

0016-7061/$ – see front matter © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2008.03.020
326 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334

(2) to determine losses in soil organic carbon and macronutrients Table 2

(NO−3–N, NH+4–N, P and K) in runoff water with the intention of Organic wastes features (data are the means of five samples)

observing possible eutrophication risks in waters, and sediments, CC PM

using a rainfall simulator on a soil amended with a cotton gin crushed pH (H2O) 7.0 (0.1) 7.1 (0.1)
compost and poultry manure during a four year period. Organic matter (g kg− 1) 356 (2.8) 614 (26)
Humic acid-C (g kg− 1) 89.8 (3.9) 21.4 (2.5)
Fulvic acid-C (g kg− 1) 0.96 (0.08) 57.8 (0.2)
2. Materials and methods
Total N (g kg− 1) 13.2 (0.3) 40.8 (0.9)
C/N ratio 15.8 (5.4) 8.7 (1.6)
2.1. Site features and properties of the organic wastes P (g kg− 1) 6.3 (1.1) 17.4 (1.9)
Ca (mg kg− 1) 275 (32) 549 (28)
The study was conducted from October 2001 to October 2004 near Mg (mg kg− 1) 30 (2) 53 (4)
K (g kg− 1) 54 (9) 21.2 (3)
Seville (Guadalquivir Valley, Andalusia, Spain) on a Xerollic Calciorthid Fe (mg kg− 1) 3.9 (0.7) 180 (22)
soil (Soil Survey Staff, 1987) with a 2% slope. The general properties of Cu (mg kg− 1) 0.1 (0.02) 1.6 (0.3)
the soil (0–25 cm) are shown in Table 1. Mn (mg kg− 1) 0.6 (0.03) 4.2 (0.9)
The total annual rainfall for the study area was 581, 542, 674 and Zn (mg kg− 1) 0.5 (0.02) 3.3 (0.8)
322 mm and the mean air temperature was 20.3, 19.8, 19.8 and 18.9 °C Standard error is reported in parentheses.
for 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively. These values are typical
of a Mediterranean climate.
The organic wastes applied were a crushed cotton gin compost
(CC) and poultry manure (PM). Their general properties are reported size was 9 m × 9 m, and the treatments were the following: (1) Control
in Table 2. The organic matter content was determined by the dry soil, no organic amendment; (2) CC1, fertilized with 10 t ha− 1 yr− 1 of
combustion method (MAPA, 1986). To determine humic and fulvic CC (3560 kg organic matter ha− 1 yr− 1, fresh matter); (3) CC2, fertilized
acid-C-like, organic wastes were extracted with a mixture of 0.1 M with 20 t ha− 1 yr− 1 of CC (7120 kg organic matter ha− 1 yr− 1, fresh
sodium pyrophosphate and 0.1 M sodium hydroxide at pH 13 matter); (4) PM1, fertilized with 5.798 t ha− 1 yr− 1 of PM (3560 kg
(Kononova, 1966). The supernatant was acidified to pH 2 with HCl organic matter ha− 1 yr− 1, fresh matter); and (5) PM2, fertilized with
and allowed to stand for 24 h at room temperature. To separate 11.596 t ha− 1 yr− 1 of PM (7120 kg organic matter ha− 1 yr− 1, fresh
humic acid-like from fulvic acid-like, the solution was centrifuged matter).
and the precipitate containing humic acids was dissolved with CC and PM were applied to the soil surface in the same amounts on
sodium hydroxide (Yeomans and Bremner, 1988). After removal of 10 October 2001, 14 October 2002, 16 October 2003 and 11 October
the humic acids, the acidic filtrate containing the dissolved fulvic 2004, respectively, and incorporated to a depth of 25 cm by chisel
acid fraction was passed through a column of XAD-8 resin. The ploughing and disking the day after application. The organic waste
adsorbed fulvic acid-like was then recovered by elution with 0.1 M characteristics were the same during the experimental period. CC and
