Element concentrations and variations along a 120-km transect in southern Norway - Anthropogenic vs. geogenic vs. biogenic element sources and cycles
- Author(s)
- Clemens Reimann, Arnold Arnoldussen, Peter Englmaier, Peter Filzmoser, Tor Erik Finne, Robert G. Garrett, Friedrich Koller, Øystein Nordgulen
- Abstract
Rock samples and the C-, B- and O-horizons of soils developed on these rocks were collected in forested areas along a 120-km south-north transect in southern Norway, passing through the city of Oslo. Forty samples (1 site/3 km) were analysed for 37 chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W and Zn) following an aqua regia digestion; pH (water extract) and loss on ignition were also determined. The O-horizon soils were additionally analysed for Pt. Gold is the only element that shows a clear anthropogenic peak in the O-horizon soils collected from the city of Oslo. Silver, Au, Bi, Cd, Hg, Pb, S, Sb, Se and Sr all show a strong enrichment in the O-horizon when compared to the underlying C-horizon or the bedrock along the full length of the transect. Neither geology nor anthropogenic input of elements dominate the observed patterns. The most important factors for the observed element concentrations in the O-horizon are weathering, uptake (or rejection) of elements by plants and the kinetics of decay of the organic material in the O-horizon. Climate, especially temperature and precipitation, has an important influence on the formation and decay rates of the organic soil layer. Acid precipitation will delay the decomposition of the organic layer and lead to a natural enrichment of several metals in the O-horizon. Land use change, deforestation and liming can all increase the decay kinetics of organic matter and thus result in a release of the stored element pool.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Lithospheric Research
- External organisation(s)
- Geological Survey of Norway, Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Technische Universität Wien, Geological Survey of Canada
- Journal
- Applied Geochemistry
- Volume
- 22
- Pages
- 851-871
- No. of pages
- 21
- ISSN
- 0883-2927
- Publication date
- 2007
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105105 Geochemistry
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 13 - Climate Action, SDG 15 - Life on Land
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/665dbae7-0cd3-4074-a07e-924945d6af4c