Selenium cycling through agricultural grasslands in the UK: budgeting the role of the atmosphere

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 1991-04, Vol.103 (1), p.89-111
• Main Authors: Haygarth, P.M., Jones, K.C., Harrison, A.F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; CICLO BIOGEOQUIMICO; CYCLE BIOGEOCHIMIQUE; CYCLING; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; GRASSLANDS; HERBAGE; OLIGOELEMENT; OLIGOELEMENTOS; PRADERAS; REINO UNIDO; ROYAUME UNI; SELENIO; SELENIUM; TRACE ELEMENTS; UNITED KINGDOM
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/0048-9697(91)90355-I

Two idealised Se budget scenarios have been generated to assess the role of atmospheric cycling on the Se status of UK agricultural grasslands. Based on a thorough literature review, the budgets demonstrate that varying the factors for losses by volatilisation from plants and soils or inputs by deposition may significantly affect the net balance of a grassland. The contribution of wet, dry, vapour and particulate deposition inputs to the soil-herbage system are assessed and are thought to be dominated by a soluble form in wet deposition. The total input is calculated to be typically in the range 0.2–0.7 mg m −2 year −1. Volatile losses from the soil are difficult to derive accurately, but are estimated to range between 0.1 and 10 mg m −2 year −1. The budget suggests there is a net input of Se to herbage from the atmosphere, even in remote/rural locations, where inputs are generally low. The implications for the availability of Se to plants and grazing livestock are briefly considered.