The impact of vegetation on fractionation of rare earth elements(REE) during water–rock interaction

Previous studies on waters of a streamlet in the Vosges mountains (eastern France) have shown that Sr and rare earth elements (REE) principally originate from apatite dissolution during weathering. However, stream water REE patterns normalized to apatite are still depleted in light REE (LREE, La–Sm) pointing to the presence of an additional LREE depleting process. Speciation calculations indicate that complexation cannot explain this additional LREE depletion. In contrast, vegetation samples are strongly enriched in LREE compared to water and their Sr and Nd isotopic compositions are comparable with those of apatite and waters. Thus, the preferential LREE uptake by the plants at the root–water–soil (apatite) interface might lead to an additional LREE depletion of the waters in the forested catchment. Mass balance calculations indicate that the yearly LREE uptake by vegetation is comparable with the LREE export by the streamlet and, therefore, might be an important factor controlling the LREE depletion in river waters

Regolith production and transport in the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory, Part 1: Insights from U-series isotopes

To investigate the timescales of regolith formation on hillslopes with contrasting topographic aspect, we measured U-series isotopes in regolith profiles from two hillslopes (north facing versus south facing) within the east-west trending Shale Hills catchment in Pennsylvania. This catchment is developed entirely on the Fe-rich, Silurian Rose Hill gray shale. Hillslopes exhibit a topographic asymmetry: The north-facing hillslope has an average slope gradient of ~20°, slightly steeper than the south-facing hillslope (~15°). The regolith samples display significant U-series disequilibrium resulting from shale weathering. Based on the U-series data, the rates of regolith production on the two ridgetops are indistinguishable (40 ± 22 versus 45 ± 12 m/Ma). However, when downslope positions are compared, the regolith profiles on the south-facing hillslope are characterized by faster regolith production rates (50 ± 15 to 52 ± 15 m/Ma) and shorter durations of chemical weathering (12 ± 3 to 16 ± 5 ka) than those on the north-facing hillslope (17 ± 14 to 18 ± 13 m/Ma and 39 ± 20 to 43 ± 20 ka). The south-facing hillslope is also characterized by faster chemical weathering rates inferred from major element chemistry, despite lower extents of chemical depletion. These results are consistent with the influence of aspect on regolith formation at Shale Hills; we hypothesize that aspect affects such variables as temperature, moisture content, and evapotranspiration in the regolith zone, causing faster chemical weathering and regolith formation rates on the south-facing side of the catchment. The difference in microclimate between these two hillslopes is inferred to have been especially significant during the periglacial period that occurred at Shale Hills at least ~15 ka before present. At that time, the erosion rates may also have been different from those observed today, perhaps denuding the south-facing hillslope of regolith but not quite stripping the north-facing hillslope. An analysis of hillslope evolution and response timescales with a linear mass transport model shows that the current landscape at Shale Hills is not in geomorphologic steady state (i.e., so-called dynamic equilibrium) but rather is likely still responding to the climate shift from the Holocene periglacial to the modern, temperate conditions

Long term records of erosional change from marine ferromanganese crusts

Ferromanganese crusts from the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans record the Nd and Pb isotope compositions of the water masses from which they form as hydrogenous precipitates. The10Be/9Be-calibrated time series for crusts are compared to estimates based on Co-contents, from which the equatorial Pacific crusts studied are inferred to have recorded ca. 60 Ma of Pacific deep water history. Time series of ɛNd show that the oceans have maintained a strong provinciality in Nd isotopic composition, determined by terrigenous inputs, over periods of up to 60 Ma. Superimposed on the distinct basin-specific signatures are variations in Nd and Pb isotope time series which have been particularly marked over the last 5 Ma. It is shown that changes in erosional inputs, particularly associated with Himalayan uplift and the northern hemisphere glaciation have influenced Indian and Atlantic Ocean deep water isotopic compositions respectively. There is no evidence so far for an imprint of the final closure of the Panama Isthmus on the Pb and Nd isotopic composition in either Atlantic or Pacific deep water masses

Lithological influences on contemporary and long-term regolith weathering at the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory

