Search Results (60)

The aim of the article is to highlight the increasing environmental burden on aquatic ecosystems in Slovakia due to continuous pollution from municipal, industrial and agricultural sources. Laboratory analyses have shown alarming exceedance of the limit values of contaminants, with nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻) reaching 5.8 mg/L compared to the set limit of 2.5 mg/L and phosphorus concentrations exceeding the permissible values by a factor of five, thereby escalating the risk of eutrophication and loss of ecological stability of the aquatic ecosystem. The accumulation of heavy metals is also a problem—lead (Pb) concentrations reach up to 9.7 μg/L, which exceeds the safe limit by a factor of ten. Despite the measures implemented, such as scum barriers, there is continuous contamination of the aquatic environment, with illegal waste dumps and uncontrolled runoff of agrochemicals playing a significant role. The research results underline the critical need for a more effective environmental policy and more rigorous monitoring of toxic substances in real time. These findings highlight not only the urgency of more effective environmental policy and stricter real-time monitoring of toxic substances, but also the necessity of integrating environmental logistics into the design of sustainable solutions. Logistical approaches including the optimization of waste collection, coordination of stakeholders and creation of infrastructural conditions can significantly contribute to reducing environmental burdens and ensure the continuity of environmental management in ecologically sensitive areas. Full article

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), an important forage and turfgrass species, can establish a mutualistic symbiosis with the fungal endophyte Epichloë festucae var. lolii. Although the physiological and ecological impacts of endophyte infection on ryegrass have been extensively investigated, the response of the soil microbial community and nitrogen-cycling gene to this relationship has received much less attention. The present study emphasized abundance and diversity variation in the AOB-amoA, nirK and nosZ functional genes in the rhizosphere soil of the endophyte–ryegrass symbiosis following litter addition. We sampled four times: at T₀ (prior to first litter addition), T₁ (post 120 d of 1st litter addition), T₂ (post 120 d of 2nd litter addition) and T₃ (post 120 d of 3rd litter addition) times. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) and PCR amplification and sequencing were used to characterize the abundance and diversity of the AOB-amoA, nirK and nosZ genes in rhizosphere soils of endophyte-infected (E+) plants and endophyte-free (E−) plants. A significant enhancement of total Phosphorus (P), Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), Ammonium ion (NH₄⁺) and Nitrate ion (NO₃⁻) contents in the rhizosphere soil was recorded in endophyte-infected plants at different sampling times compared to endophyte-free plants (p ≤ 0.05). The absolute abundance of the AOB-amoA gene at T₀ and T₁ times was higher, as was the absolute abundance of the nosZ gene at T₀, T₁ and T₃ times in the E+ plant rhizophere soils relative to E− plant rhizosphere soils. A significant change in relative abundance of the AOB-amoA and nosZ genes in the host rhizophere soils of endophyte-infected plants at T₁ and T₃ times was observed. The experiment failed to show any significant alteration in abundance and diversity of the nirK gene, and diversity of the AOB-amoA and nosZ genes. Analysis of the abundance and diversity of the nirK gene indicated that changes in soil properties accounted for approximately 70.38% of the variation along the first axis and 16.69% along the second axis, and soil NH₄⁺ (p = 0.002, 50.4%) and soil C/P ratio (p = 0.012, 15.8%) had a strong effect. The changes in community abundance and diversity of the AOB-amoA and nosZ genes were mainly related to soil pH, N/P ratio and NH₄⁺ content. The results demonstrate that the existence of tripartite interactions among the foliar endophyte E. festucae var. Lolii, L. perenne and soil nitrogen-cycling gene has important implications for reducing soil losses on N. Full article

Precision agriculture increasingly relies on real-time data from soil sensors to optimize irrigation and nutrient application. Soil moisture and electrical conductivity (EC) are key indicators in irrigation and fertigation systems, directly affecting water-use efficiency and nutrient delivery to crops. This study evaluates the performance of an IoT-based soil-monitoring system for real-time tracking of EC and soil moisture under varied fertigation conditions in both laboratory and field scenarios. The EC sensor showed strong agreement with laboratory YSI measurements (R² = 0.999), confirming its accuracy. Column experiments were conducted in three soil types (sand, sandy loam, and loamy sand) to assess the EC and soil moisture response to fertigation. Sand showed rapid infiltration and low retention, with EC peaking at 420 µS/cm and moisture 0.33 cm³/cm³, indicating high leaching risk. Sandy loam retained the most moisture (0.35 cm³/cm³) and showed the highest EC (550 µS/cm), while loamy sand exhibited intermediate behavior. Fertilizer-specific responses showed higher EC in Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN)-treated soils, while Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP) showed lower, more stable EC due to limited phosphorus mobility. Field validation confirmed that the IoT system effectively captured irrigation and fertigation events through synchronized EC and moisture peaks. These findings highlight the efficacy of IoT-based sensor networks for continuous, high-resolution soil monitoring and their potential to support precision fertigation strategies, enhancing nutrient-use efficiency while minimizing environmental losses. Full article

The postagrogenic transformation of landscapes is one of the key problems leading to a decrease in soil fertility in the territory of Northwest Russia. In order to assess the degree of land degradation, field studies of soils from fallow lands in the Leningrad Region were carried out. Different evolutionary trends of ontogenesis of soils with types of soil parent materials were revealed. At morphological and micromorphological levels, degradation processes of old-arable horizons were noted, including secondary podzolization and decreasing Ap horizon thickness. Using a CHN analyzer, the stock levels of soil organic carbon and nitrogen of the studied chronoseries were estimated. The data obtained show that the carbon stocks of old-arable soils are lower than the benchmark ones due to the weak development of the Oi horizon. Carbon dynamics varied substantially by parent materials: soils on silt–clay materials showed a low 7.1% carbon decrease, while soils on sandy and bottom sediments increased by 139% and 163%, respectively, in old-arable horizons by the accumulation of coarse forms of carbon. For nitrogen, it was revealed that the highest stocks are observed in old-ploughed soils, which is due to the input of a large amount of plant residues from small-leaved forests. The content of biogenic elements in the soil showed separate evolutionary direction depending on parent materials: soils on silt–clay materials showed 7.6% phosphorus depletion and 15% potassium loss over 15–30 years, while soils on sandy materials demonstrated 18% phosphorus loss and 114% potassium increase during 30–86 years of fallow state. On the contrary, the content of nitrate and ammonium forms of nitrogen was higher than in the benchmark zonal soils, with nitrate nitrogen increasing by 150 times on sandy parent materials and ammonium nitrogen increasing by 102% in soils formed on bottom sediments over 35–70 years, which is due to the transformation of grass and forest plant residues. The duration of transformation and regradation of soils of fallow land depends on geogenic and bioclimatic conditions that determine the direction and speed of changes. Full article

Field experiments spanning five years were conducted to convert barren mountainous land into apple orchards, testing five phosphorus (P) fertilization schemes: no inorganic P (NP0K), superphosphate (FP), water-soluble inorganic P (WSF), superphosphate with alkaline soil conditioner (SC), and superphosphate with grass interplanting (GC). Fertilizer solubility and soil pH were found to significantly impact P leaching and accumulation. Among the schemes, WSF exhibited the highest P leaching loss (3.65–3.87%), while SC (2.17–2.79%) and GC (2.79–3.25%) minimized such losses. As soil pH declined over time, aluminum P (Al-P) replaced calcium P (Ca-P) as the dominant inorganic P fraction, while occluded P (O-P) increased, resulting in reduced P bioavailability. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and acid phosphatase activity positively influenced inorganic P fractions, whereas prolonged orchard establishment decreased fixed inorganic P content. Microbial P cycling genes were less abundant and showed negative correlations with soil nitrate-N, electrical conductivity, available P (Olsen P), and SOC. These findings highlight that grass interplanting with superphosphate (GC) is an optimal strategy to minimize phosphorus leaching, enhance soil phosphorus bioavailability, and reduce environmental risks, making it a sustainable approach for orchard management. Full article