NaOH, desalted using Amberlyst 15-cation-exchange resin, and PM were stored at 0 °C after application in the first experimental year
finally freeze-dried. The carbon content of humic acid-like and (2001) to avoid mineralization.
fulvic acid-like was determined by the method described by Sims
and Haby (1971). Inorganic soluble P was determined by the 2.3. Soil sampling and analytical determinations
Willians and Stewart method, described by Guitian and Carballas
(1976) after nitric–perchloric acid digestion. Calcium, Mg, K, Fe, Cu, Soil samples (0–25 cm) were collected from each plot with a gauge
Mn and Zn were determined in the nitric–perchloric 1:1 digestion auger (30-mm diameter) on 13 October 2002, 15 October 2003, 10
extract, and Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn were measured by atomic October 2004 and 11 October 2005, respectively. After drying, soil
absorption spectrometry, and K was measured by atomic emission samples were ground, 2-mm sieved, and stored in sealed polyethylene
spectrometry. bags in a cool, dry place until analysis.
Soil pH was determined in distilled water with a glass electrode
2.2. Experimental layout and treatments (soil:H2O ratio 1:2.5). Soil electric conductivity was determined in
distilled water with a glass electrode (soil:H2O ratio 1:5). Soil texture
The experimental layout was in a randomized complete block was determined by the Robinson's pipette method (Soil Survey
design with five treatments and four replicates per treatment. The plot England and Wales, 1982) and dominant clay types were determined
by X-ray diffraction. Total CaCO3 was measured by estimating the
quantity of the CO2 produced by HCl addition to the soil (MAPA, 1986).
Table 1 Soil organic carbon was determined by oxidizing organic matter in soil
Initial soil characteristics (data are the means of five samples) samples with K2Cr2O7 in sulphuric acid (96%) for 30 min, and
measuring the concentration of Cr3+ formed (Sims and Haby, 1971).
pH (H2O) 7.7 (0.1)
EC (dS m− 1) 0.24 (0.05) Soil total N was determined by the Kjeldahl method (MAPA, 1986). Soil
Clay (g kg− 1) 312 (17) NO−3–N was extracted with 2 M KCl (250 ml) in an orbital shaker for
Silt (g kg− 1) 258 (24) 2 h. The suspension was filtered and stored at −15 °C until analysis.
Sand (g kg− 1) 430 (32) The concentration of NO−3–N in the extracts was determined by Griess
Texture Clay loam
Dominant clay types Illite, illite–montmorillonite (interstratified)
and Illosvay's colorimetric method as modified by Barnes and Tolkard
CaCO3 (g kg− 1) 349 (28) (1951) and Bremner (1965). The concentration of NH+4–N in the
Instability index (log 10Is) 1.52 (0.05) (slightly stable) extracts was determined by the colorimetric method of Kempers
Bulk density (Mg m− 3) 1.49 (0.03) (1974). Phosphorus was determined by the Willians and Stewart
Total N (g kg− 1) 0.9 (0.03)
method, described by Guitian and Carballas (1976). Potassium was
NO−3–N (mg kg− 1) 8.2 (0.4)
NH+4–N (mg kg− 1) 27.9 (1.2) determined by MAPA methods (1986).
Organic C (g kg− 1) 6.3 (0.09) Soil structural stability was determined by the Hénin and Monnier
P (mg kg− 1) 8.9 (0.3) method (1956). The aggregate size fraction b2 mm was used. The
K (g kg− 1) 542 (37) proportions (%, w/w) of stable Agg, Agga and Aggb aggregates
Standard error is reported in parentheses. (corresponding to untreated, alcohol-treated and benzene-treated
 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334
