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Isotopic deviations of water extracted from carbonate soil by cryogenic vacuum extraction: implication for root water uptake analysis

Plant and Soil volume 475, pages 79–89 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Isotope-based root water uptake analysis usually involves cryogenic vacuum extraction (CVE) of water from soil and other water-holding materials, according to the assumption that no isotopic fractionation occurs during the related processes. Recently, a growing body of literature identified isotopic deviations that were caused by CVE. However, the isotopic deviations of water extracted from carbonate soils by CVE are undefined, which prohibits dependable utilization of stable water isotopes in CVE involved studies, especially in karst regions.

Methods

Three types of water-holding material, weathered carbonate bedrock, typical karst soils that were kept intact or washed with diluted HCL thus with varying levels of carbonate content were oven-dried and spiked with various amounts of reference water. The recovery of known isotope values was tested in all rewetted samples by using one CVE system.

Results

No significant differences were detected between the isotope values of the water extracted from the weathered carbonate bedrock and the input water. However, isotope values of water extracted from the soils were significantly more negative than the input water. Moreover, the magnitude of δD deviation was highly related to soil water content, while the magnitude of δ18O values was strongly dependent on the amount of carbonate present.

Conclusions

Considering the isotopic deviations caused by CVE and the obstacles associated with the calibration process, the application of an isotope-based method that involves CVE needs to be adapted to the specific properties of karst regions.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [41930866, 31971438]; the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation [2018GXNSFGA281003]; and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China [2018397].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, 410004, Changsha, China

    Nannan Jiang & Zhongcheng Wang

  2. Key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 410125, Changsha, China

    Nannan Jiang, Xingyu Ma, Wenna Liu, Hongsong Chen & Yunpeng Nie

  3. Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Eco-systems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang, 547100, Guangxi, China

    Nannan Jiang, Xingyu Ma, Wenna Liu, Hongsong Chen & Yunpeng Nie

  4. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100039, Beijing, China

    Xingyu Ma, Wenna Liu, Hongsong Chen & Yunpeng Nie

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  1. Nannan Jiang
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  2. Zhongcheng Wang
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  3. Xingyu Ma
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  4. Wenna Liu
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  5. Hongsong Chen
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Contributions

WL, XM, and YN planned and designed the research; JN performed experiments, analyzed data and wrote first version of the manuscript under ZW and HC’s guidance; WL contributed significantly to data analysis and interpretation and YN re-wrote the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yunpeng Nie.

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Jiang, N., Wang, Z., Ma, X. et al. Isotopic deviations of water extracted from carbonate soil by cryogenic vacuum extraction: implication for root water uptake analysis. Plant Soil 475, 79–89 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05455-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05455-9

Keywords

  • Plant water source
  • Water extraction
  • Stable isotopes
  • Weathered bedrock
  • Karst ecosystems