Lithologic differences give rise to the differential weatherability of the Earth’s surface and globally variable silicate weathering fluxes, which provide an important negative feedback on climate over geologic timescales. To isolate the influence of lithology on weathering rates and mechanisms, we compare two nearby catchments in the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory in Puerto Rico, which have similar climate history, relief and vegetation, but differ in bedrock lithology. Regolith and pore water samples with depth were collected from two ridgetops and at three sites along a slope transect in the volcaniclastic Bisley catchment and compared to existing data from the granitic Río Icacos catchment. The depth variations of solid-state and pore water chemistry and quantitative mineralogy were used to calculate mass transfer (tau) and weathering solute profiles, which in turn were used to determine weathering mechanisms and to estimate weathering rates. Regolith formed on both lithologies is highly leached of most labile elements, although Mg and K are less depleted in the granitic than in the volcaniclastic profiles, reflecting residual biotite in the granitic regolith not present in the volcaniclastics. Profiles of both lithologies that terminate at bedrock corestones are less weathered at depth, near the rock-regolith interfaces. Mg fluxes in the volcaniclastics derive primarily from dissolution of chlorite near the rock-regolith interface and from dissolution of illite and secondary phases in the upper regolith, whereas in the granitic profile, Mg and K fluxes derive from biotite dissolution. Long-term mineral dissolution rates and weathering fluxes were determined by integrating mass losses over the thickness of solid-state weathering fronts, and are therefore averages over the timescale of regolith development. Resulting long-term dissolution rates for minerals in the volcaniclastic regolith include chlorite: 8.9 × 10‾¹⁴ mol m‾² s‾¹, illite: 2.1 × 10‾¹⁴ mol m‾² s‾¹ and kaolinite: 4.0 × 10‾¹⁴ mol m‾² s‾¹. Long-term weathering fluxes are several orders of magnitude lower in the granitic regolith than in the volcaniclastic, despite higher abundances of several elements in the granitic regolith. Contemporary weathering fluxes were determined from net (rain-corrected) solute profiles and thus represent rates over the residence time of water in the regolith. Contemporary weathering fluxes within the granitic regolith are similar to the long-term fluxes. In contrast, the long-term fluxes are faster than the contemporary fluxes in the volcaniclastic regolith. Contemporary fluxes in the granitic regolith are generally also slightly faster than in the volcaniclastic. The differences in weathering fluxes over space and time between these two watersheds indicate significant lithologic control of chemical weathering mechanisms and rates

U-series isotopes in suspended sediments of the Himalayan rivers

International audienc

Seasonal variations of chemical composition of soil porewaters, streams and rivers in basaltic watersheds of central Siberia: the origin of river dissolved load in the permafrost zone

Rivers and streams draining basalts in Central Siberia allow thorough evaluation of the intensity of chemical weathering and its potential change induced by permafrost degradation. In order to get new insights to the origin of dissolved and suspended matter in this important subarctic region, we follow continuously over 4 years the chemical composition of dissolved load in two large rivers (N. Tunguska and Kochechumo), small experimental watershed (Kulingdakan) in the Yenissey River Basin and interstitial soils solutions from different landscape positions and soil horizons. The site (Tura, 64oN, 100oE) offers a unique opportunity for studying the processes occurring at high and low permafrost distribution watersheds. Indeed, at global scale we deal with two equivalent size rivers draining the northern and southern part of the Central Siberia (Kochechumo River and N. Tunguska River, respectively). At the local scale, there are north-facing and south-facing slopes of the watershed that receive equivalent precipitation but exhibit totally different heat input and consequently above-ground biomass and active layer thickness. There is a clear and strongly pronounced seasonal variability in trace and major elements concentration and organic carbon (OC) over the hydrological cycle with most of OC and trace element flux occurring during the spring flood. In summer time, the north-facing slope acts as a primary source of water and dissolved elements to the river as it exhibits the lowest thickness of the active layer. Indeed, the chemical composition of the suprapermafrost flow and that of the river water are very similar. In contrast, the south-facing slopes, although they exhibit twice higher concentrations of OC and TE in porewaters, do not deliver enough fluids to the river as these fluids are fully absorbed by thick active layer, mosses and vascular vegetation. Nevertheless, in early spring, the degradation products of plant litter from the S-facing slopes are abundant in stream waters. In winter time, when all soil fluid migration is stopped and the small rivers are fully frozen, the main source of solutes to the large rivers become groundwaters located in the thawed zone below the river channel. In collaboration with other researches, our results should allow quantitative modeling of the evolution of large boreal continental systems under global warming accompanied by the shift from the permafrost-dominating to permafrost-free environments

Vegetation cycling regulates dissolved B in forested watershed

International audienc