aggregates, respectively) were calculated, and the instability index, Is,
was obtained using the equation:
ðkb20 AmÞmax
Is ¼  
AggþAgga þAggb
3  0:9ðkCSÞ
where (% b20 μm)max indicates the largest proportion of suspended
particles b20 μm determined for the three samples treatments, and %
CS is the largest proportion of coarse sand (the fraction 0.2–2 mm)
forming part of the stable aggregates.
Structural stability (log 10 Is) was classified according to Baize
(1988) criteria: Very stable (b1.0), Stable (1.0–1.3), Slightly stable (1.3–
1.7), Unstable (1.7–2.0), Very unstable (N2.0).
Soil bulk density was determined by using the core method. Metal
cores of 6.1 cm length and 7.6 cm diameter were used for collecting
soil-core samples. The soil was weighed and dried at 105 °C for 48 h
and bulk density was determined by the ratio between soil dry weight
and the ring volume, according the official methods of the Spanish
Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA, 1986).
Soil loss was determined using the Guelph Rainfall Simulator (GRS-
II) (Tossell et al., 1987) (Fig. 1). Any soil lost was collected from bounded
1.0 × 1.0 plots within a wetted perimeter that extended approximately
0.5 m beyond the plot borders. Two simulated rainfall rates have been
used: low-intensity at 60 mm h− 1, using a 3/8 in. 20 W nozzle, at a
height of 1.2 m and pressure of 69 kPa, and high-intensity at 140
mm h− 1, using a 1/2 in. 30 W nozzle, at a height of 1.7 m and pressure of
40 kPa (Tossell et al., 1987). The volume of runoff at 60 min was
measured.
Soil loss was measured in each experimental plot on 13 October
2002, 15 October 2003, 10 October 2004 and 11 October 2005,
respectively, after eliminating plants from the soil surface. Imme-
diately after each simulated event, samples of runoff water were
Fig. 1. The GRS-II rainfall simulator.
327
collected in plastic bottles and the contents stirred to uniformly
suspend the solids and mix them with the water phase. The samples
were filtered through a filter of 0.45 µm pore size and then analyzed
for dissolved organic matter content (Sims and Haby, 1971), NO−3–N
(method of Griess and Illosvay, modified by Barnes and Tolkard,
1951; Bremner, 1965), NH+4–N (Kempers, 1974), P (Willians and
Stewart method, described by Guitian and Carballas, 1976) and K by
atomic emission spectrometry. The samples were then dried at
105 °C to determine the sediment mass, in which organic carbon,
NO−3–N, NH+4–N, P and K were determined by the methods described
above.
2.4. Statistical analysis
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed using the Stat-
graphics v. 5.0 software package (Statistical Graphics Corporation,
1991). The means were separated by Tukey's test, considering a
significance level of p b 0.05 throughout the study.
3. Results
3.1. Soil physical properties and soil loss
Fig. 2 shows the soil structural instability during the experi-
mental period. The control (no organic amendment) had the highest
values of soil structural instability; in the other treatments soil
structural instability decreased with increasing doses of the organic
amendments. Compared with the control soil, the CC1, CC2, PM1 and
PM2 treatments reduced soil structural instability by 14.5%, 21%,
13.8% and 17.8%, respectively. The statistical analyses showed
significant differences, especially at the end of the experimental
period.
328 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334

