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The relationship between copper accumulated in vineyard calcareous soils and soil organic matter and iron
Author(s) -
Parat C.,
Chaussod R.,
Lévêque J.,
Dousset S.,
Andreux F.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
european journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 1351-0754
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2389.2002.00478.x
Subject(s) - organic matter , humus , environmental chemistry , total organic carbon , copper , chemistry , soil water , fractionation , soil organic matter , nitrogen , extraction (chemistry) , carbon fibers , calcareous , soil science , environmental science , geology , materials science , organic chemistry , paleontology , composite number , composite material
Summary The intensive use for over 100 years of copper sulphate (Bordeaux mixture) to fight mildew in vineyards has led to a substantial accumulation of copper (Cu) in surface soils. To assess the effects of such large concentrations, the surface soils of 10 Burgundy vineyards were sampled and analysed for total organic matter (carbon and nitrogen) and metal (copper and iron) contents. Physical (i.e. size fractionation) and chemical (sequential extraction) methods were used to determine the distribution of these elements. The most Cu‐contaminated plots showed the largest accumulation of organic carbon and Cu in the coarse sand and fine sand fractions. Copper was strongly correlated with organic carbon and organic nitrogen in the coarse sand fraction and with organic nitrogen in the fine sand fraction. Copper was also highly correlated with both Fe and organic nitrogen in the clay fraction but not significantly with organic carbon. The sequential extraction showed that Cu was bound mainly to the Fe oxides. However, in the most Cu‐contaminated plots, a part of added Cu was bound to organic matter. This study suggests that Cu protected indirectly the organic matter present in the coarse fractions against biodegradation, and therefore modified the distribution of organic carbon among the particle‐size fractions. Iron appeared as the main factor responsible for Cu accumulation in the clay fraction, mainly through inclusion of Cu in Fe oxyhydroxides and possibly in clay–humus complexes.