The phosphorus content in the run-off from the coastal catchment of the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary and its associations with land characteristics

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1999

Journal Title

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

Keywords

Western Australia; Eutrophication; Land use; Soil type; Phosphorus pollution

Disciplines

Agriculture | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Environmental Monitoring | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Water Resource Management

Abstract

A number of subcatchments of the Peel–Harvey catchment in Western Australia were monitored to assess the influence of soils and land use on the phosphorus discharge into the estuary. Phosphorus has been identified as the element stimulating the proliferation of algal blooms. Therefore, an understanding of the interactions of soil type and land use on phosphorus discharge are needed to derive management strategies. Several parameters were shown to be related to phosphorus discharge. Most of these were found to be unsuitable for prediction because of the low regression coefficients. The area closest to the drainage system had an influence on the concentration of phosphorus discharged and the presence of native vegetation was related to lower phosphorus discharge.

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