3.2. Nutrient losses in runoff water and sediments

Figs. 4–8 show the organic carbon and macronutrient losses in

runoff water and sediments for 60 and 140 mm h− 1 during the
experimental period. The results indicated that at the highest
intensity of rainfall simulation, organic carbon and macronutrients
losses were higher than for the lower intensity simulation, but were
particularly high in the soil amended with the high dose of PM. Thus,
the average values for the experimental period indicated that in
sediments organic carbon, NO−3–N, NH+4–N, P and K losses were 6.9%,
15.3%, 17.5%, 20.9% and 22.4% higher, respectively in the PM2
treatment than in the CC2 treatment at the lower intensity
simulation, while the differences were 10.5%, 17.6%, 33%, 52.9% and
28.3%, respectively, at higher intensity simulation.
As regards the nutrient losses in runoff water, the dissolved organic
carbon content, NO−3–N, NH+4–N, P and K were 3.4%, 7.1%, 10.6%, 12.5%
and 12.2% higher, respectively, in PM2 treatment than for CC2
treatment at 60 mm h− 1, and 10.2%, 18.8%, 21.2%, 26.1% and 26.4%,
respectively, at 140 mm h− 1.
Since the nutrient losses in runoff water were higher in organic-
amended soils than in the control soil and with the intention of
observing possible eutrophication risks in waters, the inorganic-N
(NH+4–N + NO−3–N)/P, NH+4–N/P and NO−3–N/P ratios at 60 and 140 mm h− 1
respectively were calculated in CC and PM-amended soils (Fig. 9). The
results indicated that at the highest intensity simulation, the inorganic-
N/P, NH+4–N/P and NO−3–N /P ratios analyzed were higher for all
treatments than at the lower intensity simulation. Also, these ratios
were slightly higher in PM than in CC-amended soils. In this respect and
at the end of the experimental period, the inorganic-N/P, NH+4–N/P and

Fig. 2. Soil structural instability (a) and bulk density (b) in soils affected by application of
two organic wastes. Error bars represent the standard error of mean. NS, ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-
significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.

