Effect of Temperature on Solute Concentration in Soil Leachates from a Golf Course

Best management practices at a golf course enhance the quality of the turf and the grounds. Soil physical and chemical properties determine the fate and concentration of solutes including ions and minerals, which are diffused throughout the soil and are dissolved in soil solution. Other factors such as temperature and the duration. of soil saturation may also contribute to fluctuating concentrations of solutes present in the soil solution. Soil samples at different temperatures were collected from Bridgeview Golf Course located in Columbus, Ohio, and then were saturated with distilled water. Soil samples were then subject to free drainage, and the Leachate was analyzed in order to determine the solute concentration. The preliliminary results indicated a higher concentration of ferrous iron and nitrate, and a lower concentration of Copper in soil samples exposed to lower temperatures ( 3 degree Celsius versus 25 degree Celsius). Further seasonal sampling and analysis continues in order to establish an index of solute availability in the leachate. .