云南喀斯特断陷盆地典型群落植物生态化学计量学特征

喀斯特地区地质化学、气候和人类活动强烈影响植物群落组成、植物元素含量和化学计量特征。本文以云南省蒙自市断陷盆地区天然林、灌丛和草地群落植物为对象,研究了植物叶片12种元素含量和生态化学计量特征。结果显示:研究区内植物元素含量存在较大差异,各元素含量从高到低的顺序依次是C>Ca>N>K>Mg>P>Fe>Al>Zn>Mn>Na>Cu,三种群落植物N、K、Ca、Mg、Al、Cu、Zn、Mn含量存在显著差异。天然林与灌丛群落植物生长受到P含量的限制,而草地群落植物生长受到N与P单独或共同的影响。草地群落植物C:N、C:Ca、C:Mg显著高于天然林与灌丛植物,N:P则呈现相反格局。三种群落间植物C:Ca比例显著不同,表现为草地＞天然林＞灌丛。在研究区内,有27对元素含量呈现显著相关,占总元素对的40.9%。这些结果表明,云南喀斯特断陷盆地植物为适应环境,形成了独特的化学计量特征和适应策略。      

The relationship between soil geochemistry and die back of montane forests in Sri Lanka: a case study

Tropical montane forests of Sri Lanka form a unique ecosystem with more than 50% of endemic plant species. It has been noted that trees, belonging to different size and age classes of these forest, have been dying due to a yet unknown factor. This phenomenon was first observed in the Horton Plains National Park, which is a high plateau, composed of tropical montane forests. Later dying of forests were observed at several areas including Hakgala montane forest. Physical parameters trace nutrients as well as toxic element concentrations in soils, were studied in order to identify the possible geochemical factors behind the forest die back. Systematic soil sampling was carried out covering the entire Horton Plains National Park and random samples were collected from Hakgala montane forest. Samples were analyzed for available Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Al and Pb using standard colorimetric and atomic absorption spectrometric procedures. Physical parameters such as pH, moisture content, and conductivity of the samples were also measured. Among extractable micro-nutrients Cu and Zn, and Ni show no deficiency or excess levels. However, the recorded available high concentrations of Fe, Mn and Al can be toxic to certain montane plant species. Acidic moist soil of the area may enhance the toxic effects of these elements. Possible source of these elements should be the underground lithology of the area. According to the results obtained, there is a relationship between forest die back and high Pb concentrations. The same phenomenon was also observed in the Hakgala forest. The distribution pattern of Pb in the Horton Plains coincides well with the die back distribution pattern. The observed Pb values at Horton Plains and Hakgala are almost similar to values observed at Pannipitiya and Dombagaskanda locations, which are located close to main roads carrying heavy traffic. It is quite possible therefore, that Pb toxicity may be a significant factor behind the forest die back even though other factors should not be completely ruled out at this juncture. Strong monsoon winds, bringing Pb from the polluted southwestern part of the country, can be the most possible source of soil Pb. Further studies however are indeed necessary to confirm the conclusion.     

石灰岩山地淡竹林“岩石-土壤-植物”的元素分布与迁移积聚特征

本研究以石灰岩山地淡竹林为研究对象,测定了岩石、土壤和4种淡竹群落植物[优势种淡竹(Phyllostachys glauca),伴生种枸骨(Ilex cornuta)、油茶(Camellia oleifera)和胡颓子(Elaeagnus pungens）]的N、P、K、Ca、Mg、Fe、Al、Mn和Na等9种元素含量,对元素迁移积聚特征进行了分析,结果表明:（1）淡竹林石灰岩Ca含量高（363.09 g· kg-1）;土壤Ca含量下降至2.68 g·kg-1,Fe、Al含量升高（48.12 g·kg-1、84.00 g·kg-1）;与土壤相比,植物N、P和Ca含量上升,其他元素含量则降低;（2）从岩石到土壤,Ca为纯迁移,迁移积累系数仅为0.01;Fe和Al明显富集,迁移积累系数分别高达9.98和14.10;从土壤到植物,N、Ca、P为富集,Fe、Al生物吸收系数很低,仅为1.41和2.08;（3）除K外,群落优势种淡竹的元素含量和生物吸收系数均小于伴生种。研究发现,强淋溶作用下淡竹林石灰岩发育为酸性红石灰土,其生长的植物均非喜钙植物;“岩石—土壤—植物”元素迁聚特征因土壤发育过程和植物种间特征而异,红石灰土Ca积累少;淡竹对土壤元素需求少可能是其在石灰岩生境占据竞争优势的生理基础。      

