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34 S natural abundance variations in prairie and boreal forest soils
Author(s) -
SCHOENAU J. J.,
BETTANY J. R.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1989.tb01283.x
Subject(s) - soil water , abundance (ecology) , environmental science , taiga , boreal , salinity , pedogenesis , ecosystem , soil salinity , lability , ecology , soil science , environmental chemistry , chemistry , biology , biochemistry
SUMMARY The systematic nature of the 34 S natural abundance variations (δ 34 S) in a prairie and boreal forest ecosystem enabled construction of hypotheses regarding the origin and cycling of S in the two soil‐plant systems. By considering the 34 S abundance variations in relation to soil S transformations, a better understanding of S isotope fractionation in soils was also achieved. The δ 34 S values suggest that atmospheric S becomes increasingly more important as a S input as pedogenesis proceeds in these soils. The origin and movement of sulphate salt in a saline seep was evaluated using δ 34 S values, demonstrating the usefulness of the δ 34 S technique in soil salinity studies. The 34 S‐enrichments and depletions found in soil organic S fractions were consistent with postulated differences in lability, mobility, and turnover rate. Wheat plants growing on the saline, sulphate‐saturated prairie soil were found to be enriched in 34 S relative to surrounding S sources, providing indirect evidence for release of 34 S‐depleted H 2 S by the plants as a S‐stress relief mechanism.