Pedogenic carbonate recrystallization assessed by isotopic labeling: a comparison of 13C and 14C tracers

Abstract

AbstractThe C isotopic composition (δ13C) of pedogenic carbonates reflects the photosynthetic pathway of the predominant local vegetation because pedogenic (secondary) CaCO3 is formed in isotopic equilibrium with soil CO2 released by root and rhizomicrobial respiration. Numerous studies show the importance of pedogenic carbonates as a tool for reconstructing paleoecological conditions in arid and semiarid regions. The methodological resolution of these studies strongly depends on the time scale of pedogenic carbonate formation, which remains unknown. The initial formation rate can be assessed by 14C labeling of plants grown on loess and subsequent incorporation of 14C from rhizosphere CO2 into newly formed carbonate by recrystallization of loess CaCO3. We tested the feasibility of 14C and 13C tracers for estimating CaCO3 recrystallization rates by simultaneous 14C and 13C labeling and comparison with literature data. 14C labeling was more efficient and precise in assessing recrystallization rates than 13C labeling. This is connected with higher sensitivity of 14C liquid scintillation counting when compared with δ13C measurement by IRMS. Further, assessment of very low amounts of incorporated tracer is more precise with low background signal (natural abundance), which is true for 14C, but is rather high for 13C. Together, we obtained better reproducibility, higher methodological precision, and better plausibility of recrystallization rates calculated based on 14C labeling. Periods for complete CaCO3 recrystallization, extrapolated from rates based on 14C labeling, ranged from 130 (125–140) to 240 (225–255) y, while it was ≈ 600 (365–1600) y based on the 13C approach. In terms of magnitude, data from late‐Holocene soil profiles of known age provide better fit with modeled recrystallization periods based on the 14C approach.