Abstract
Stable isotope signatures of geologic, atmospheric, and hydrologic sources are transferred to the ecosystem through the food chain. The present study used Sr isotope data of soil and plant samples collected from Jeju Island to explore the roles of these sources in the local bioavailable Sr pool. X-ray diffraction and Sr isotope data revealed that the soil materials came from diverse sources such as weathered volcanic bedrock, marine carbonate sediments, and allochthonous aeolian dust. Dilute (1 M) ammonium nitrate- and acetic acid-leachates of the soil samples yielded 87Sr/86Sr ratios between 0.7047 and 0.7092, which were slightly but discernably higher than ratios for Jeju volcanic rocks reported in the literature (0.7045 ± 0.0004). This indicates that relatively more radiogenic Sr, probably in carbonate and aeolian dust, was preferentially released to the leachates. Geopedological control over the bioavailable Sr pool was demonstrated by the positive 87Sr/86Sr correlation between leachable soil fractions and the corresponding plant samples. The enhanced 87Sr/86Sr ratios of plants (0.7062–0.7092, average = 0.7077 ± 0.0012) reflect the influence of seawater. These Sr isotope data provide a scientific basis for addressing archaeological and historical questions related to Jeju Island.
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