Excessive irrigation in protected vegetable production often results in soil nutrient loss and groundwater contamination. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a widely cultivated and important vegetable in the world and a sensitive plant to irrigation water supply. In order to obtain higher water use efficiency (WUE) and to assess the leaching loss of mineral elements under the current strategies of irrigation and fertilization in the production of protected crops, we conducted experiments with three irrigation levels, namely, normal (NI), optimized (OI), and deficit irrigation (DI), on cucumber in a solar greenhouse. The results indicated that the contents of nitrate–nitrogen (NO₃⁻–N) in the top soil layer increased significantly under the reduced irrigation condition (OI and DI) after two cultivation seasons compared with normal irrigation (NI). However, there were no significant differences in the contents of available phosphorus (A–P) and available potassium (A–K) between the three treatments in each soil layer during a single irrigation cycle and for the whole growth cycle. In addition, compared to the NI condition, reducing the amount of irrigation (OI and DI) decreased the amount of leaching of the soil mineral elements by more than half without jeopardizing the fruit yield of cucumber, particularly for DI. Under the three irrigation treatments, the economic yield of cucumber varied from 64,513 to 72,604 kg·ha⁻¹ in the autumn–winter season and from 89,699 to 106,367 kg·ha⁻¹ in the winter–spring season, but the differences among the treatments were not significant. Moreover, the reduced irrigation treatments (OI and DI) substantially improved WUE by 43.9% and 135.3% in the autumn–winter season, and by 82.2% and 173.7%, respectively, in the winter–spring season, compared to the NI condition. Therefore, deficit or optimized irrigation was a potential and suitable irrigation strategy in the solar greenhouse for increasing the water use efficiency, reducing the amount of leached soil mineral elements, and maintaining the economic yield of cucumber crop. Overall, our results provided some insight into the future applications of water-saving irrigation techniques in sustainable greenhouse vegetable production. Full article

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can preferentially absorb the released ammonium (NH₄⁺) over nitrate (NO₃⁻) during litter decomposition. However, the impact of AMF’s absorption of NH₄⁺ on litter nitrogen (N) decomposition is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of AMF uptake for NH₄⁺ on litter N metabolic characteristics by enriching NH₄⁺ via AMF suppression and nitrification inhibition in a subtropical Cinnamomum camphora forest. The results showed that AMF suppression and nitrification inhibition significantly decelerated litter decomposition in the early stage due to the repression of NH₄⁺ in extracellular enzyme activity. In the late stage, when soil NH₄⁺ content was low, in contrast, they promoted litter decomposition by increasing the extracellular enzyme activities. Nitrification inhibition mainly promoted the utilization of plant-derived N by promoting the degradation of the amide I, amide II, and III bands by increasing protease activity, and it promoted ammonification by increasing urease activities, whereas it reduced the utilization of microbial-derived N by decreasing chitinase activity. On the contrary, AMF suppression, which significantly reduced the ammonification rate and increased the nitrification rate, only facilitated the degradation of the amide II band. Moreover, it intensified the microbial-derived N decomposition by increasing chitinase activity. The degradation of the amide I and II bands still relied on the priming effects of AMF on soil saprotrophs. This was likely driven by AMF-mediated phosphorus (P) mineralization. Nutrient acquiring, especially P by phosphatase, were the main factors in predicting litter decomposition and protein degradation. Thus, AMF could relieve the end-product repression of locally enriched NH₄⁺ in extracellular enzyme activity and promote early-stage litter decomposition. However, the promotive effects of AMF on litter protein degradation and NH₄⁺ release rely on P mineralization. Our results demonstrated that AMF could alleviate the N limitation for net primary production via accelerating litter N decomposition and reducing N loss. Moreover, they could restrict the decomposition of recalcitrant components by competing with saprotrophs for nutrients. Both pathways will contribute to C sequestration in forest ecosystems, which advances our understanding of AMF’s contribution to nutrient cycling and ecosystem processes in subtropical forests. Full article

Rainfall runoff can lead to a reduced soil quality and non-point source pollution through the removal of nutrients from the topsoil that are not utilized by plants. The use of biochar is an effective method to solve this problem. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal concentration of added biochar to reduce the soil particle, NH₄⁺ -N (AN), NO₃⁻ -N (NN), and total phosphorus (TP) losses. Additionally, the inhibitory mechanisms of biochar that mitigate nutrient loss were revealed using FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectrometry and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). Compared with the control group, the addition of 2% biochar resulted in decreases in the AN, NN, TP, and soil erosion rates of 57.08%, 4.25%, 30.37%, and 22.78%, respectively; the leaching loss rates of AN and NN were reduced by 6.4% and 9.87%, respectively. However, it should be noted that the use of biochar resulted in an increase in the loss of soil particles smaller than 20 μm, while it resulted in a decrease in the loss of soil particles larger than 20 μm. Adsorption processes on the benzene ring may have caused the absorption peak at approximately 1600 cm⁻¹ to disappear after adsorption. The porous structure of biochar and the presence of hydrophilic groups (such as hydroxyl groups) facilitate adsorption reactions. The optimal concentration of added biochar was 2%. Full article

