AGRICULTURAL PHOSPHORUS AND EUTROPHICATION - A SYMPOSIUM OVERVIEW

Phosphorus in runoff from agricultural land is an important component of nonpoint-source pollution and can accelerate eutrophication of lake s and streams, Long-term land application of P as fertilizer and anima l wastes has resulted in elevated levels of soil P in many locations i n the USA, Problems with soils high in P are often aggravated by the p roximity of many of these areas to P-sensitive water bodies, such as t he Great Lakes, Chesapeake and Delaware Bags, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades, This paper provides a brief overview of the issues and op tions related to management of agricultural P that were discussed at a special symposium titled, ''Agricultural Phosphorus and Eutrophicatio n,'' held at the November 1996 American Society of Agronomy annual mee tings, Topics discussed at the symposium and reviewed here included th e role off in eutrophication; identification of P-sensitive water bodi es; P transport mechanisms, chemical forms and fate of P; identificati on of P source areas; modeling of P transport; water quality criteria; and management of soil and manure P, off-farm P inputs, and P transpo rt processes.