Soil Phosphorus Transport in Response to Climate Change at Mid-High Latitudes Under Intensive Agriculture

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is an important soil element for sustaining plant growth and the integrity of terrestrial ecosystems, and the soil P cycle is strongly influenced by climate change and agricultural activities. However, little is known about how soil P has evolved with climate change and intensive agriculture at mid-high latitudes, where the soil P cycle is sensitive to climate change. To answer this question, an ecohydrological model (EcoHAT-P) driven by remote sensing data was used in this study to calculate soil P concentration and loss and was calibrated and validated using 272 soil samples collected in the Sanjiang Plain, a typical mid-high latitude region with a long history of strong agricultural activity. Soil P concentration and loss, and plant uptake of soil P, were analyzed for the years 2000–2019 and 2020–2040. The results showed that soil total P, soil P loss, and plant P uptake all increased under intensive agriculture. The soil P cycle at mid-high latitudes was more sensitive to temperature than to precipitation. Increased temperature would increase soil P loss and plant P uptake by 93.94% and 8.16%, respectively, and soil legacy P from intensive agriculture would become the main source even if external P inputs were eliminated. The results highlight the evolution of soil P transport at mid-high latitudes and clarify the response of soil P cycle to climate change under intensive agriculture.