Carbon Isotope Measurement as an Index of Soil Development
Issue Date
1980-01-01Keywords
Spey Valleysoil surveys
surveys
Great Britain
United Kingdom
Scotland
soils
Europe
Western Europe
geochronologyC 14carbondatesisotopesradioactive isotopesC 13 C 12stable isotopesabsolute age
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Ladyman, S. J., & Harkness, D. D. (1980). Carbon isotope measurement as an index of soil development. Radiocarbon, 22(3), 885-891.Publisher
American Journal of ScienceJournal
RadiocarbonDescription
From the 10th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Bern, Switzerland and Heidelberg, Germany, August 19-26, 1979.Additional Links
http://radiocarbon.webhost.uits.arizona.edu/Abstract
14C and 13C enrichment values are reported for a series of surface soil profiles which represent the progressive transition from mor to mull humus induced by birch (Betula pendula) colonization. Variations in Deltaand delta-13C, which range between 85 to 154 ppm modern and -28.1 to -25.3 ppm (PDB), respectively, reflect changes in the rate and mode of organic decomposition. The most marked alterations in soil character occur over the first few decades following the introduction of birch, with clear isotopic evidence for the deeper penetration and accelerated mineralization of organic material.Type
Proceedingstext