Field Assessment of Phosphorous Dynamics in Coal Mine Soils Reclaimed with Poultry Manure and Paper Mill Sludge.

Phosphorous is a major contributor to water pollution in the Mid-Atlantic region, partly due to excess manure created by intensive animal production.  In this same region, extensive coal mining has severely degraded mined land and impaired streams.  Excess manure could be used for mine reclamation, but the large application rates required for successful revegetation could result in significant phosphorous discharge.  To study the phosphorous dynamics of using poultry layer manure, a reclamation study was established on a surface coal mine in eastern Pennsylvania in April 2006.  Treatments include a lime and fertilizer control (196 kg P ha^-1 added), two rates of composted poultry manure (1051 and 2102 kg P ha^-1 added), and two blends of fresh poultry manure (1051 kg P ha^-1 added) mixed with paper mill sludge to achieve C:N ratios of 20:1 and 30:1.  Fertilizer addition increased Mehlich-3 extractable P to 120 mg kg^-1 in the control treatment while organic treatments increased soil P 4 to 5 times that of the control.  Despite the large increase in soil test P, P leached remained low at 1 to 2 kg ha^-1 during the first two years.  The greatest P losses were seen in the first year, with a large decrease between the first and second year.  Our results suggest that these amendments effectively control P loss even with large application rates necessary for successful reclamation.  Consequently, P loss via leachate is not a concern when using poultry manure and a high C material for mine reclamation.