Relating Tree Ring Chemistry of Pinus densiflora to Precipitation Acidity in an Industrial Area of South Korea

Abstract

To test the possible use of tree ring chemical properties as proxies for precipitation acidity ([H + ]), we investigated the relationships between tree ring chemistry (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, Ca-to-Al ratio, and N

Reconstructing terrestrial nutrient cycling using stable nitrogen isotopes in wood

“…(Koopmans et al 1996;Schleppi et al 1999;Hart and Classen 2003;Balster et al 2009). In cases where tree ring [N] appears to reflect pollution inputs (Kwak et al 2009;Leonelli et al 2012), the response is inconsistent (Saurer et al 2004;Kwak et al 2011) or also documented in trees not exposed to pollution (Guerrieri et al 2009). …”

“…In fact, studies have shown N mobility throughout all plant tissues over the course of numerous growing seasons, indicating that N redistribution is a continual process (Mead and Preston 1994) (Elhani et al 2003;Kwak et al 2009). Under high pollutant inputs, the amount of extracted N was higher in recent rings, suggesting that increases in [N] in recent rings reflect increases in mobile N as opposed to structural N components (Doucet et al 2010).…”

“…Historical reconstructions of pollution impacts using tree ring δ 15 N have been developed in China (Sun et al 2010), South Korea (Choi et al 2005, Kwak et al 2009, 2010, Luxembourg (Härdtle et al 2013), Switzerland (Saurer et al 2004, Guerrieri et al 2009), Italy (Guerrieri et al 2009, Battipaglia et al 2010, Guerrieri et al 2010, Leonelli et al 2012) and Canada (Bukata & Kyser 2007, Savard et al 2009, Doucet et al 2012, Jung et al 2013). Wood δ 15 N, δ 13 C, and calcium/aluminum ratios (Ca:Al) have been used to reconstruct acid precipitation, though the signal was regionally specific, precluding large-scale extrapolation (Kwak et al 2011, Kwak et al 2009, Sun et al 2010.…”

“…Wood δ 15 N, δ 13 C, and calcium/aluminum ratios (Ca:Al) have been used to reconstruct acid precipitation, though the signal was regionally specific, precluding large-scale extrapolation (Kwak et al 2011, Kwak et al 2009, Sun et al 2010. Additionally, some tree ring δ 15 N chronologies record a significant shift at the onset of increased pollution (Saurer et al 2004) or long-term temporal trends correlated with a pollutant proxy, such as number of registered cars (Doucet et al 2012) or regional NOx emissions (Savard et al 2009).…”

Reconstructing Atmospheric CO2Concentration Using Its Relationship with Carbon Isotope Variations in Annual Tree Ring of Red Pine

“…[CO2]) in the year when the specific growth ring was formed (Choi et al, 2005;Bukata andKyser, 2007, Choi et al, 2007;Kwak et al, 2009b C from fossil fuels at the global scale (Freyer and Belacy, 1983;February and Stock, 1999). Such inter-correlation may result in a negative relationship between atmospheric [CO2] and tree ring δ 13 C; i.e., a decrease in δ…”