梵净山西麓古茶树立地岩-土系统地球化学特征分析

以梵净山西麓印江县紫薇镇古茶树立地剖面上的岩石和土壤为研究对象,使用ICP-MS和ICP-AES测定21种元素的含量,分析古茶树立地岩石-土壤系统的地球化学特征,以期为印江县古茶树保护及开发提供科学依据。结果表明：古茶树生长地岩石-土壤系统的主量、微量和重金属元素富集程度低（EF <3）,受人为因素影响程度小,可为古茶树提供安全的生长环境。其中主量元素K和Al在岩石-土壤系统中含量丰富,Ca、Mg、Na元素含量较少,符合茶树喜钾嫌钙的生理特征;微量元素在岩石-土壤系统中含量变化均匀,但与地球化学丰度值和中国土壤背景值相比,其含量较少;重金属元素含量均低于无公害农产品种植业产地环境条件限定值。同时研究发现该岩土系统中Se元素含量丰富,可为当地发展富硒茶提供参考。     

Fe–Al–organic Colloids Control of Trace Elements in Peat Soil Solutions: Results of Ultrafiltration and Dialysis

Size fractionation of ~40 major and trace elements (TE) in peat soil solutions from the Tverskaya region (Russia) has been studied using frontal filtration and ultrafiltration through a progressively decreasing pore size (5, 2.5, 0.22 μm, 100, 10, 5, and 1 kD) and in situ dialysis through 6–8 and 1 kD membranes with subsequent analysis by ICP-MS. In (ultra) filter-passed permeates and dialysates of soil solutions, Fe, Al, and organic carbon (OC) are well correlated, indicating the presence of mixed organo-mineral colloids. All major anions and silica are present in “dissolved” forms passed through 1 kD membrane. According to their behavior during filtration and dialysis and association with mineral or organic components, three groups of elements can be distinguished: (i) species that are weakly affected by size separation operations and largely (>50–80%) present in the form of dissolved inorganic species (Ca, Mg, Li, Na, K, Sr, Ba, Rb, Cs, As, Mn) with some proportion of small (1–10 kD) organic complexes (Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba), (ii) biologically essential elements (Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd) mainly present in the fraction smaller than 1 kD and known to form strong organic complexes with fulvic acids, and, (iii) elements strongly associated with aluminum, iron and OC in all ultrafiltrates and dialysates with 30–50% being concentrated in large (>10 kD) colloids (Ga, Y, REEs, Pb, Cd, V, Nb, Sn, Ti, Zr, Hf, Th, U). For most trace metals, the proportion in the colloidal fraction correlates with their first hydrolysis constant. This implies a strong control of negatively charged oxygen donors present in inorganic/organic colloids on TE distribution between aqueous solution and colloid particles. It is suggested that these colloids are formed during plant uptake of Al, Fe, and TE from mineral matrix of deep soil horizons and their subsequent release in surface horizons after litter degradation and oxygenation on redox or acid/base fronts. Dissolved organic matter stabilizes Al/Fe colloids and thus enhances trace elements transport in soil solutions.     

The role of waterlogging andPhytophthora cinnamomi in the decline and death ofEucalyptus marginata in Western Australia

About 14% of the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest in Western Australia is infested with the soil-borne pathogenic fungusPhytophthora cinnamomi. P. cinnamomi can infect jarrah roots causing cankers in the phloem. It also modified forest sites, however, by killing many understorey species. Jarrah trees die in greater numbers on poorly drained, infested sites following exceptionally heavy rainfall. Experiments have shown that when jarrah seedlings are waterlogged the number of functional xylem vessels in the tap root is reduced; as transpiration continues, the plants wilt and die. In anoxic conditionsP. cinnamomi will not sporulate, but zoospores will germinate and grow. Infection of jarrah roots by zoospores can be increased by soil saturation. Thus the drainage characteristics of a site will affect both the ability of jarrah to grow on that site as well as its infection byP. cinnamomi. Growth measurements of jarrah trees show that on a well drained site jarrah grows faster in the infested area than in the adjacent healthy forest; reduced competition, due to understorey death, appears to be more important than infection in determining growth rate. On a similar, but less well drained site where there is also reduced competition due to understorey death in the infested area, jarrah shows no growth response. The experimental work suggests that this could be due to increased infection, waterlogging damage or both.     