Effective water and nitrogen management plays a pivotal role in enhancing crop yields while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study differs from previous research by investigating the effects of water–nitrogen co-regulation involving organic carbon on the yield increase and emission mitigation in a soybean–maize system. A dryland experiment was conducted, employing 20 distinct combinations of water and nitrogen treatments that were meticulously designed for the maize–soybean system. The DSSAT crop model was employed to quantitatively elucidate the intricate interactions between water and nitrogen. A multi-objective optimization model, integrating experimental data and mechanistic insights, was constructed and refined using the NSGA-III genetic algorithm to identify the optimal water and nitrogen application ratios. An analysis of maize and soybean data from Acheng in Heilongjiang, China, indicates that optimized irrigation and nitrogen application regimes—152.2 mm and 247.1 kg·ha⁻¹ for maize and 91.7 mm and 106.2 kg·ha⁻¹ for soybean—substantially enhanced the net economic returns within the dryland ecosystem. There is a significant positive correlation between the yield (Y), soil nitrogen content, and soil organic carbon (SOC). Nitrate nitrogen has a significant positive correlation with CO₂ gas emissions. Organic carbon changes the soil’s carbon to nitrogen ratio by participating in the water and nitrogen cycles, thereby affecting nitrogen and phosphorus loss and carbon emissions. This study presents a sustainable method for regulating water and nitrogen in the maize–soybean system. Full article

Knowledge of nutrient surpluses in soils is critical to optimize nutrient management and minimize adverse environmental effects. We investigated the nutrient surpluses in soils in two regions over 25 years (1992 to 2017) in the south Loess Plateau, China. One region has cereals as the main crop, whereas in the other region, the main cereal crops was changed to kiwi orchards. The inputs of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) increased rapidly (by 74%, 77%, and 103% from 1992 to 2017 in the cereal region; and by 91%, 204%, and 368% in the kiwifruit region), while the nutrient outputs were relatively stable, which resulted in increasing nutrient surpluses (the annual averaged surpluses of N, P, and K were 178, 62, and 12 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ for the cereal region; and 486, 96, and 153 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ for the kiwifruit region) and lower nutrient use efficiency (NUE). The higher N surplus in the orchard-dominated region caused high nitrate N accumulation (3071 kg N ha⁻¹ of 0–5 m in 11–20 y in the kiwifruit orchard) in deeper soil profiles. Similarly, high P and K surpluses in the orchard-dominated region increased soil available P and K. This highlights that comprehensive measures should be taken to control nutrient surpluses, which will help balance nutrient inputs and outputs and minimize nutrient losses in intensive horticultural crop systems. Full article

The management of landscapes and agricultural activities significantly impacts phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) losses, directly influencing eutrophication risk. This study quantifies the eutrophication potential of different land covers through in-situ measurements and analysis of runoff and inorganic substances. The research was conducted in two sub-catchments in the Bedřichovský stream basin, Novohradské hory, Czech Republic: a forest-dominated upper sub-catchment (UFS) and an agricultural lower sub-catchment (LAS). Water flows and surface water samples were measured over a hydrological year (November 2017 to October 2018) to determine runoff and concentrations of nitrate (N-NO₃⁻) and phosphate (P-PO₄³⁻). The ReCiPe 2016 method, as a tool for LCIA, was used to quantify the eutrophication potential, converting N and P concentrations into nitrogen equivalents (N eq ha⁻¹ sub-catchment) for marine eutrophication and phosphorus equivalents (P eq ha⁻¹ sub-catchment) for freshwater eutrophication. The potential loss of species (species·yr ha⁻¹ sub-catchment) was assessed as follows. Results indicate UFS has about 60% lower freshwater and 80% lower marine eutrophication potential compared to LAS, along with about 60% lower potential for biodiversity loss. This highlights the role of forest and grassland covers in mitigating eutrophication and protecting water sources. These findings can guide landscape management practices to reduce eutrophication potential, enhancing environmental quality and biodiversity conservation. Full article

