Runoff from land areas amended with poultry (Gallus gallus domesticus) manure can contain elevatedconcentrations of metals such as Cu, Fe, and Zn. Vegetative filter strips (VFS) can reduce runoff concentrations of animalmanure components, but reported studies have typically focused on nutrients and solids rather than metals. Thisexperiment assessed the impact of VFS length (0 to 12 m) on concentrations and mass losses of Cu, Fe, K, Na, Ni, and Znin runoff from fescuegrass (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plots (1.5 m wide 6 and 12 m long) treated with poultry litter.The runoff was produced from simulated rainfall applied at 50 mm h1 until 1 h of runoff had occurred. Runoff Niconcentrations were below detection levels in all cases. Concentrations of Cu, Fe, K, Na, and Zn did not differ betweenlitter-treated plot lengths but were significantly (p <0.001) affected by VFS length, decreasing in an approximately firstorderfashion. Means separation indicated that concentrations of Cu, Fe, K, and Zn did not significantly decrease after aVFS length of 3 m, while Na concentrations decreased up to a VFS length of 6 m. Mass transport of only Cu significantlydecreased with increasing VFS, suggesting that VFS removal mechanisms such as adsorption to clay particles might playa larger role with regard to Cu than to Fe, K, Na, and Zn.
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Edwards et al. (1997) studied this question.