Elsevier Masson, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 1-3(129), p. 340-343
DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2008.09.005
Full text: Download
Continuous land application of biosolids in a beneficial-use program changes trace-element availability to plants over time. Consequently, what regression model, if any, could best predict wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain concentrations in a biosolids-amended dryland agroecosystem? We calculated paraboloid, linear, quadratic, and exponential-rise-to-a maximum equations for grain Ba, Cd, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, and Zn concentration versus number of biosolids applications and/or soil NH₄HCO₃-dithethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (AB-DTPA) extract concentrations for two sites that had each received six applications of Littleton/Englewood, CO, USA Wastewater Treatment Facility biosolids. The paraboloid-regression models were superior (higher R ² values, lower S.E. of the estimate) to other models. Soils classified the same as the Weld soil (used in this study) at the family level (fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Argiustolls) encompass 25 soil series in 10 US states with an aerial extent of 2.3x10⁶ ha. The paraboloid-regression model approach probably would be applicable to these similarly classified soils.