Aluminum biogeochemistry in a subalpine Abies amabilis ecosystem

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6585884

Dahlgren, R A

Aluminum biogeochemistry was examined in a naturally acidic subalpine ecosystem in the Washington Cascade Mountains. This ecosystem has a vegetative community consisting of Abies amabilis while the soil-forming processes are dominated by podzolization. Due to the potentially harmful biogeochemical link between Al and toxicity to vegetation, aquatic species and man, the factors regulating Al concentrations and mobility were studied. Toxicity and mobility are both related to the ligand to which Al is complexed. Therefore, Al fractionation was performed on soil solutions to differentiate organically bound and inorganic species. Vegetative and soil pools of Al and aluminum fluxes between pools were determined by simultaneous quantification of ecosystem waterflows, litterfall and vegetative uptake. Based on these results, a conceptual model was developed to integrate the hydrologic cycle, vegetation, and soil-forming processes. This model was employed to elucidate mechanisms involved in the process of podzolization and for predicting the effects of natural and man-induced perturbations. Soluble Al in the rooting zone occurs primarily as organically bound complexes, which are considered nontoxic.

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., Seattle (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6585884
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550200 -- Biochemistry
58 GEOSCIENCES
580400 -- Geochemistry-- (-1989)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALUMINIUM
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
CHEMISTRY
CLONING
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOCHEMISTRY
MASS TRANSFER
MECHANICS
METALS
MOUNTAINS
SOIL MECHANICS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TOXICITY
VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION