Strontium isotopes in precipitation, soil and runoff water can be used to establish a ratio of wet plus dry deposited Sr to Sr released by weathering. This ratio is especially enhanced in areas with old acid Proterozoic rocks (0.6-2.5 Ga) and Archean rocks (>2.5 Ga). Since Sr and Ca behave in an analogous way in the coniferous forest ecosystem the results for Sr can be used for the determination of Ca. If the deposition of calcium can be calculated reasonably accurately the weathering rate can also be estimated. Five catchments have been investigated using this approach. Three of them seem to be close to a steady state, wherein the losses and gains of calcium to the system are equal. In the two southern-most catchments there seems to be an ongoing loss of exchangeable calcium. The loss by runoff occurs with sulphate being the dominant anion. Weathering rates of 1.5 to 4.8 kg Ca/ha year have been estimated.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
April 01 1989
Calcium Budgets for Catchments as Interpreted by Strontium Isotopes
Gunnar Jacks;
Gunnar Jacks
1
Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm
Search for other works by this author on:
Göran Åberg;
Göran Åberg
1
Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm
Search for other works by this author on:
P. Joseph Hamilton
P. Joseph Hamilton
2
SURRC East Kilbride, Scotland
Search for other works by this author on:
Hydrology Research (1989) 20 (2): 85–96.
Article history
Received:
November 18 1988
Citation
Gunnar Jacks, Göran Åberg, P. Joseph Hamilton; Calcium Budgets for Catchments as Interpreted by Strontium Isotopes. Hydrology Research 1 April 1989; 20 (2): 85–96. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.1989.0007
Download citation file: