Historical land use change has lowered terrestrial silica mobilization

Eric Struyf (), Adriaan Smis, Stefan Van Damme, Josette Garnier, Gerard Govers, Bas Van Wesemael, Daniel J. Conley, Okke Batelaan, Elisabeth Frot, Wim Clymans, Floor Vandevenne, Christiane Lancelot, Peter Goos () and Patrick Meire
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Eric Struyf: University of Antwerp, Ecosystem Management Research Group
Adriaan Smis: University of Antwerp, Ecosystem Management Research Group
Stefan Van Damme: University of Antwerp, Ecosystem Management Research Group
Josette Garnier: Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CNRS
Gerard Govers: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Bas Van Wesemael: Université catholique de Louvain, Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Earth and Life Institute, Place Louis Pasteur 3
Daniel J. Conley: Lund University
Okke Batelaan: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Elisabeth Frot: Université catholique de Louvain, Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Earth and Life Institute, Place Louis Pasteur 3
Wim Clymans: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Floor Vandevenne: University of Antwerp, Ecosystem Management Research Group
Christiane Lancelot: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Ecologie des Systèmes Aquatiques, ESA, CP-221, Bd du Triomphe
Patrick Meire: University of Antwerp, Ecosystem Management Research Group

Nature Communications, 2010, vol. 1, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Continental export of Si to the coastal zone is closely linked to the ocean carbon sink and to the dynamics of phytoplankton blooms in coastal ecosystems. Presently, however, the impact of human cultivation of the landscape on terrestrial Si fluxes remains unquantified and is not incorporated in models for terrestrial Si mobilization. In this paper, we show that land use is the most important controlling factor of Si mobilization in temperate European watersheds, with sustained cultivation (>250 years) of formerly forested areas leading to a twofold to threefold decrease in baseflow delivery of Si. This is a breakthrough in our understanding of the biogeochemical Si cycle: it shows that human cultivation of the landscape should be recognized as an important controlling factor of terrestrial Si fluxes.

Date: 2010
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1128

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