The application of a diammonium phosphate coating effectively mitigates direct contact between the phosphate fertilizer and the soil, thus minimizing phosphorus fixation. Humic acid holds a pivotal role in augmenting soil quality and activating the soil’s phosphorus reserves. Notably, when combined with humic acid, diammonium phosphate significantly enhances the utilization efficiency of phosphate fertilizer. However, there is a paucity of literature exploring the dynamics of nutrient transport in soil when humic acid is paired with coated phosphate fertilizers. To assess the impact of the combined application of coated diammonium phosphate and humic acid on wheat yield enhancement, we conducted pot experiments along with leaching and ammonia volatilization simulation tests, aiming to elucidate the effects of this combination on nutrient transport. The study explored the effects of three distinct treatments: coated diammonium phosphate (CP), coated diammonium phosphate combined with humic acid (PHA), and coated diammonium phosphate combined with humic acid (CPHA). The investigation focused on analyzing their impacts on wheat yield, ammonia volatilization, soil-available phosphorus, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, soil-available potassium, as well as the mobilization and transport of calcium and magnesium in the soil. (1) Compared to the P treatment, the PHA and CP treatments significantly increased grain yield by 17.2% and 13.5%, respectively. The PHA treatment also increased effective panicle number by 12.9%. Overall, the CP, PHA, and CPHA treatments improved grain yield by 13.5%, 17.2%, and 19.1% compared to the P treatment. (2) The CP and PHA treatments reduced available phosphorus by 95.6% and 49.2%, calcium by 2.0% and 67.0%, and magnesium by 11.6% and 46.1% compared to the P treatment. Ammonium nitrogen decreased by 37.0% and 64.3%, while nitrate nitrogen increased by 14.0% in CP and slightly decreased by 0.8% in PHA. In the leaching solution, PHA and CP treatments reduced available phosphorus by 96.7% and 62.5%, increased calcium by 5.0% and 78.9%, decreased ammonium nitrogen by 2.2% and 43.4%, and decreased nitrate nitrogen by 10.6% and 13.0%. The PHA and CPHA treatments increased available phosphorus in the 0–20 cm soil layer by 1.4 times and 25.8%, respectively. (3) The CP treatment reduced ammonia volatilization by 87.0% compared to the P treatment, while the CPHA treatment further reduced it by 87.5% compared to the PHA treatment. The application of coated diammonium phosphate efficiently delays nutrient release and reduces nutrient leaching in the soil. Additionally, the integration of humic acid significantly improves the availability of phosphorus in the soil, minimizing phosphorus loss. Notably, the combined application of humic acid and coated diammonium phosphate leads to a significant increase in soil phosphorus content, subsequently enhancing soil nutrient availability, conserving fertilizer, and ultimately resulting in an improved wheat yield. Full article

Tomatoes, an essential crop in controlled environments, benefit significantly from the careful use of nitrogen fertilizers, which are crucial for improving both yield and nitrogen efficiency. Using a tomato pot experiment arranged in a facility greenhouse, five treatments were established as follows: a control excluding the application of nitrogen fertilizer (C), and applications of ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen with nitrogen mass ratios of 0:100 (A₀N₁₀₀), 25:75 (A₂₅N₇₅), 50:50 (A₅₀N₅₀), 75:25 (A₇₅N₂₅), and 100:0 (A₁₀₀N₀), to study the effects of different ratios of nitrogen mass on tomato yield, quality, nutrient accumulation, and nitrogen fertilizer utilization. The results showed that compared with C, the different ammonium–nitrate ratios significantly increased the yield, dry matter mass, N, P, and K accumulation, soluble solids, soluble sugars, and vitamin C content (Vc) of the tomatoes. Among all the treatments, A₇₅N₂₅ tomatoes had the highest dry matter accumulation, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium accumulation in fruits, soluble sugar, and soluble solids content. The differences in tomato yield and nitrogen fertilizer utilization between A₇₅N₂₅ and A₁₀₀N₀ were insignificant but their values were significantly higher than those of the other treatments. A₇₅N₂₅ had the highest nitrogen fertilizer utilization rate, 42.1% to 82.3% higher than C, A₂₅N₇₅, and A₅₀N₅₀. Hence, an ammonium-to-nitrate nitrogen mass ratio of 75:25 optimized tomato yield and quality in a controlled environment while minimizing nutrient loss. Full article

