Available and total phosphorus background levels in soils: a calcareous and semi-arid region

It is critical to understand the risk of element pollution in soils by evaluating their background levels. Phosphorus (P) content in agricultural soils needs to be assessed from agronomic and environmental standpoints. The current study intended to calculate the background levels of available and total P in soils. To achieve this goal, 50 sites without human activities were selected. Soils were sampled from the surface and subsurface of each site (100 soil samples). The available P forms in soils were extracted using the water-extractable P (WEP), calcium chloride-extractable P (CCEP), and Olsen-extractable P (OEP) methods. The first two extractants are being used to evaluate P leaching from soils, while the last one is being used as an agronomic indicator. The methods used to calculate background levels were the iterative 2-δ technique (2-δ) and the calculated distribution function (CDF). Results showed that the upper limits of background levels using 2-δ method were 1.45, 0.92, 8.12, and 424.4 mg kg−1 for WEP, CCEP, OEP, and total P, respectively. Also, the upper limits of background levels using CDF method were 1.42, 1.15, 12.09, and 447.6 mg kg−1, for WEP, CCEP, OEP, and total P, respectively. It can be concluded that using these background levels, which for the first time were calculated for P, would enable us to have an accurate examination of P excess as a result of human activities.