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Sulfur isotopes reveal agricultural changes to the modern sulfur cycle

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https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/articles/rr171z91r
Abstract
  • The environmental fates and consequences of intensive sulfur (S) applications to croplands are largely unknown. In this study, we used S stable isotopes to identify and trace agricultural S from field-to-watershed scales, an initial and timely step toward constraining the modern S cycle. We conducted our research within the Napa River Watershed, California, US, where vineyards receive frequent fungicidal S sprays. We measured soil and surface water sulfate concentrations ([SO42−]) and stable isotopes (δ34S–SO42−), which we refer to in combination as the 'S fingerprint'. We compared samples collected from vineyards and surrounding forests/grasslands, which receive background atmospheric and geologic S sources. Vineyard δ34S–SO42− values were 9.9 ± 5.9‰ (median ± interquartile range), enriched by ∼10‰ relative to forests/grasslands (−0.28 ± 5.7‰). Vineyards also had roughly three-fold higher [SO42−] than forests/grasslands (13.6 and 5.0 mg SO42−–S l−1, respectively). Napa River δ34S–SO42− values, reflecting the watershed scale, were similar to those from vineyards (10.5 ± 7.0‰), despite vineyard agriculture constituting only ∼11% of the watershed area. Combined, our results provide important evidence that agricultural S is traceable at field-to-watershed scales, a critical step toward determining the consequences of agricultural alterations to the modern S cycle.

     

Creator
Date Issued
  • 2022
Academic Affiliation
Journal Title
Journal Issue/Number
  • 5
Journal Volume
  • 17
Last Modified
  • 2023-09-08
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DOI
ISSN
  • 1748-9326
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