Nitric-acid soluble fractions of 21 elements in Norwegian podzols: Factors affecting regional differences in vertical distribution

Distributions of 21 major and trace elements in HNO₃ extracts of different horizons were studied in 13 podzol profiles from the boreal forest in different parts of Norway using ICP–MS. On the basis of ratios between the HNO₃-extractable fractions in the various horizons some general trends were elucidated. Two different groups of elements concentrated in the humus layer relative to the mineral horizons were identified, one mainly associated with contributions from air pollution (As, Cd, Sb, Pb), another one with plant nutrient circulation (K, Ca, Mn and to a lesser extent Mg, Co, Ni, Rb) and some with both mechanisms (Cu, Zn, Tl). The elements most clearly enriched along with Fe in the B horizon were V, Pb, Al, and Cr in that order, Pb partly because of leaching from the polluted organic surface soil. Four soils in the far south showed a behaviour distinctly different from the rest and were treated as a separate group. Relative to the more northerly sites the surface horizons of these soils were strongly depleted in lithogenic elements (Mg, Al, K, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, La) and enriched in elements typical of long-range transport of pollutants (As, Cd, Sb, Tl, Pb). Also the B horizon in the southern soils was strongly depleted in the lithogenic group elements, including Fe and the associated metals. The main reason for this difference is assumed to be the greater influence of transboundary air pollution and associated metals and stronger soil acidification in the far south of the country.     

Advance of Norway spruce (Picea abies) onto mafic Lommoltunturi fell in Finnish Lapland during the last 200 years

As a result of global changes, shifts of alpine tree lines towards higher elevations have been recorded, but the role of the spatial variability of the snowpack and zonal‐pattern soil‐nutrient regimes is poorly understood. Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) is best suited to fertile soils, and hence we applied soil physical‐chemical and snow measurements and the age chronology of Norway spruce along an elevational gradient (380–557 m a.s.l.) to address a vertical soil zonality hypothesis on mafic Lommoltunturi fell in Finnish Lapland. With regard to increasing elevation, we found an increase in soil N_TOT, C_TOT and Al, but a decrease in soil Ca, Mg and Ca:Al ratio as well as in electrical conductivity (EC). In addition, the snowpack was significantly thicker in low‐elevation forest than in the tree line and open tundra. In the 1840s, spruce established on low‐elevation soils with a Ca:Al ratio of 2.2. Starting from the 1920s a significant shift of spruce occurred such that it took 60 years to expand the tree line by 55 m in elevation. The spruce tree line has advanced, and the age distribution indicates new colonization of spruce in closed forest up to tundra. The poor soil Ca:Al ratio of 0.02 on tundra apparently is a constraint for spruce. Spruce forest is young (<165 years), and hence we argue that spruce has expanded onto formerly tree‐free sites of this mafic fell. This paper demonstrates that vertical soil zonality is a potential driver for the diffuse tree line of Picea abies on mafic Fennoscandian fells.     

Geochemistry of core sediments from Mullipallam creek,South East coast of India

The Mullipallam creek in Muthupet mangroves region is the only E-W trending coastal strip in the SE coast of India and is very important, as the mangrove acts as a barrier to natural diasters. Natural, anthropogenic signals and accumulation of elements were made by collecting sediment samples at various depths in a core. All sediments were analyzed for carbonates (CaCO₃), organic carbon (OC), major (Si, Al, Fe, Na, K, Ca, Mg, P), and trace (Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn). Normalization with Al values has been done for all the major and trace elements and enrichment factors have been calculated. The calculated enrichment factors and comparison indicate that the trace metals (especially Pb) are enriched mainly due to the external (anthropogenic) activities in the land as well as in the coastal zone (Palk Strait).     

Environmental geochemistry of core sediments from Serthalaikkadu creek,East coast of India

The Serthalaikkadu creek in Muthupet mangroves region is the only E–W trending coastal strip in the SE coast of India and it also acts as a barrier to natural disasters. Natural, anthropogenic signals and accumulation of elements were studied by collecting sediments from two cores. Textural parameters were studied in detail and carbonates (CaCO₃), organic carbon (OC), major (Si, Al, Fe, Na, K, Ca, Mg, P) and trace elements (Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn) were determined. Textural parameters, CaCO₃, OC and Al-normalized pattern of elements indicate depositional events in core samples that can be directly related to natural events during the last decade. The calculated enrichment, anthropogenic factors and comparison of data indicate that the observed trace metals (especially Pb, Co) are enriched mainly due to the anthropogenic activities in the land as well as in the coastal zone (Palk Strait).     

