Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of Argentina
Soil erosion and associated sediment redistribution are key environmental problems in Central Argentina. Specific land uses and management practices, such as intensive grazing and crop cultivation, are considered to be significantly driving and accelerating these processes. This research focuses on...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2020-12-01
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| Series: | International Soil and Water Conservation Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095633920300812 |
| _version_ | 1797288836466737152 |
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| author | Romina Torres Astorga Yanina Garcias Gisela Borgatello Hugo Velasco Román Padilla Gerd Dercon Lionel Mabit |
| author_facet | Romina Torres Astorga Yanina Garcias Gisela Borgatello Hugo Velasco Román Padilla Gerd Dercon Lionel Mabit |
| author_sort | Romina Torres Astorga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil erosion and associated sediment redistribution are key environmental problems in Central Argentina. Specific land uses and management practices, such as intensive grazing and crop cultivation, are considered to be significantly driving and accelerating these processes. This research focuses on the identification of suitable soil tracers from hot spots of land degradation and sediment fate in an agricultural catchment of central Argentina with erodible loess soils. Using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), elemental concentrations were determined and later used as soil tracers for geochemical characterization. The best set of tracers were identified using two artificial mixtures composed of known proportions of soil sources collected from different lands having contrasting soil uses. Barium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and titanium were identified for obtaining the best suitable reconstruction of source proportions in the laboratory-prepared artificial mixtures. Then, these elements, as well as the total organic carbon, were applied for pinpointing critical hot spots of erosion within the studied catchment. Feedlots were identified to be the main source of sediments, river banks and dirt roads together are the second most important source. This investigation provides key information for optimizing soil conservation strategies and selecting land management practices and land uses which do not generate great contribution of sediment, preventing pollution of the waterways of the region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:55:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-560852e27a6b4958916a927c631668db |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-6339 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:55:14Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Soil and Water Conservation Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-560852e27a6b4958916a927c631668db2024-03-02T00:23:07ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.International Soil and Water Conservation Research2095-63392020-12-0184410417Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of ArgentinaRomina Torres Astorga0Yanina Garcias1Gisela Borgatello2Hugo Velasco3Román Padilla4Gerd Dercon5Lionel Mabit6IMASL, UNSL, CONICET. Ej, de los Andes 950, San Luis, ArgentinaIMASL, UNSL, CONICET. Ej, de los Andes 950, San Luis, ArgentinaIMASL, UNSL, CONICET. Ej, de los Andes 950, San Luis, ArgentinaIMASL, UNSL, CONICET. Ej, de los Andes 950, San Luis, Argentina; Corresponding author.Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences, IAEA, Seibersdorf, AustriaSoil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, AustriaSoil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, AustriaSoil erosion and associated sediment redistribution are key environmental problems in Central Argentina. Specific land uses and management practices, such as intensive grazing and crop cultivation, are considered to be significantly driving and accelerating these processes. This research focuses on the identification of suitable soil tracers from hot spots of land degradation and sediment fate in an agricultural catchment of central Argentina with erodible loess soils. Using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), elemental concentrations were determined and later used as soil tracers for geochemical characterization. The best set of tracers were identified using two artificial mixtures composed of known proportions of soil sources collected from different lands having contrasting soil uses. Barium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and titanium were identified for obtaining the best suitable reconstruction of source proportions in the laboratory-prepared artificial mixtures. Then, these elements, as well as the total organic carbon, were applied for pinpointing critical hot spots of erosion within the studied catchment. Feedlots were identified to be the main source of sediments, river banks and dirt roads together are the second most important source. This investigation provides key information for optimizing soil conservation strategies and selecting land management practices and land uses which do not generate great contribution of sediment, preventing pollution of the waterways of the region.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095633920300812FingerprintingGeochemical elementsEnergy dispersive X-ray fluorescenceSoil erosionMixing models |
| spellingShingle | Romina Torres Astorga Yanina Garcias Gisela Borgatello Hugo Velasco Román Padilla Gerd Dercon Lionel Mabit Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of Argentina International Soil and Water Conservation Research Fingerprinting Geochemical elements Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence Soil erosion Mixing models |
| title | Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of Argentina |
| title_full | Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of Argentina |
| title_fullStr | Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of Argentina |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of Argentina |
| title_short | Use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of Argentina |
| title_sort | use of geochemical fingerprints to trace sediment sources in an agricultural catchment of argentina |
| topic | Fingerprinting Geochemical elements Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence Soil erosion Mixing models |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095633920300812 |
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