Landscape geochemistry: retrospect and prospect—1990

Abstract

At present, the terms Environmental Geochemistry and Applied Geochemistry are poorly defined in English. In fact they usually mean just what a particular geochemist, or geochemist(s), wishes them to mean. There is a less common term, Landscape Geochemistry, which describes a holistic scientific discipline aimed at the geochemistry of the environment. Although little known outside the U.S.S.R., the basics of landscape geochemistry were first described more than 60 a ago. Since then, landscape geochemistry has had a history pertinent to all scientists who participate in environmental geochemistry today. This review traces the evolution of landscape geochemistry, and related disciplines, over the past 90 a and shows how they all relate to the development of modern environmental geochemistry worldwide. In landscape geochemistry, the term “landscape” refers to both the horizontal stratification of land (e.g. into terrestial, bog and aquatic ecosystems which co-exist in an area of country) and to the vertical stratification within these units (e. g. into vegetation, soils etc.). In these respects landscape geochemistry resembles Landscape Ecology, which is currently a discipline of growing importance in environmental science. Landscape geochemistry differs from landscape ecology because it focuses attention on all aspects of the behaviour of chemical entities (e. g. isotopes, elements and ions), in both living and dead matter in landscapes of all kinds. From the viewpoint of general geochemistry, landscape geochemistry focusess on the interaction of the lithosphere with the hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. This holistic approach provides a common theoretical background for both “pure” and “applied” environmental geochemistry worldwide. An important aspect of landscape geochemistry, particularly pertinent to environmental geochemistry in the non-Soviet world today, is that the subject provides a link between modern exploration geochemistry and modern environmental science, including geochemistry. Historically, landscape geochemistry stems from the Russian school of “Landscape Science”. This developed from the ideas of V. V. Dokuchaev (1846–1903) around the turn of the century. Concepts unique to landscape geochemistry were first described in the 1920s by one of Dokuchaev's students, B. B. Polynov (1867–1952). A. I. Perel'man (1909- ), a student of Polynov, began to teach landscape geochemistry at Moscow University in 1952. Since then, the subject has become firmly established as the focus for fundamental and applied environmental geochemistry in the U.S.S.R. This review traces the development of landscape geochemistry from its origins around 1920 until 1990. The volume of literature pertinent to the review is voluminous. For this reason, attention is usually focused on the basic concepts and principles of landscape geochemistry and related scientific disciplines. Readers who require more detailed information on subjects covered in this review should consult the references cited. The review is organized in four parts. The first three trace the historical development of landscape geochemistry, and related disciplines, in three time periods. These are: (1) pre-1950; (2) between 1950 and 1980; and (3) 1980–1990. Part 4 uses paradigms to summarize the historical evolution of landscape geochemistry and indicates how a Global Landscape Geochemistry might develop in the future.