Background concentrations of heavy metals in aquatic bryophytes used for biomonitoring in basaltic areas (a case study from central France)

 Studies were made of the aquatic bryophytes Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw., Platyhypnidium rusciforme (Neck.)Fleisch and Chiloscyphus sp. (Hoffm.)Dum. from streams embedded in basaltic rocks (Le Puy, central France). Water from these streams possessed elevated levels of Cu, Zn, Sr, V, Ba, Ni and Co, reflecting the geochemistry of the basalts, a basic type of igneous rocks containing elevated levels of these elements. The concentration of elements in bryophytes is correlated to the chemical composition of water of their sampling sites. Contents of trace elements in plants were higher than background values. The elevated levels of these elements possibly caused disturbances in the ionic equilibrium within the bryophytes. The molar ratio between contents of Ca and Mg in water (from 0.44 to 1) was different from that typical for natural water. Received: 16 September 1998 · Accepted: 17 December 1998     

Chemical composition and leaching characteristics of granules made of wood ash and dolomite

 In 1995, the central heating plant Draken in Kalmar, Sweden, started manufacturing a granular ash product for nutrient recycling to forest soil, instead of dumping the ash in landfills. Chemical composition, leaching and dissolution characteristics were determined for the Draken wood ash, the dolomite used in granule manufacturing and the final granule product. The heavy metal concentrations in fly ash were within the limit values recommended by the Swedish National Board of Forestry for ash recycling, except for Cd and As levels which occasionally exceeded the limit values. The Ca, Mn and P levels were too low for nutrient recycling at the time. Adding dolomite insures that the levels of the important nutrients Ca and Mg are sufficient in the granules. After 7 months in the field, about 60 % of Na and K was leached out from granules. Between 20 and 60% of trace elements Mo, Sc, V, Y and Zr were leached out after 7 months. The release of Ca and Mg was low, 1–5% during 7 months. Received: 12 July 1999 · Accepted: 31 August 1999     

洞穴次生碳酸盐沉积的Mg/Ca与Sr/Ca比值研究进展——兼论洞穴次生沉积物Mg/Ca与Sr/Ca的影响机制

微量元素是岩溶洞穴沉积中非常重要的一类古气候环境替代指标,为近20年来国内外的一个研究热点。总结前人的研究,主要取得了以下一些重要认识:（1）洞穴上覆土壤 和围岩是洞穴次生碳酸盐沉积Mg、Sr的主要来源;（2）Mg/Ca与Sr/Ca能够指示气候环境变化,但需结合其它指标综合考虑。（3）洞穴次生碳酸盐沉积Mg/Ca与Sr/Ca受多种气候环境因素（包括土壤和围岩的组成和性质、水-岩相互作用、先期碳酸盐沉积、分配系数等）影响,其古气候环境指示意义具有多解性;（4）矿物结晶作用对Mg/Ca与Sr/Ca有一定的影响,特别是文石在向方解石转变的过程中容易丢失Mg、Sr,此外,杂质的混入也将抑制Mg、Sr进入方解石,从而引起洞穴次生碳酸盐沉积Mg/Ca与Sr/Ca比值的变化。今后应进一步加强对石笋中这些微量元素的影响机制研究,尤其是对一些影响因素与微量元素含量变化之间的定量关系进行探讨。      

Opaline and Al–Si phytoliths from a tropical mire system of West Malaysia: abundance, habit, elemental composition, preservation and significance

Abundant and unique opaline and Al–Si phytoliths and opaline bioliths have been discovered in Holocene peat deposits of tropical Tasek Bera in Peninsular Malaysia. These are secreted mainly by plants (higher plants and algae) and incorporated in the sediment cycle during the rapid biomass turnover. Many wetland plants have entire skeletons secreted. The study shows that differing plant parts of same species as well as same parts of differing plant species incorporate different amounts of elements. Whilst deciduous trees of the swamp forest have phytoliths enriched in Al, most phytoliths of palms, sedges and grasses of the littoral swamp are composed of opaline silica. Incorporation of Al and many other elements into relatively stable phytoliths is the result of high evapotranspiration rate and ample plant-available elements and can serve to detoxify the soil solution. Because of the abundance of such opaline and Al–Si structures, spongillid and algal remains in acid peat-accumulating environments, tropical peatlands represent repositories of Si and Al, which together with variable amounts of other elements could provide the prime material for silicate neoformation during later diagenetic processes. Neoformation of minerals from bioliths would explain the scarcity of biogenic remains in Carboniferous and Tertiary coal deposits. Furthermore, incorporation of major elements in phytoliths may limit the rate of leaching of these elements in an environment where biomass turnover is rapid, thus reducing the loss of nutrients and other plant-essential elements. Most nutrients of tropical peats are recycled by plants within the top 150 cm and an upward migration of plant-essential elements, such as Mg, Ca, or P, but also of Si and Al, occurs during peat accumulation. Such elemental cycling strongly influences the geochemical composition of the peats during mire evolution. Utilizing Al for normalization of major and minor elements of tropical peats for paleoclimatic and paleodepositional analyses may thus result in incorrect interpretations.     

