Nitrate leaching and NH3 volatilization during soil reclamation in the Yellow River Delta, China

The agricultural ecological system is an important part of the Yellow River Delta (YRD); however, soil reclamation may trigger environmental concerns about nitrate leaching and NH3 volatilization in this area. To assess nitrogen losses during soil reclamation, a two-year field experiment was conducted with plastic film mulch, which is an effective way to alleviate water-salt stress. The Hydrus-2D software package was used to calculate nitrogen transport, transformation and losses. The results showed that nitrogen (N) retention in the soil varied during the two growing seasons, because soil water, salinity and climatic conditions acted together on nitrogen transport and transformation. Soil salinity promoted NH3 volatilization, and the proportions of ammonia volatilization were 22.78 percent and 19.50 percent of the N input in 2018 and 2019, respectively, because urea hydrolysis, nitrification and soil NH4+-N adsorption capacity were limited by soil salt. NO3−-N leaching was controlled by soil water infiltration, climatic conditions and groundwater level. NO3−-N leaching was 43.84 percent and 32.89 percent of the nitrogen input in 2018 and 2019, respectively; the difference was mainly caused by the different distribution of rainfall during the growing season; thus, soil water infiltration increased under heavy rainfall because it broke the barrier formed by the plough pan. This study indicates that there is a risk of nitrogen pollution during soil reclamation. In addition, Hydrus-2D has considerable potential to calculate nitrogen losses under the effect of plastic film mulch in this area. [Display omitted] •Hydrus-2D was successfully used in the Yellow River Delta.•Soil salinity contributed to ammonia volatilization.•Heavy rainfall caused a high risk of NO3−-N leaching.•Nitrogen losses from farmland contributed to N pollution in this area. Hydrus-2D successfully calculated the risk of nitrogen pollution under the effect of plastic film mulch systems in the Yellow River Delta, China.