Abstract
The environment of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) area is of great significance to the global environmental background and environmental change research. However, there are few studies on the content and distribution of soil trace elements in the area. About 130 soil samples were collected nearby the Rongbuk valley at the northern slope of the Qomolangma from 4,400 to 6,600 m elevations. Nine soil trace elements, Cr, Zn, Sr, Pb, Ni, Co, Cd, Mn, Cu, were analyzed with ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atom emission spectrometry). The results showed that soil trace elements content increased with altitude; the content of the Cd in this area was very high, which was 5.8 times of the average content of Chinese soil. There was a noticeable change point for soil trace elements content at the altitude of 5,800 m, and the content of Cd increased abruptly above 5,800 m. This point was just located at the boundary of two types of rocks. The Late Precambrian-Neoproterozoic granite–gneiss and metacryst migmatized interbedded with marble located below 5,800 m; black-dark slate and marl of Cambrian located above 5,800 m (including 5,800 m), the geochemical characteristic of different rocks was the main factors controlling the soil trace elements content in the northern slope of Qomolangma Mountain.
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Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank Mr. Wang Zhizhong and Mr. Pubuzhaxi of Tinggri county, Prof. Huang Rongfu of Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, CAS, Prof. Kang Shichang of ITP, CAS, Dr. Jing Zhefan of Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, CAS, associate Prof. Wangmu of Tibet University, for their support and guidance during the field survey, Prof. Feng Xuehua, Prof. Huang Rongjin, Prof. Zhang Hongye and Dr. Liu Linshan of IGSNRR, CAS, Prof. Zhao Ye, Mr. Zhao Chengyi, Ms. Wang Shuifeng and Ms. Guo Jinghua from Beijing Normal University, Adam Nichols, the edit consultant of Journal of Geographical Sciences, for helpful comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. This study was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2005CB422006), the Knowledge Innovation Project of CAS (KZCX3-SW-339), Climate Change Program of the China Meteorological Administration (CCSF2005-2-QH38).
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Zhang, Y.L., Wang, Z.F., Luo, K.L. et al. The spatial distribution of trace elements in topsoil from the northern slope of Qomolangma (Everest) in China. Environ Geol 52, 679–684 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0503-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0503-y