Chemical weathering in the drainage basin of a tropical watershed (Nsimi-Zoetele site, Cameroon) : comparison between organic-poor and organic-rich waters

This study deals with the weathering processes operating at the scale of a small catchment (Nsimi-Zoetele, Cameroon) and is focused on the role of organic colloids on mineral weathering and transport of elements in natural waters. Samples of river, spring and groundwaters from Nsimi-Zoetele were filtered through membranes of decreasing pore size (0.22 μm, 0.025 μm, or: 300,000 Da, 5000 Da) to separate colloidal fractions from the truly dissolved one. Major and trace elements and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were analysed in each fraction. Two kinds of waters can be distinguished in the catchment: clear and coloured waters. Clear waters exhibit low concentrations of major and trace elements and DOC. Elements are carried in these solutions in a true dissolved form except Al and rare earth elements (REEs). By contrast, the higher abundances of Al, Fe and trace elements in coloured waters are controlled by the colloidal fraction. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations show that clear waters are in equilibrium with kaolinite and iron oxi-hydroxide which are major minerals in the weathered soil. For coloured waters, the aqueous speciation of Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Al, La and Th was calculated taking into account the complexes with humic acids. Speciation calculations for Cu, Fe, Al, La, Th show a strong complexation with humic acids, in good agreement with the results of the filtration experiments. By contrast, although filtration experiments show a strong control of major cations by organic matter (for example 75% for Ca), speciation calculations reveal that their complexes with humic ligands do not exceed a few percent of total dissolved elements. This discrepancy is explained as an artefact induced by the organic colloids and occurring during the filtration procedure. Finally, both filtration experiments and speciation calculations show that organic matter plays an important role in natural DOC-rich waters. Organic acids increase significantly the dissolution rates of silicates and oxi-hydroxides and thus the amounts of solutes and of complexed elements leaving the catchment.     

Concentrations of major and trace elements in soil and grass at Shimba Hills National Reserve,Kenya

Concentrations of major and trace elements in soils and grass are determined at Shimba Hills National Reserve in Kenya using geochemical mapping techniques. The study investigates the influence of soil and vegetation type on the concentrations of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, P, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ni and Se in soils and grass. The implications are assessed for the nutrition of the sable antelope, of which the Reserve supports the last remaining viable population in Kenya. Low concentrations in surface soils of a number of major and minor elements are attributed to the geochemical nature of the underlying parent materials of sands, sandstone and grits. Within the Reserve, variations in the element status of surface soils are related to the vegetation and soil types. Elevated element concentrations in surface soils in natural forest areas are attributed to the influence of litterfall whilst in grassland areas, soil element status is controlled by soil type and decreases in the order ferralsols > acrisols > arenosols. The general depletion of major and minor elements in soils at Shimba Hills is not reflected as fully in grasses in which nutrient concentrations were of similar magnitude to those reported from other Kenyan conservation areas. Burning of grassland areas leads to elevated concentrations of K, P, Co, Cu and Mo in grasses, elevated soil-plant uptake ratios for P and K and elevated soil pH. It is suggested that increased availability of P in soils at elevated soil pH levels contributes to its enhanced uptake into grass. A tentative assessment of the mineral status of grass at the Reserve using guidelines developed for domestic ruminants indicates deficiencies of Na, K, P and Zn and that the Ca:P ratio exceeds the tolerable range for animals. In addition, the low concentrations of Cu, Co and Zn in surface soils in the Reserve indicate that the potential supply of these elements to plants is limited.     

