DROUGHT INDICATED IN CARBON-13/CARBON-12 RATIOS OF SOUTHWESTERN TREE RINGS1

ABSTRACT: Stomatal closure during periods of moisture deficiency should theoretically lead to elevated ¹³C/¹²C ratios as reduction of available CO₂ leads to diminished photosynthetic discrimination against ¹³C in favor of ¹²C. Stable-carbon isotope ratio chronologies developed from 5-yr tree-ring groups at 17 sites in six southwestern states were tested for a drought relationship by first fitting a spline curve to each chronology to remove the long-term trend and calculating indices as the ratio of actual to spline curve value. The time series of “Del Indices” so developed are significantly correlated with 5-yr mean Palmer Hydrological Drought Indices (post-1930 period) and reconstructed July Palmer Drought Severity Indices from respective areas. Overall, in the period since 1790, the driest pentads were 1900–04 and 1960–64, whereas the wettest were 1980–84 and 1915–19. Maps of drought represented for two pentads seem to be reasonable representations, although spatial correlations of Del Indices with PHDI were generally not significant. These Del Index drought reconstructions may provide a useful measure of past physiological response to drought (stomatal closure), although the present cost of analysis would prevent this from being a routine method.     

Sulfur Metabolism in Polluted Sphagnum Peat Bogs: A Combined 34S–35S–210Pb Study

The size and isotopic behavior of sulfur pools in²¹⁰Pb-dated peat cores were investigated to obtain aninsight into retention mechanisms of pollutant S in twomountain-top peatlands of the Northern Czech Republic, CentralEurope. The bogs were situated 40 km apart in an area whichbetween the years 1985 and 1995 received as much as 130 kg Sha^-1 yr^-1 from the atmosphere. Vertical peataccretion was faster at Pod Jelení horou (JH) than atVelký moál (VM). Organic carbon-bonded S was themost abundant sulfur pool, constituting 77 and 65 wt. % at JHand VM, respectively. At JH both the S concentration maximumand the highest annual S deposition rate were displaceddownward by more than 20 years (from 1987 to the 1960s)indicating that the buried S is vertically mobile. At VM the Sconcentration was the highest in the topmost 2-cm section eventhough atmospheric S deposition peaked in 1987. Differentmechanisms of S isotope redistribution prevailed in thetopmost peat layers at JH, where a negative ³⁴Sshift occurred, and at VM, where a positive ³⁴Sshift occurred. Bacterial sulfate reduction was responsiblefor the negative ³⁴S shift at JH. One possibleexplanation of the positive ³⁴S shift at VM isrelease of ³²S-enriched products of mineralization duringpeat diagenesis. There was a strong positive correlationbetween the abundance of total and pyrite S along the profiles.The presence of pyrite S at VM (526 ± 60 ppm) suggestedthat even at VM bacterial sulfate reduction occurred. Ananaerobic incubation of JH peat indicated sulfate reductionrate of 600 nmol g^-1 day^-1. The turnover times forinorganic S pools were shorter than for the organic S pools.Cumulative S contents in the Czech peat bogs were found to besignificantly lower than in similar sites in the NortheasternU.S., even though the atmospheric S inputs were more thanthree times higher at the Czech sites. Possible causes of suchdiscrepancy are discussed.     

Vertical Distribution of Atmospheric Pollution Lead in Swedish Boreal Forest Soils

In order to understand the fate of anthropogenic lead (Pb)pollution in boreal forest soils, and to predict future trends, it is important to know where in the soil the pollution Pb is accumulated and how large the pollution and natural Pb inventories are in different soil horizons. We combined stable Pb isotope (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratios) and concentration analyses to study Pb in podzol profiles and mor samples from old-growth forest stands at seven sites distributed from southern to northern Sweden. Additional samples were taken from managed forests, and from an agricultural field, to give some idea of the effects of land-use. Pb concentrations are typically 60–100 g g^-1 dry mass in the mor layer in southern Sweden and about 30 g g^-1 in northern Sweden. Pb isotope analyses show that virtually all of this Pb is pollution Pb. The isotope composition also shows that pollution Pb has penetrated downwards between 20–60 cm in the forest soils. The total pollution Pb inventories vary between 0.7–3.0 g m^-2 ground surface, with larger inventories in southern compared to northern Sweden. Although the highest Pb concentrations occur in the mor layer, the largest inventories of pollution Pb are found in the Bs-horizon. The limited investigation of Pb distribution and inventories in soils from managed forests did not point to any major difference compared to the old-growth forests. The agricultural field revealed, however, a completely deviating Pb profile with all pollution Pb evenly distributed in the 20 cm thick top-soil.     

