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Elevated Mercury Deposition, Accumulation, and Migration in a Karst Forest
Hu Du1,2, Xun Wang3, Wei Yuan3
1Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, Hunan, China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|November 1, 2023
Summary
Mercury (Hg) cycling in China
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Geochemistry
- Ecology
Background:
- Karst forests in southwest China represent sensitive ecosystems with poorly understood mercury (Hg) biogeochemical cycling.
- Mercury contamination poses ecological risks to fragile karst environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate mercury deposition, accumulation, and soil migration within a karst forest ecosystem.
- Determine the primary sources and pathways of mercury in this unique environment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized high-resolution sampling techniques to analyze litterfall and soil.
- Employed stable isotope analysis to model mercury sources and transformations.
- Assessed mercury concentrations and fluxes across different topographical locations (hillslope vs. low-lying land).
Main Results:
- Elevated litterfall mercury concentrations and fluxes observed in spring, linked to evergreen foliage exposure to atmospheric Hg(0).
- Hillslope areas exhibit higher litterfall mercury concentrations due to localized atmospheric mercury levels.
- Mercury isotopic modeling indicates litterfall contributes approximately 80% to surface soil mercury sources.
- Soil erosion significantly influences mercury accumulation, with low-lying areas showing up to five times higher soil mercury concentrations than hillslope areas.
Conclusions:
- Litterfall is a major mercury input to karst forest soils, but soil erosion is a critical factor controlling mercury accumulation patterns.
- High mercury migration in karst forest soils presents substantial ecological risks to groundwater and downstream aquatic ecosystems.
- Understanding mercury dynamics is crucial for managing these sensitive karst environments.
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