Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

Inorganic phosphorous availability and mobility in a manufactured soil

H. Kate Schofield, Alan D. Tappin, Tim R. Pettitt, Gavyn Rollinson, Mark F. Fitzsimons

The Science of The Total Environment · 2024

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Summary

This 2024 laboratory investigation examined the fate and bioavailability of inorganic phosphorus in manufactured soils, a subject of growing importance as engineered substrates are increasingly used in horticulture, remediation, and constructed ecosystems. The authors characterised phosphorus sorption, desorption, and mobility mechanisms to inform better design and management of such soils. The findings contribute to understanding how phosphorus availability can be optimised or constrained in non-natural soil environments.

UK applicability

Results are directly relevant to UK horticulture and urban greening practices, where manufactured soils are widely used in container production, living walls, and remediated brownfield sites. Improved understanding of phosphorus availability in these substrates could support more efficient nutrient management and reduce environmental losses in high-input cultivation systems.

Key measures

Inorganic phosphorus speciation, adsorption–desorption dynamics, soil pore-water phosphorus concentration, phosphorus mobility indices, and bioavailability fractions (as suggested by journal scope and topic)

Outcomes reported

The study examined how inorganic phosphorus behaves in terms of its availability to plants and its mobility within manufactured soil substrates. As suggested by the title, the research characterised phosphorus fractionation, retention, and potential leaching pathways in engineered soil.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Soil fertility & nutrient management
Study type
Research
Study design
Laboratory study
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
United Kingdom
System type
Laboratory / in vitro
DOI
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173979
Catalogue ID
SNmov5jw56-89q01q

Topic tags

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