『Abstract
It has previously been concluded that the stable Si isotopes
are fractionated during geochemical and biogeochemical elemental
transfers, such as weathering and precipitation of clays and biogenic
Si, which has opened up the possibility of using Si as a tracer
in natural terrestrial ecosystems. Furthermore, quantification
of the biogenic impact on the biogeochemical Si cycle has attracted
significant scientific interest since biological control has been
suggested. Previous observations of seasonal variations in the
dissolved Si isotopic pattern further imply that high-frequency
riverine sampling during main hydrological events might provide
important information about natural processes governing the fluvial
biogeochemical Si cycle.
Therefore, temporal variations in the isotopic composition of
riverine dissolved Si were investigated for the Kalix River, Northern
Sweden, the largest pristine river system in Europe, based on
high-frequency sampling during a period of 25 weeks from early
April to early October 2006. Temporal variations spanning 0.4‰
for δ29Si and 0.8‰ for δ30Si of dissolved
Si in the Kalix River were observed during the period, suggesting
that the riverine dissolved Si input to the oceans cannot be considered
to have a constant Si isotopic composition on a short time scale.
The results implicate biogeochemical Si-cycling via formation
and dissolution of biogenic silica as processes significantly
affecting the dissolved Si transport in boreal systems during
April to early October. The Si budget in the river system appeared
to be controlled by relative Si enrichment during high discharge
events and relative Si depletions in the subarctic mountainous
and lake dominated areas. The Si enrichments and depletions were
accompanied by decreasing and increasing riverine δ29Si
and 0.8‰ for δ30Si, respectively. These isotope variations
can be explained by release of plant derived silica, depleted
in heavier Si isotopes, during the spring snowmelt. Further, increased
volumetric contribution from the headwater and losses of dissolved
Si due to biogenic silica formation by diatoms in the subarctic
lakes at a later period are expected to be responsible for the
preferential losses of lighter isotopes, as further verified by
land cover analysis.
Keywords: Silicon isotopic composition; Dissolved Si; Biogenic
silica; Subarctic river system; Biogeochemical Si cycle; MC-ICPMS』
1. Introduction
2. Sampling and methodology
2.1. Study area
2.2. Quantification of area-specific water contributions and
land cover types in the catchment
2.3. Sampling
2.4. Instrumentation
2.5. Determination of chemical and physical characteristics
2.6. Chemical purification prior to Si isotope analyses
2.7. Silicon isotopic analyses using MC-ICP-MS
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Temporal variations in the discharge and percentage
water contribution from different areas
3.2. Major element chemistry
3.3. Normalized dissolved elemental enrichment or depletion
3.4. Silicon isotopic composition
3.4.1. Silicon isotopic variations during April to early June
3.4.2. Silicon isotopic variations during June, July and August
3.4.3. Silicon isotopic variations during September and early
October
3.5. Land cover analysis
4. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References