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Dust characteristics and source‐sink relations in eastern West Africa (SW‐Niger and Benin) and South America (Argentinean Pampas)
Author(s) -
Ramsperger Barbara,
Herrmann Ludger,
Stahr Karl
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung und bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0044-3263
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.1998.3581610404
Subject(s) - aeolian processes , sink (geography) , arid , wet season , dry season , environmental science , geography , deposition (geology) , hydrology (agriculture) , physical geography , geology , geomorphology , paleontology , cartography , geotechnical engineering , sediment
In order to quantify dust input and to describe its characteristics under different environmental conditions, and to get information on source‐sink relation, dust was collected monthly with bulk deposition samplers (open bucket type) in 2 and 4 m height over a 2—3 years period at different sites in West Africa (SW‐Niger and Benin) and in the semi‐arid Argentinean Pampas. Dust input, mineralogy (bulk and clay), chemical properties including total element content and particle‐size distribution showed a clear seasonal pattern in eastern West Africa. Far‐transported Saharan dust in the dry season could be distinguished from local material transported in the rainy season. In Argentina, high sand content of the samples pointed to an important participation of local components in the collected material. This was supported by higher contents of seaborne salts at the coastal sites, and the highest amounts of collected dust at the site of highest wind velocities. Due to the lack of seasonal differences in dust amount and its characteristics, and the aeolian genesis of the Pampas soils, a separation of local material and long‐range dust was not possible.