Organic Matter Impact on Distribution of Rare Earth Elements in Soil Under Different Land Uses. Issue 2 (12th January 2017) - Han, Guilin
Abstract : This study investigated the enrichment and fractionation of rare earth elements (REE) in soils with different soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations under diverse land uses. The results indicated that there were significant and important differences in soil REE behavior. Their fractionation was strongly and negatively correlated to the middle REE (MREE) and SOC implying that soil organic matter (SOM) acts as the host phase for the REE. Higher total REE concentrations in sites dominated by C4 plants than those dominated by C3 plants, and the significant negative correlation between δ 13 C and MREE indicated that the organic functional groups that adsorb REE change with the stable isotope composition of SOC. This observation demonstrates the potential use of REE for tracing natural influences on behavior of SOC in the profiles of SOC‐rich soils. Abstract : The rare earth elements (REE) comprise a homogenous group of elements in the periodic system known as lanthanides, which have been used to trace geochemical processes in natural systems. This study characterizes the relationship between REE and soil organic carbon (SOC) of soil in a typical karst area. The results demonstrate that REE enrichment and fractionation trends vary across a gradient of SOC concentration.