The Use of Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes to Study Watershed Erosion Processes1

Abstract:  Tracer studies are needed to better understand watershed soil erosion and calibrate watershed erosion models. For the first time, stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C) and the carbon to nitrogen atomic ratio (C/N) natural tracers are used to investigate temporal and spatial variability of erosion processes within a sub‐watershed. Temporal variability was assessed by comparing δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, and C/N of eroded‐soils from a non‐equilibrium erosion event immediately following freezing and thawing of surface soils with two erosion events characterized by equilibrium conditions with erosion downcutting. Spatial variability was assessed for the equilibrium events by using the δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C signatures of eroded‐soils to measure the fraction of eroded‐soil derived from rill/interrill erosion on upland hillslopes as compared to headcut erosion on floodplains. In order to perform this study, a number of tasks were carried out including: (1) sampling source‐soils from upland hillslopes and floodplains, (2) sampling eroded‐soils with an in situ trap in the stream of the sub‐watershed, (3) isotopic and elemental analysis of the samples using isotope ratio mass spectrometry, (4) fractioning eroded‐soil to its upland rill/interrill and floodplain headcut end‐members using an unmixing model within a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo framework, and (5) evaluating tracer unmixing model results by comparison with process‐based erosion prediction models for rill/interrill and headcut erosion processes. Results showed that finer soil particles eroded during the non‐equilibrium event were enriched in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C tracers and depleted in C/N tracer relative to coarser soil particles eroded during the equilibrium events. Correlation of tracer signature with soil particle size was explainable based on known biogeochemical processes. δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C were also able to distinguish between upland rill/interrill erosion and floodplain headcut erosion, which was due to different plant cover at the erosion sources. Results from the tracer unmixing model highlighted future needs for coupling rill/interrill and headcut erosion prediction models.     

The stable isotope signature of methane emitted from plant material under UV irradiation

Recent experiments have shown that dry and fresh leaves, other plant matter, as well as several structural plant components, emit methane upon irradiation with UV light. Here we present the source isotope signatures of the methane emitted from a range of dry natural plant leaves and structural compounds. UV-induced methane from organic matter is strongly depleted in both ¹³C and D compared to the bulk biomass. The isotopic content of plant methoxyl groups, which have been identified as important precursors of aerobic methane formation in plants, falls roughly halfway between the bulk and CH₄ isotopic composition. C3 and C4/CAM plants show the well-established isotope difference in bulk ¹³C content. Our results show that they also emit CH₄ with different δ¹³C value. Furthermore, δ¹³C of methoxyl groups in the plant material, and ester methoxyl groups only, show a similar difference between C3 and C4/CAM plants. The correlation between the δ¹³C of emitted CH₄ and methoxyl groups implies that methoxyl groups are not the only source substrate of CH₄.Interestingly, δD values of the emitted CH₄ are also found to be different for C3 and C4 plants, although there is no significant difference in the bulk material. Bulk δD analyses may be compromised by a large reservoir of exchangeable hydrogen, but no significant δD difference is found either for the methoxyl groups, which do not contain exchangeable hydrogen. The δD difference in CH₄ between C3 and C4 plants indicates that at least two different reservoirs are involved in CH₄ emission. One of them is the OCH₃ group, the other one must be significantly depleted, and contribute more to the emissions of C3 plants compared to C4 plants. In qualitative agreement with this hypothesis, CH₄ emission rates are higher for C3 plants than for C4 plants.     

典型喀斯特小流域水文水化学过程对旱季暴雨的响应

通过定位监测和样品跟踪采集,在旱季对喀斯特小流域连续20天无前期降雨的一场暴雨(累计降雨量64mm)水文水化学过程进行了动态监测,并分析了相关的影响因素。结果表明,小降雨事件(8.5mm)未能引起溪流水位、电导率及温度的明显变化,而当累计降雨量达到35.5mm后溪流水开始响应。此后,溪流水文水化学参数对降雨快速响应,除硝态氮外,电导率(EC)、δ18 O、Ca2+迅速降至最低值,雨水稀释作用对其水化学变化起主要作用。通过对溪流新旧水比例进行划分发现,降雨前期和后期,溪流以旧水补给为主,而在水位快速上涨阶段,新水比例达到34%左右。两次降雨过程中,在溪流水水位升高的情况下,水体中硝态氮浓度仍然表现出高于雨前浓度的趋势。该研究为该区旱季小流域水资源利用和污染物防治方面提供了一定理论依据。     

黄土高塬沟壑区典型城郊流域地表水硝酸盐来源示踪

随着工农业的快速发展,地表水硝酸盐污染已成为黄土高原地区严重的环境问题之一.以黄土高塬沟壑区典型城郊流域砚瓦川为研究区,采用水化学分析方法和氮氧双稳定同位素技术,并结合SIAR模型,定量识别旱季和雨季研究区地表水硝酸盐不同污染源的贡献率,阐明不同污染源季节性差异的主要原因.结果表明,流域地表水无机氮主要以NO₃^--N和NO₂^--N形态存在,NO₃^--N和NO₂^--N雨季浓度平均值均高于旱季,而NH₄⁺-N则呈现相反特征;流域内地表水硝酸盐的转化过程主要以硝化作用为主,雨季其主要来源是粪肥污水,而旱季主要为粪肥污水和土壤氮淋溶,铵肥次之;不同污染源对流域地表水硝酸盐的贡献比例具有显著的季节性差异,旱季与雨季城镇污水排放的贡献比例均为最高,分别为31.40%和65.66%,且雨季污水排放对NO₃^-的影响远高于旱季,夏季居民用水增加导致大量污水排放至流域内是引起这一现象的主要原因.     