With global climate change, flooding events are becoming more frequent. However, the mechanism of how waterlogging stress affects crop roots needs to be studied in depth. Waterlogging stress can also lead to soil nitrogen and phosphorus loss, resulting in agricultural surface pollution. The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between soil nitrogen and phosphorus distribution, root growth characteristics, and nitrogen and phosphorus loss in runoff water under waterlogging stress during the winter wheat seedling stage. In this paper, Zhengmai 136 was selected as the experimental material, and two water management methods (waterlogging treatment and non-waterlogging control treatment) were set up. Field experiments were conducted at the Wudaogou Hydrological Experimental Station in 2022 to assess the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in runoff water under waterlogging stress. The study also aimed to analyze the nitrogen and phosphorus content and the root distribution characteristics in different soil layers under waterlogging stress. The results showed as the following: 1. Waterlogging stress increased the characteristic parameters of winter wheat roots in both horizontal and vertical directions. Compared with the control treatment, the root length increased by 1.2–29.9% in the waterlogging treatment, while the root surface area and volume increased by an average of 3.1% and 41.9%, respectively. 2. Nitrogen and phosphorus contents in waterlogged soils were enriched in the 0–20 cm soil layer, but both tended to decrease in the 20–60 cm soil layer. Additionally, there was an inverse relationship between the distribution of soil nutrients and the distribution of wheat roots. 3. During the seedling stage of winter wheat, nitrogen loss was the main factor in the runoff water. In addition, nitrate nitrogen concentration averaged 55.2% of the total nitrogen concentration, while soluble phosphorus concentration averaged 79.1% of the total phosphorus concentration. 4. The results of redundancy analysis demonstrated that available phosphorus in the soil was the key environmental factor affecting the water quality of runoff water. Total phosphorus and dissolved phosphorus in the water were identified as the dominant factors influencing root growth. Full article

Soil and water loss represent a significant environmental challenge in purple soil cropland in China. However, the quantity and mechanism of nutrient loss from purple soil remain unclear. To understand water and soil conservation and address nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) mitigation in Camellia oleifera forest stands on purple soil slope farmland, this study aimed to explore the resistance control effect of forest stands on N and P loss in such agricultural landscapes. In the study, a runoff plot experiment was conducted in purple soil slope farmland. The experiment included three distinct treatments: intercropping of oil tea (Camellia oleifera) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), Camellia oleifera monoculture, and barren land served as the control treatment (CK). Water samples were collected and analyzed from the soil surface runoff and the middle soil layer at a depth of 20 cm (interflow) in three treatment plots under natural rainfall conditions in 2023. Various nutrient components, including total nitrogen (TN), dissolved nitrogen (DN), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), particulate nitrogen (PN), total phosphorus (TP), dissolved phosphorus (DP), phosphate (PO₄⁺-P), and particulate phosphorus (PP), were measured in the water samples. The results indicated that intercropping effectively mitigated the loss of various forms of N and P in both surface runoff and interflow within purple soil slope farmland. Compared to the CK, the ryegrass intercropping reduced TN and TP loss by 29.3%–37.3% and 25.7%–38.9%, respectively. The ryegrass intercropping led to a decrease in the average total loss of TN, DN, NO₃^—N, and NH₄⁺-N by 63.0, 24.3, 4.5, and 6.8 g/ha, corresponding to reductions of 33.3%, 47.6%, 58.3%, and 49.1%, respectively, compared to the CK. The average total loss of TP, DP, and PP decreased by 4.4, 1.8, and 1.4 g/hm² in the intercropping, reflecting reductions of 32.3%, 31.3%, and 31.1%, respectively. The most significant proportion was observed in PN and PP within the runoff water solution, accounting for 53.3%–74.8% and 56.9%–61.0% of the TN and TP, respectively. These findings establish a foundation for purple soil and water conservation. The research provides valuable insights for land management and policymakers in developing erosion prevention and control programs for sloping cultivated land with Camellia oleifera forests in purple soils. Additionally, it offers guidance for soil and water conservation and prevention of surface source pollution in purple soil regions. Full article