Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils

A special issue of Soil Systems (ISSN 2571-8789).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2018) | Viewed by 31424

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Faculty of Geoscience and Environment, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Interests: manganese; molecular-scale biogeochemistry; microbe-mineral interactions; redox processes; biomineralization; water quality; X-ray absorption spectroscopy; X-ray scattering

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Guest Editor
Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Atlanta, GA, USA
Interests: iron; soil; biogeochemistry; mössbauer; redox dynamics; Isotopes; numerical modeling; mineral composition; redox interfaces

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Guest Editor
Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
Interests: geomicrobiology; iron biogeochemistry; electron transfer processes; humic substances

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Guest Editor
Earth System Science Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4015, USA
Interests: soil biogeochemistry; contaminant transport; carbon cycling; nutrient dynamics; redox processes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on abiotic and biotic processes involved in biogeochemical iron and manganese cycling in soils and sediments. We invite contributions of original research and reviews from all spatial and temporal scales using observational, experimental, or theoretical approaches. Our aim for this special issue is to consolidate a diverse set of studies on Fe and Mn cycling in soils. We encourage mechanistic investigations of biotic and abiotic processes, including (bio)mineralogical studies, molecular to pore scale electron transfer studies, including those that integrate perspectives from microbial metabolomics or community dynamics, process-scale studies that bridge the pore to pedon scale, including those using isotopic tracers or molecular markers, as well as observational studies linking the pedon scale to the watershed scale and beyond. Investigations drawing on a range of analytical techniques (spectroscopy, microscopy, isotopic, electrochemical, genomic, as well as bulk chemical measurements) and numerical modeling approaches are encouraged. We also welcome submissions that link Fe and Mn biogeochemistry to the fate of nutrients, organic and inorganic pollutants, trace metals, and greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, etc.).

Dr. Jasquelin Pena
Dr. Aaron Thompson
Prof. Andreas Kappler
Prof. Scott Fendorf
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • soil
  • biogeochemistry
  • oxic-anoxic interfaces
  • speciation
  • elemental cycling
  • biogenic oxide minerals
  • enzymatic Mn oxidation
  • Fe acquisition
  • bacterial iron/manganese reduction
  • metals
  • metalloids
  • soil quality
  • remediation
  • contaminant sorption
  • bioavailability
  • groundwater quality
  • nanoparticle structure
  • organo-mineral interactions
  • redox processes
  • spectroscopy

