Trace metal content of the forest floor in the green mountains of Vermont: Spatial and temporal patterns

✍ Scribed by Andrew J. Friedland; Arthur H. Johnson; Thomas G. Siccama

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 543 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0049-6979
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00163621

✦ Synopsis

The organic horizons of forest soils in eleven stands along an elevational gradient on Camels Hump Mountain, Vermont, were analyzed for Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, organic matter and organic C. Lead concentration and amount increased with elevation. Vertical profiles of forest floor in the boreal forest showed that highest concentrations for most metals occurred in the upper F horizon. Comparison with 1966 and 1977 samples from the same stands showed that concentrations ofPb, Cu, and Zn and percent organic matter increased by as much as 148% in the intervening 14 yr. Estimates of 1966 amounts of Pb, Cu, and Zn indicated that increases in trace metal amounts over the 14 yr period are consistent with annual deposition rates reported in the literature.