Silica-bearing magnetites

Some varieties of magnetite with relatively high content of SiO₂ (about 5,4%) were found by the authors. Silica-bearing magnetite of the Korshunovskoye scarn deposit is enriched in Ca (up to 1.99% CaO), Al, Mg, Ti. In serpentinites of the Atlantic and Indian oceans Si-magnetite forms pseudomorphs on Cr-spinel and includes impurities of Mn (to 3.5% MnO), Cr, Mg and Al. Distinct quantitative correlations of silica and other trace elements are observed. The authors suggest possible models of cation distribution in Si-magnetites and suppose that emplacement of silica into the magnetite crystal structure is due to the presence of chlorine in mineral-forming solutions.     

黑龙江五常地区土壤肥力及环境健康评价

从农业用地的角度,以地球化学为主要手段,对黑龙江五常地区的土壤肥力指标及环境健康指标进行了筛选,并对其中各元素指标的地球化学分布进行了统计分析。参考1990年出版的《中国土壤元素背景》以及依据中国土壤环境质量标准得出结论：五常地区土壤中有机质及植物所必需大量元素中N、K、C、Mg、S的含量相对于全国土壤(A层)背景值较为丰富, P、Ca较缺乏;对Hg、Pb、Zn、Cu、As、Cr、Ni重金属元素进行综合评价, 99%以上的土壤达到了一级标准;必需微量元素中Fe、Mn相对于全国土壤(A层)背景值较为丰富,B、 Mo、Zn、Cl较为缺乏。     

Determination of element/Ca ratios in foraminifera and corals using cold- and hot-plasma techniques in inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry

We have developed a rapid and precise procedure for measuring multiple elements in foraminifera and corals by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SF-MS) with both cold- [800 W radio frequency (RF) power] and hot- (1200 W RF power) plasma techniques. Our quality control program includes careful subsampling protocols, contamination-free workbench spaces, and refined plastic-ware cleaning process. Element/Ca ratios are calculated directly from ion beam intensities of ²⁴Mg, ²⁷Al, ⁴³Ca, ⁵⁵Mn, ⁵⁷Fe, ⁸⁶Sr, and ¹³⁸Ba, using a standard bracketing method. A routine measurement time is 3–5 min per dissolved sample. The matrix effects of nitric acid, and Ca and Sr levels, are carefully quantified and overcome. There is no significant difference between data determined by cold- and hot-plasma methods, but the techniques have different advantages. The cold-plasma technique offers a more stable plasma condition and better reproducibility for ppm-level elements. Long-term 2-sigma relative standard deviations (2-RSD) for repeat measurements of an in-house coral standard are 0.32% for Mg/Ca and 0.43% for Sr/Ca by cold-plasma ICP-SF-MS, and 0.69% for Mg/Ca and 0.51% for Sr/Ca by hot-plasma ICP-SF-MS. The higher sensitivity and enhanced measurement precision of the hot-plasma procedure yields 2-RSD precision for μmol/mol trace elements of 0.60% (Mg/Ca), 9.9% (Al/Ca), 0.68% (Mn/Ca), 2.7% (Fe/Ca), 0.50% (Sr/Ca), and 0.84% (Ba/Ca) for an in-house foraminiferal standard. Our refined ICP-SF-MS technique, which has the advantages of small sample size (2–4 μg carbonate consumed) and fast sample throughput (5–8 samples/hour), should open the way to the production of high precision and high resolution geochemical records for natural carbonate materials.     

Mobilization of aluminium and magnesium by roots of banana (Musa spp.) from kaolinite and smectite clay minerals

Banana plants (Musa spp.) are very sensitive to Al, which is mobilized in acid soil conditions. These plants may, however, contribute to their own intoxication because their roots can excrete protons in large quantities. The authors studied the mobilization of Al by banana roots from clay minerals in experimental designs exacerbating the root–mineral contact. The plants were grown on agarose-gel or sand substrates previously mixed with smectite (montmorillonite) and kaolinite as sole source of Al. The pH and the ion concentrations in the aqueous and exchangeable phases of the substrates were determined as concentrations of Al, Ca, Mg and K in plants. In both agarose and sand substrates, pH significantly decreased in the close vicinity of roots, relative to the bulk substrate. This root-induced acidification involved a preferential mobilization of Al in kaolinite substrates and of Mg in smectite substrates, and thereby a significant plant uptake of Al and Mg from these respective substrates. Root-induced weathering of kaolinite and montmorillonite thus suggests that the mobilization of, respectively, Al and Mg are the limiting steps in the dissolution of these respective minerals, just as demonstrated in previous chemical weathering studies.