Information
Plot-scale runoff and nutrients and sediment under varying management regimes on a banana and cane farm in the wet tropics Queensland (Faithful et al., 2007)
Level 1 General description
Purpose:
The study monitored physicochemical parameters, nutrient and sediment loss in banana crop lands to assess water quality at the paddock scale.
Methods (brief)
The study was undertaken in the Tully River region. The slope of the watershed and cropping zone ranged between 5 and 40%, though was on average approximately 20%. The watershed of the cropping zone was estimated to be 1.5 hectares. Land use comprised of one complete banana plot and small proportions of three other banana plots. A crump weir monitored discharge from the paddock over the monitoring period.
Key findings (brief)
Table 1: Total runoff (event volume), erosion and water quality sampled from two events in 2005/06 wet season and a single wet season event April/May 2003. Average wet season rainfall 3057 mm.
|
Event |
Slope length (m) |
Slope (%) |
Event volume (ML) |
Soil loss (TSS) (kg/ha) |
Nitrogen loss (kg/ha) |
Phosphorus loss (kg/ha) |
|
2003 |
n.d |
~20 |
5.435 |
95.6 |
6.97 |
0.61 |
|
2005/06 |
n.d |
~20 |
4.874 |
263 |
4.54 |
1.63 |
Location
Tully river region, Banana Farm number: 2148, North Queensland
Related studies
Prove B, Moody P, Reghenzani J. 1995. Nutrient balance and transport from agricultural and rainforest lands; a case study in the Johnstone River Catchment. Nb report, Project No. DAQ3S.
Armour J.D, rasiah V, Whiteing T, Brodie J, Cogle A.L. 2006. Nitrogen loss in sub-surface drainage from bananas in tropical north Queensland.