The Microelement Composition of the Soil-Plant Cover in the Basin of Lake Kotokel'

S B Sosorova,A B Gyninova,M G Merkusheva,L L Ubugunov

doi:10.5539/esr.v1n2p229

Abstract

The content of microelements (Mn, Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Pb, and Cd) and Fe is determined in the soils and plants of the Lake Kotokel' basin. Their content in the soils is proved not to exceed the regional background and the existing MPC and APC. The content of Cd is revealed to exceed its clarke value for the world soils, which is related to the natural origin of this element. The concentrations of Mn, Co, and Pb are close to their clarke values, and those of Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr are lower than their clarkes. The studied soils are specified by the maximal amount of the mobile forms of microelements. The profile distribution of the microelements differs depending on the genetic soil type. For Mn, Zn, and Cu, a significant biogenic accumulation is pronounced in the organic soil horizons. The content of microelements in the aboveground phytomass exceeds the maximal permissible levels for Mn, Co, Cr, and Fe. The intensity of the microelements absorption by the plants varies widely, being specified by the high coefficient of the biological adsorption (except for Fe). Mn, Zn, and Cu are accumulated in the grass phytomass the most intensely.

Highlights

The necessity to analyze the microelement composition of the soil-plant cover in the basin of Lake Kotokel' included in the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory (Boundaries of the Baikal..., 2006) and to assess its present-day state is very important for the preservation of the natural complex and pure water of Lake Baikal as a part of our world heritage
The total content of microelements and iron in the soils was measured by atomic-absorption spectroscopy using an AAS Analyst 400 device produced by PerkinElmer after the preliminary decomposition of the samples by hydrofluoric acid (HF) in the presence of sulfuric acid with the subsequent decomposition of the precipitate with hydrochloric acid (HCl)
As compared to the clarke value for felsic rocks, the studied soil-forming deposits are depleted in Zn and Cu; the content of Mn, Co, and Pb is close to their clarkes and that of Ni, Cr, and Cd exceeds the clarke values

Summary

Introduction

The necessity to analyze the microelement composition of the soil-plant cover in the basin of Lake Kotokel' included in the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory (Boundaries of the Baikal..., 2006) and to assess its present-day state is very important for the preservation of the natural complex and pure water of Lake Baikal as a part of our world heritage. The low banks of the lake are often swamped and occupied by biocenoses with Carex, Equisetum, and Typha genera representatives. The specifics of their accumulation and distribution in the soil-plant cover of the Lake Kotokel' basin have not been investigated. The main aim was to estimate the present-day ecological and biogeochemical status of the soil-plant cover in the basin of Lake Kotokel'

Objects and Methods

Forest Ecosystems

Alluvial Ecosystems

Bog Ecosystems

Results and Discussion

Conclusions