OKEHAMPTON, England, April 16 (UPI) -- British scientists say the Earth's crops and drinking water could be adversely affected if predicted climate changes occur in rainfall patterns.
Scientists from North Wyke Research say they have determined, for the first time, how the rate at which dried soil is rewetted affects the amount of phosphorus lost from the soil into surface water and subsequently into the surrounding environment.
Martin Blackwell, one of the project leaders, said the study's preliminary results show the changing climate might limit the ability to mitigate phosphorus losses at certain times of the year, especially summer.
"This is really worrying because high phosphorus concentrations in surface waters can lead to harmful algal blooms, which can be toxic, cause lack of oxygen during their decay and disrupt food webs," said Blackwell. "This can also affect the quality of water for drinking and result in the closure of recreational water sport facilities."
The researchers said they looked at only grassland soil, so it is not yet known whether other soil types would react in the same way.
The study appears in the journal Biology and Fertility of Soils.
