ISSN:
1573-2932
Keywords:
Everglades
;
mercury
;
mobility
;
peat
;
phosphorus
;
soil
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
Notes:
Abstract Soils in the southern half of Water Conservation Area3A are mostly peats with some organic-rich marls. Mercury contents of 64 surface samples over a500 km2 area average 28.7 ng cc-1 (209 ppb drysediment), which is typical of organic-rich soils. High Hg contents in Everglades fish are therefore notcaused by anomalously high soil Hg. Hg contents showno systematic lateral variation, consistent withdeposition from well-mixed atmospheric sources ratherthan nearby point sources or runoff from canals.Cores from 9 sites contain more Hg and P at or nearthe surface than at 20–30 cm depth. Hg and P contentsof individual cores correlate well and define separatebackground and anomalous populations. The subsurfacedistribution of P is determined largely by uptake bysawgrass and other plants. The correlation between Pand Hg suggests that, although atmospheric Hgdeposition has undoubtedly increased in recentdecades, postdepositional mobilization of Hg may beimportant in Everglades soils. This finding, togetherwith recent direct measurements of atmospheric Hgdeposition, indicates that previous estimates of Hgdeposition rates based on Everglades peat cores, whichassumed that Hg is immobile in peat after deposition,have yielded large overestimates.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005214908516
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