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Translocation and distribution of mercury in biomasses from subtropical forest ecosystems: evidence from stable mercury isotopes

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Abstract

To understand its source, distribution, storage, and translocation in the subtropical forest ecosystems, mercury (Hg) concentrations and stable isotopes in forest biomass tissues (foliage, branch, bark, and trunk) were investigated at Ailao Mountain National Nature Reserve, Southwest China. The total Hg (THg) concentrations in the samples show the following trend: mature foliage (57 ± 19 ng g−1) > bark (11 ± 4.0 ng g−1) > branch (5.4 ± 2.5 ng g−1) > trunk (1.6 ± 0.7 ng g−1). Using the measured THg concentrations and the quantity of respective biomasses, the Hg pools in the forest are: wood (60 ± 26 μg m−2) > bark (51 ± 18 μg m−2) > foliage (41 ± 11 μg m−2) > branch (26 ± 8.3 μg m−2). The tree biomasses displayed negative δ202Hg (− 1.83‰ to − 3.84‰) and ∆199Hg (− 0.18‰ to − 0.62‰). The observed ∆200Hg (− 0.08‰ to 0.04‰) is not significantly from zero. A ∆199Hg/∆201Hg ratio of 1.05 was found in tree biomasses, suggesting that mercury has undergone Hg(II) photoreduction processes. A Hg-isotope based binary mixing model suggests that Hg in the tree biomasses mainly originated from foliage uptake of atmospheric Hg0, constituting 67%, 80%, and 77% of Hg in wood, branch, and bark, respectively. Our study sheds new light on the transportation and sources of Hg in the subtropical forest ecosystems.

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Acknowledgement

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41430754). We thank Jin-Hua Qi for the assistance in sample collection. The Ailao Mountain Ecosystem Research Station was thanked for its fieldwork support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, China

    Yi Liu, Che-Jen Lin, Wei Yuan & Xinbin Feng

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Yi Liu & Wei Yuan

  3. Center for Advances in Water and Air Quality, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, USA

    Che-Jen Lin

  4. College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China

    Che-Jen Lin

  5. National Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Ailaoshan, Yunnan, China

    Zhiyun Lu

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  1. Yi Liu
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Liu, Y., Lin, CJ., Yuan, W. et al. Translocation and distribution of mercury in biomasses from subtropical forest ecosystems: evidence from stable mercury isotopes. Acta Geochim 40, 42–50 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-020-00441-3

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