Memorias de investigación
Research Publications in journals:
Volcanic mercury in Pinus canariensis
Year:2013

Research Areas
  • Natural environment

Information
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element that is emitted to the atmosphere by both human activities and natural processes. Volcanic emissions are considered a natural source of mercury in the environment. In some cases, tree ring records taken close to volcanoes and their relation to volcanic activity over time are contradictory. In 1949, the Hoyo Negro volcano (La Palma-Canary Islands) produced significant pyroclastic flows that damaged the nearby stand of Pinus canariensis. Recently, 60 years after the eruption, we assessed mercury concentrations in the stem of a pine which survived volcano formation, located at a distance of 50 m from the crater. We show that Hg content in a wound caused by pyroclastic impacts (22.3 ?g kg?1) is an order of magnitude higher than the Hg concentrations measured in the xylem before and after the eruption (2.3 ?g kg?1). Thus, mercury emissions originating from the eruption remained only as a mark?in pyroclastic wounds?and can be considered a sporadic and very high mercury input that did not affect the overall Hg input in the xylem. In addition, mercury contents recorded in the phloem (9.5 ?g kg?1) and bark (6.0 ?g kg?1) suggest that mercury shifts towards non-living tissues of the pine, an aspect that can be related to detoxification in volcanism-adapted species.
International
Si
JCR
Si
Title
Naturwissenschaften
ISBN
0028-1042
Impact factor JCR
2,144
Impact info
Volume
100
10.1007/s00114-013-1070-1
Journal number
8
From page
739
To page
747
Month
AGOSTO
Ranking
Participants

Research Group, Departaments and Institutes related
  • Creador: Grupo de Investigación: Genética y Fisiología Forestal