Cropping system shifts enhanced nutrient yields under changing daily hydrological processes in a coastal watershed of Eastern China

Abstract

AbstractAgricultural cropping systems in coastal areas of China have experienced significant shifts, and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses via surface runoff from fields have considerably increased. However, it is unclear how changes in cropping systems coupled with rainfall‐runoff affect nutrient losses in coastal areas. In this study, in‐situ daily rainfall‐runoff events in agricultural fields in the Dagu River watershed (a coastal area of Shandong Province, Southeastern China) were observed and the dissolved nutrient losses measured. The fields comprised three cropping systems—wheat‐maize rotation (W‐M), vegetable‐maize rotation (V‐M) and vegetable‐vegetable rotation (V‐V). The runoff yields of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) in V‐V (10.4 ± 0.8 kg N ha−1 year−1 and 3.90 ± 0.1 kg P ha−1 year−1) and V‐M (6.52 ± 0.31 kg N ha−1 yr−1 and 2.12 ± 0.08 kg P ha−1 year−1) were significantly higher than those in W‐M (1.51 ± 0.15 kg N ha−1 year−1 and 0.84 ± 0.08 kg P ha−1 year−1), and the nutrient export coefficients were 291–1271 and 146–489 kg ha−1 year−1 m runoff−1 for TDN and TDP, respectively. Remarkable shifts in cropping systems coupled with varied rainfall‐runoff are dominant factors responsible for agricultural nutrient losses. TDN and TDP losses would increase by 70.0% and 59.8%, respectively, if the watershed traditional cropping system of W‐M is completely replaced by V‐V. The TDN and TDP losses would increase by 36.36%–46.97% under the SSP2‐4.5 and SSP5‐8.5 climate scenarios until 2100 with a 50% of the watershed area of traditional agricultural plantation converted to modern plantation. This study can enhance our understanding of the effects of cropping system changes coupled with varied rainfall‐runoff on nutrient losses in coastal areas of China.