Soil bulk density decreased in the plots when organic

amendments were applied to soil, particularly in the plots amen-
ded with CC (Fig. 2). Compared with the control soil, the CC1, CC2,
PM1 and PM2 treatments reduced soil bulk density by 16.2%,
19.6%, 15.5% and 16.9%, respectively. Again, the statistical analyses
showed significant differences principally at the end of the
experiment.
Although the same amounts of organic matter (treatments CC1–
PM1, and treatments CC2–PM2) were added to the soil, the results
obtained for soil structural instability and soil bulk density differed
between treatments, probably because of the different chemical
nature of the wastes added (Table 2).
Fig. 3 shows the soil loss (kg ha− 1) for 60 and 140 mm h− 1
respectively, during the experimental period and for 60 min. The
results indicated that soil loss increased for all treatments at the
higher intensity simulation than at the lower intensity. All the organic
waste treatments reduced soil loss, especially in the plots amended
with the higher concentration of organic matter. However the CC
treatments were more effective than the PM treatments. At the lower
intensity of rainfall simulation, soil loss had decreased 19% and 22.6%
by the end of the experiment in the two CC-amended soils compared
with the control soil, whereas it decreased by 14.5% and 20.8%,
respectively, in the PM-amended soils. At the highest intensity
simulation, the corresponding decreases in soil loss were 24.4% and
29.2% in the CC-amended soils and 21.1% and 25% in the PM-amended
soils, again compared with the control soil. In addition, the statistical Fig. 3. Soil loss (kg ha− 1) at 60 mm h− 1 (a) and at 140 mm h− 1 (b) in soils affected by
analyses showed significant differences at the end of the experimental application of two organic wastes. Error bars represent the standard error of mean. NS,
period. ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.
 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334
Fig. 4. Organic carbon in sediments at 60 mm h− 1 (a) and 140 mm h− 1 (b) and runoff water at 60 mm h− 1 (c) and 140 mm h− 1 (d) in soils affected by application of two organic wastes.
Error bars represent the standard error of mean. NS, ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.
NO−3–N /P ratios were 1.6%, 1.7% and 1.2%, respectively, higher in PM2
than in the CC2 amended soils at 60 mm h− 1. At the highest intensity
simulation, the corresponding ratios were 6.3%, 13.1% and 7.4% higher in
PM2 than in the CC2 amended soils.
4. Discussion
4.1. Soil physical properties and soil loss
The results indicated that for CC and PM-amended soils, organic
matter decreases the soil structural instability. This increase was
especially evident for high doses of CC and at the end of the
experimental period. These results are in agreement with those of
Puget et al. (2000) and Tejada and Gonzalez (2004, 2006, 2007), who
found that a good soil structure was dependent on the content and
nature of organic matter which promotes flocculation of clay minerals,
the essential condition for the aggregation of soil particles. The
decrease in soil structural instability was especially evident in CC-
amended soils at the end of the experimental period and, according to
Tejada et al. (2006), this was probably due to the different chemical
compositions of the wastes used (e.g., different humic and fulvic acid-
like abundance).
Since humic acid-like are directly involved in clay–organic
complex formation and given that the aggregate stability is correlated
with the humic acid-like content rather than with fulvic acid-like one
the aggregates formed are more stable in CGCC than in PM-amended
soils (Piccolo and Mbagwu, 1990; Tejada and Gonzalez, 2006, 2007).
The divalent cation concentrations in organic wastes differ.
Reflecting our previous findings (Tejada and Gonzalez, 2006), the
higher Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations in CC than in PM increased the
329
structural stability. For this reason, the positive effect of organic
wastes on soil structure may be due to high concentrations of Ca2+
and humic acid-C. On the other hand, the higher concentration of
NH+4 in the runoff water and sediments in the PM-amended soils
suggests that the accumulation of NH+4 in PM is greater than for CC-
amended soils. According to Auerswald et al. (1996), this high
content of NH+4 in the soil can also have a negative effect on the soil
structure.
In addition, bulk density decreased as a result of the dilution of the
denser soil mineral fraction and soil aeration increased because of the
increase in soil porosity with the structural stability. This increase was
especially evident for the high dose of CC and at the end of the
experimental period, according to Kay et al. (1997) and Tejada and
Gonzalez (2006, 2007) and Tejada et al. (2006).
Soil loss during the experimental period decreased with increas-
ing amounts of organic wastes applied to the soil, in accordance with
the findings of Auerswald et al. (2003) and Tejada and Gonzalez
(2006, 2007). The results are in accord with the results for soil
structural stability. Aggregate structure is one of the soil properties
most significantly affected by erosion (Tejada and Gonzalez, 2007).
According to Tejada and Gonzalez (2007), the more stable aggregates
formed by the humic acid-like are less easily detached and
transported.
4.2. Nutrient losses in runoff water and sediments
The results indicate that rainfall characteristics had a marked
effect on dissolved organic carbon and macronutrients concentration
in runoff water. As expected, the high-intensity produced more
dissolved organic carbon and macronutrients than the low-intensity.
330 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334
Fig. 5. NO−3–N in sediments at 60 mm h− 1 (a) and 140 mm h− 1 (b) and runoff water at 60 mm h− 1 (c) and 140 mm h− 1 (d) in soils affected by application of two organic wastes. Error
bars represent the standard error of mean. NS, ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.
Also, the values of organic carbon and macronutrients analyzed in
runoff water were greater in PM and CC treatments than in the
control soil due to the contribution of important amounts of organic
matter.
The dissolved organic carbon and macronutrient concentrations
in runoff water were higher in PM than in CC-amended soils,
probably because of the more abundant labile fraction of organic
matter in the former. The labile fraction of organic matter is the most
degradable fraction and therefore the most susceptible to miner-
alization (Cook and Allan, 1992). This is why the macronutrient
concentration was higher in PM than in CC-amended soils, and why
the losses were higher in PM than in CC-amended soils.
NH+4–N was the main form of inorganic-N in the runoff water from
PM and CC treatments. These results are in agreement with those of
Rostagno and Sosebee (2001), who found that ammonium–N was
higher than nitrate–N in runoff water when different rates of biosolids
were applied to two soils from the Chihuahuan desert. In addition,
Martínez et al. (2003) found that NH+4–N levels were higher than
nitrate–N in runoff water when biosolids and composted organic
fraction of municipal solid waste were applied in a degraded semiarid
soil.
The highest values of NH+4–N appeared in the PM-amended soils,
probably due to the higher rate of organic matter mineralization. At
both intensities, the values obtained in PM and CC-amended soils
were well above the maximum recommended level for Spanish
legislation, RD 927/1988 (4 mg l− 1).
Although the concentrations of NO−3–N were higher in PM-
amended soils, values for runoff water were below the maximum
recommended level for Spanish legislation, RD 927/1988 (50 mg l− 1).
Also, the highest values of P that appear in PM-amended soils were
probably due to the more intense mineralization of organic matter. At
low-intensity, the values of runoff water were below the maximum
recommended level for Spanish legislation, RD 927/1988 (0.7 mg l− 1),
whereas at high-intensity the values were well above the maximum
recommended.
Quantifying P in runoff water is important because this element,
together with N, causes water eutrophication. In this respect, the N/P
ratio is more relevant to biological production than individual
amounts of each element (Pizzolon et al., 1999; Quiros et al., 2002;
Tejada and Gonzalez, 2005). Although the inorganic-N/P ratios that
reportedly cause eutrophication vary widely, values in the range of 5
to 60 are biologically productive. Some authors, however, shorten the
range to 5–15 for NO−3–N and 6.4–25 for NH+4–N. Our results were well
below the given ranges, which suggest a lower eutrophication risk to
surface water.
As for the other nutrients analyzed, the high-intensity simulated
rainfall produced more K compared with the low-intensity. The higher
values which appear in the PM-amended soils are probably due to the
higher rate of organic matter mineralization.
Finally, the results show that there is a relationship between
rainfall energy and the eroded C and macronutrient concentrations
found in sediments. The higher nutrient losses were observed in
organically amended soils than in the control soil, and were
substantially higher in PM than in CC-amended soils at the higher
organic matter dose applied. The higher sediment organic carbon and
macronutrient concentrations in PM rather than in CC-amended soil
may be ascribed to a larger labile fraction of organic matter most
degradable and most susceptible to mineralization. This would
 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334
Fig. 6. NH+4–N in sediments at 60 mm h− 1 (a) and 140 mm h− 1 (b) and runoff water at 60 mm h− 1 (c) and 140 mm h− 1 (d) in soils affected by application of two organic wastes. Error
bars represent the standard error of mean. NS, ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.
explain that the macronutrient concentrations losses were higher in
PM than in CC-amended soils.
5. Conclusions
The application of CC and PM at the doses studied under dry
climatic conditions improved soil physical properties and decreased
soil loss under simulated rain. However, the CC, with its higher humic
acid-like concentration, increased structural stability and decreased
soil loss to a greater extent than PM which had a higher fulvic acid-like
concentration. Organic matter and macronutrients in runoff water and
sediments were higher in PM than in CC-amended soils probably due
to the larger labile fraction of organic in PM. The lowest N/P ratios in
runoff water produced by both organic wastes suggest a lower
eutrophication risk in water.
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Fig. 7. P in sediments at 60 mm h− 1 (a) and 140 mm h− 1 (b) and runoff water at 60 mm h− 1 (c) and 140 mm h− 1 (d) in soils affected by application of two organic wastes. Error bars
represent the standard error of mean. NS, ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.
 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334 333

Fig. 8. K in sediments at 60 mm h− 1 (a) and 140 mm h− 1 (b) and runoff water at 60 mm h− 1 (c) and 140 mm h− 1 (d) in soils affected by application of two organic wastes. Error bars
represent the standard error of mean. NS, ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.
334 M. Tejada, J.L. Gonzalez / Geoderma 145 (2008) 325–334

Fig. 9. Inorganic-N/P ratio at 60 mm h− 1 (a) and 140 mm h− 1 (b), NH+4–N/P ratio at 60 mm h− 1 (c) and 140 mm h− 1 (d) and NO−3–N /P ratio at 60 mm h− 1 (e) and 140 mm h− 1 (f) in soils
affected by application of two organic wastes. Error bars represent the standard error of mean. NS, ⁎, ⁎⁎, ⁎⁎⁎, non-significant or significant at p b 0.05, 0.01 or 0.001, respectively.