汾河流域地表水水化学同位素特征及其影响因素

汾河是山西的母亲河.由于水资源过度开发及社会经济发展影响,生态环境恶化.经过一系列治理保护措施,水质得到改善.利用统计学、Piper三线图和Gibbs模型等方法,分析了汾河流域地表水水化学和氢氧同位素特征及其来源,揭示了汾河流域地表水水质演化过程.结果表明,汾河干流地表水中主要水化学组分沿着径流路径含量逐渐增加;汾河上游地表水水化学类型主要以HCO₃·SO₄·Cl-Ca·Na·Mg为主,中游和下游地表水水化学类型主要以SO₄·HCO₃·Cl-Ca·Na·Mg为主.汾河流域地表水水化学组成主要受岩石风化作用和蒸发结晶作用影响,而降雨影响较小.Na⁺和K⁺主要来源于蒸发盐岩的溶解以及周边黄土中含Na矿物溶解,水体中Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺和HCO₃^-主要来源于碳酸盐岩的溶解,SO₄^2-除来源于石膏的溶解,还可能来源于汾河周边黄土层中硫化矿物的溶解.干流地表水δD和δ¹⁸ O平均值分别为-62.60‰和-8.42‰,氢氧同位素特征进一步表明其主要受蒸发作用的影响.流域内支流及岩溶水水化学组分差异较大.结果可为汾河流域生态修复保护及生态文明建设提供依据.     

Distribution of uranium isotopes in surface water of the Llobregat river basin (Northeast Spain)

A study is presented on the distribution of ²³⁴U, ²³⁸U, ²³⁵U isotopes in surface water of the Llobregat river basin (Northeast Spain), from 2001 to 2006. Sixty-six superficial water samples were collected at 16 points distributed throughout the Llobregat river basin. Uranium isotopes were measured by alpha spectrometry (PIPS detectors). The test procedure was validated according to the quality requirements of the ISO17025 standard. The activity concentration for the total dissolved uranium ranges from 20 to 261 mBq L⁻¹. The highest concentrations of uranium were detected in an area with formations of sedimentary rock, limestone and lignite. A high degree of radioactive disequilibrium was noted among the uranium isotopes. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratio varied between 1.1 and 1.9 and the waters with the lowest uranium activity registered the highest level of ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratio. Correlations between uranium activity in the tested water and chemical and physical characteristics of the aquifer were found.     

白石水库颗粒有机物及沉积物中碳、氮稳定同位素的空间分布特征

于2013年10月对辽宁省白石水库水质、颗粒有机物及底泥沉积物中δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N值的空间分布特征进行了研究.结果表明:白石水库POC的平均浓度为(1.76±0.98)mg·L~(-1);TP的平均浓度为(0.04±0.03)mg·L~(-1);TN的平均浓度为(1.80±0.08)mg·L~(-1),TP和POC从上游到下游呈现逐渐降低的趋势;TN的水平分布变化不大.小型颗粒有机物的δ~(13)C值平均为(-24.6±0.9)‰;δ~(15)N值平均为(4.8±0.4)‰.大型颗粒有机物的δ~(13)C值平均为(-22.5±0.9)‰;δ~(15)N值平均为(6.7±0.5)‰,颗粒有机物的δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N变化范围都很广,小型颗粒有机物的δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N值最大差异可达4.6‰和2.7‰,大型颗粒有机物的δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N值最大差异分别为3.3‰和1.8‰.底泥沉积物的δ~(13)C值平均为(-24.2±1.2)‰;δ~(15)N值平均为(4.1±0.7)‰.大型颗粒有机物与小型颗粒有机物之间的δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N值存在极显著正相关关系(P0.01).颗粒有机物和底泥沉积物中δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N值的水平分布具有由上游到下游逐渐增大的规律,颗粒有机物与沉积物之间的δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N值存在显著正相关关系(P0.05).垂直分布中,颗粒有机物的δ~(15)N值是表层大于底层,TN和大型颗粒有机物的δ~(15)N值呈显著正相关(P0.05),POC与颗粒有机物的δ~(15)N值呈极显著正相关关系(P0.01).白石水库水中和沉积物中的有机质主要来源于浮游生物和土壤有机质,颗粒有机物的δ~(13)C值与POC和TP呈显著负相关(P0.05).