<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

We studied the hydrobiochemical balance of total mercury (THg) in a forest ecosystem covering an area affected by mining activity in the past (14th – 18th cent.) in the Kremnické vrchy Mts. (central Slovakia). A reference plot was located in an undisturbed area very close to primeval forest of Badínsky prales natural reserve. We analysed THg in bulk precipitation, throughfall, litterfall, forest floor percolate, forest soil and assimilatory organs of tree species. Results pointed out to high wet mercury deposition at both plots (51 μg·m−2·yr−1 an area near a cinnabar mining (MP1) and 37 μg·m−2·yr−1, in a reference catchment area near the protected primary forest (MP2)) as well as high THg deposition by throughfall (74 μg·m−2·yr−1 and 51 μg·m−2·yr−1, respectively in MP1 and MP2). Litterfall does not represent the main THg flux into forest soil but together with throughfall doubles the THg input compared to open space deposition. Forest ecosystem has ability to capture atmospheric Hg and thus makes new sources of mercury inputs (throughfall and litterfall) into soil.
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We studied the hydrobiochemical balance of total mercury (THg) in a forest ecosystem covering an area affected by mining activity in the past (14th – 18th cent.) in the Kremnické vrchy Mts. (central Slovakia). A reference plot was located in an undisturbed area very close to primeval forest of Badínsky prales natural reserve. We analysed THg in bulk precipitation, throughfall, litterfall, forest floor percolate, forest soil and assimilatory organs of tree species. Results pointed out to high wet mercury deposition at both plots (51 μg·m−2·yr−1 an area near a cinnabar mining (MP1) and 37 μg·m−2·yr−1, in a reference catchment area near the protected primary forest (MP2)) as well as high THg deposition by throughfall (74 μg·m−2·yr−1 and 51 μg·m−2·yr−1, respectively in MP1 and MP2). Litterfall does not represent the main THg flux into forest soil but together with throughfall doubles the THg input compared to open space deposition. Forest ecosystem has ability to capture atmospheric Hg and thus makes new sources of mercury inputs (throughfall and litterfall) into soil.

Hydrobiochemical balance of total mercury in a forest catchment area at former cinnabar mining locality

Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

We studied the hydrobiochemical balance of total mercury (THg) in a forest ecosystem covering an area affected by mining activity in the past (14th – 18th...

Hydrobiochemical balance of total mercury in a forest catchment area at former cinnabar mining locality

Published Online: May 21, 2021

Page range: 209 - 219

Received: Dec 15, 2020

Accepted: Jan 27, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2021-0005

Keywords
Total mercury, Bulk precipitation, Throughfall, Litterfall, Wet deposition, Forest, Cinnabar mining

© 2021 Ľudmila Mačejná et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Hydrobiochemical balance of total mercury in a forest catchment area at former cinnabar mining locality

Published Online: May 21, 2021

Page range: 209 - 219

Received: Dec 15, 2020

Accepted: Jan 27, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2021-0005

KeywordsTotal mercury, Bulk precipitation, Throughfall, Litterfall, Wet deposition, Forest, Cinnabar mining

© 2021 Ľudmila Mačejná et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Total mercury, Bulk precipitation, Throughfall, Litterfall, Wet deposition, Forest, Cinnabar mining