RT Journal Article
T1 Needle age and precipitation as drivers of Hg accumulation and deposition in coniferous forests from a southwestern European Atlantic region
A1 Méndez López, Melissa
A1 Gomez Armesto, Antía
A1 Eimil Fraga, Cristina
A1 Alonso Vega, Maria Flora
A1 Rodríguez Soalleiro, Roque
A1 Álvarez Rodríguez, Esperanza
A1 Arias Estévez, Manuel
A1 Novoa Muñoz, Juan Carlos
K1 2599 Otras Especialidades de la Tierra, Espacio o Entorno
K1 2511 Ciencias del suelo (Edafología)
AB Vegetation and climate are critical in the biogeochemical cycle of Hg in forest ecosystems. The study assesses theinfluence of needle age and precipitation on the accumulation of Hg in needle biomass and its deposition bylitterfall in thirty-one pine plantations spread throughout two biogeographical regions in SW Europe. Welldevelopedbranches of Pinus pinaster were sampled and pine needles were classified according to 4 age classes(y0, y1, y2, y3). The concentration of total Hg (THg) was analyzed in the samples and Hg content in needlebiomass and its deposition by litterfall were estimated. The concentration of total Hg (THg) increased withneedle age ranging from 9.1 to 32.7 μg Hg kg−1 in the youngest and oldest needles, respectively. The rate of Hguptake (HgR) three years after needle sprouting was 10.2 ± 2.3 μg Hg kg−1 yr−1, but it decreased with needle ageprobably due to a diminution in photosynthetic activity as needles get older. The average total Hg stored inneedle biomass (HgWt) ranged from 5.6 to 87.8 mg Hg ha−1, with intermediate needle age classes (y1 and y2)accounting for 70% of the total Hg stored in the whole needle biomass. The average deposition flux of Hgthrough needle litterfall (HgLt) was 1.5 μg Hg m−2 yr−1, with the y2 and y3 needles contributing most to the totalHg flux. The spatial variation of THg, HgWt and HgLt decreased from coastal pine stands, characterized by anoceanic climate, to inland pine stands, a feature closely related to the dominant precipitation regime in the studyarea. Climatic conditions and needle age are the main factors affecting Hg accumulation in tree foliage, andshould be considered for an accurate assessment of forest Hg pools at a regional scale and their potential consequencesin the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems.
PB Environmental Research
SN 00139351
YR 2022
FD 2022-12
LK http://hdl.handle.net/11093/4100
UL http://hdl.handle.net/11093/4100
LA eng
NO Environmental Research, 215, 114223 (2022)
NO Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG
NO Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional | Ref. FPU17/05484
DS Investigo
RD 23-ene-2025