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2511 KiB  
Article
Iron and Manganese Biogeochemistry in Forested Coal Mine Spoil
by Elizabeth Herndon, Brianne Yarger, Hannah Frederick and David Singer
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010013 - 8 Feb 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5253
Abstract
Abandoned mine lands continue to serve as non-point sources of acid and metal contamination to water bodies long after mining operations have ended. Although soils formed from abandoned mine spoil can support forest vegetation, as observed throughout the Appalachian coal basin, the effects [...] Read more.
Abandoned mine lands continue to serve as non-point sources of acid and metal contamination to water bodies long after mining operations have ended. Although soils formed from abandoned mine spoil can support forest vegetation, as observed throughout the Appalachian coal basin, the effects of vegetation on metal cycling in these regions remain poorly characterized. Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) biogeochemistry were examined at a former coal mine where deciduous trees grow on mine spoil deposited nearly a century ago. Forest vegetation growing on mine spoil effectively removed dissolved Mn from pore water; however, mineral weathering at a reaction front below the rooting zone resulted in high quantities of leached Mn. Iron was taken up in relatively low quantities by vegetation but was more readily mobilized by dissolved organic carbon produced in the surface soil. Dissolved Fe was low below the reaction front, suggesting that iron oxyhydroxide precipitation retains Fe within the system. These results indicate that mine spoil continues to produce Mn contamination, but vegetation can accumulate Mn and mitigate its leaching from shallow soils, potentially also decreasing Mn leaching from deeper soils by reducing infiltration. Vegetation had less impact on Fe mobility, which was retained as Fe oxides following oxidative weathering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils)
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23 pages, 2412 KiB  
Article
The Controls of Iron and Oxygen on Hydroxyl Radical (•OH) Production in Soils
by Adrianna Trusiak, Lija A. Treibergs, George W. Kling and Rose M. Cory
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010001 - 26 Dec 2018
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6285
Abstract
Hydroxyl radical (•OH) is produced in soils from oxidation of reduced iron (Fe(II)) by dissolved oxygen (O2) and can oxidize dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to carbon dioxide (CO2). Understanding the role of •OH on CO2 production in soils [...] Read more.
Hydroxyl radical (•OH) is produced in soils from oxidation of reduced iron (Fe(II)) by dissolved oxygen (O2) and can oxidize dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to carbon dioxide (CO2). Understanding the role of •OH on CO2 production in soils requires knowing whether Fe(II) production or O2 supply to soils limits •OH production. To test the relative importance of Fe(II) production versus O2 supply, we measured changes in Fe(II) and O2 and in situ •OH production during simulated precipitation events and during common, waterlogged conditions in mesocosms from two landscape ages and the two dominant vegetation types of the Arctic. The balance of Fe(II) production and consumption controlled •OH production during precipitation events that supplied O2 to the soils. During static, waterlogged conditions, •OH production was controlled by O2 supply because Fe(II) production was higher than its consumption (oxidation) by O2. An average precipitation event (4 mm) resulted in 200 µmol •OH m−2 per day produced compared to 60 µmol •OH m−2 per day produced during waterlogged conditions. These findings suggest that the oxidation of DOC to CO2 by •OH in arctic soils, a process potentially as important as microbial respiration of DOC in arctic surface waters, will depend on the patterns and amounts of rainfall that oxygenate the soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils)
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22 pages, 2654 KiB  
Article
Constraints to Synergistic Fe Mobilization from Calcareous Soil by a Phytosiderophore and a Reductant
by Walter D. C. Schenkeveld and Stephan M. Kraemer
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(4), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2040067 - 16 Dec 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3828
Abstract
Synergistic effects between ligand- and reductant-based Fe acquisition strategies can enhance the mobilization of Fe, but also of competing metals from soil. For phytosiderophores, this may alter the time and concentration window of Fe uptake during which plants can benefit from elevated Fe [...] Read more.
Synergistic effects between ligand- and reductant-based Fe acquisition strategies can enhance the mobilization of Fe, but also of competing metals from soil. For phytosiderophores, this may alter the time and concentration window of Fe uptake during which plants can benefit from elevated Fe concentrations. We examined how the size of this window is affected by the ligand and reductant concentration and by non-simultaneous addition. To this end, a series of kinetic batch experiments was conducted with a calcareous clay soil to which the phytosiderophore 2′-deoxymugineic acid (DMA) and the reductant ascorbate were added at various concentrations, either simultaneously or with a one- or two-day lag time. Both simultaneous and non-simultaneous addition of the reductant and the phytosiderophore induced synergistic Fe mobilization. Furthermore, initial Fe mobilization rates increased with increasing reductant and phytosiderophore concentrations. However, the duration of the synergistic effect and the window of Fe uptake decreased with increasing reductant concentration due to enhanced competitive mobilization of other metals. Rate laws accurately describing synergistic mobilization of Fe and other metals from soil were parameterized. Synergistic Fe mobilization may be vital for the survival of plants and microorganisms in soils of low Fe availability. However, in order to optimally benefit from these synergistic effects, exudation of ligands and reductants in the rhizosphere need to be carefully matched. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils)
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22 pages, 4782 KiB  
Article
Hot Spots and Hot Moments of Soil Moisture Explain Fluctuations in Iron and Carbon Cycling in a Humid Tropical Forest Soil
by Diego Barcellos, Christine S. O’Connell, Whendee Silver, Christof Meile and Aaron Thompson
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(4), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2040059 - 1 Nov 2018
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 5218
Abstract
Soils from humid forests undergo spatial and temporal variations in moisture and oxygen (O2) in response to rainfall, and induce changes in iron (Fe) and carbon (C) biogeochemistry. We hypothesized that high rainfall periods stimulate Fe and C cycling, with the [...] Read more.
Soils from humid forests undergo spatial and temporal variations in moisture and oxygen (O2) in response to rainfall, and induce changes in iron (Fe) and carbon (C) biogeochemistry. We hypothesized that high rainfall periods stimulate Fe and C cycling, with the greatest effects in areas of high soil moisture. To test this, we measured Fe and C cycling across three catenas at valley, slope, and ridge positions every two days for a two-month period in a rainforest in Puerto Rico. Over 12 days without rain, soil moisture, FeII, rapidly reducible Fe oxides (FeIIIRR), and dissolved organic C (DOC) declined, but Eh and O2 increased; conversely, during a 10-day period of intense rain (290 mm), we observed the opposite trends. Mixed-effects models suggest precipitation predicted soil moisture, soil redox potential (Eh), and O2, which in turn influenced Fe reduction/oxidation, C dissolution, and mineralization processes. The approximate turnover time for HCl-extractable FeII was four days for both production and consumption, and may be driven by fluctuations in FeIIIRR, which ranged from 42% to 100% of citrate–ascorbate-extractable FeIII (short-range order (SRO)-FeIII) at a given site. Our results demonstrated that periods of high precipitation (hot moments) influenced Fe and C-cycling within day-to-week timescales, and were more pronounced in humid valleys (hot spots). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils)
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19 pages, 3678 KiB  
Article
Products of Hexavalent Chromium Reduction by Green Rust Sodium Sulfate and Associated Reaction Mechanisms
by Andrew N. Thomas, Elisabeth Eiche, Jörg Göttlicher, Ralph Steininger, Liane G. Benning, Helen M. Freeman, Knud Dideriksen and Thomas Neumann
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(4), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2040058 - 29 Oct 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5243
Abstract
The efficacy of in vitro Cr(VI) reduction by green rust sulfate suggests that this mineral is potentially useful for remediation of Cr-contaminated groundwater. Previous investigations studied this reaction but did not sufficiently characterize the intermediates and end products at chromate (CrO42− [...] Read more.
The efficacy of in vitro Cr(VI) reduction by green rust sulfate suggests that this mineral is potentially useful for remediation of Cr-contaminated groundwater. Previous investigations studied this reaction but did not sufficiently characterize the intermediates and end products at chromate (CrO42−) concentrations typical of contaminant plumes, hindering identification of the dominant reaction mechanisms under these conditions. In this study, batch reactions at varying chromate concentrations and suspension densities were performed and the intermediate and final products of this reaction were analyzed using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and electron microscopy. This reaction produces particles that maintain the initial hexagonal morphology of green rust but have been topotactically transformed into a poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxysulfate and are coated by a Cr (oxy) hydroxide layer that results from chromate reduction at the surface. Recent studies of the behavior of Cr(III) (oxy) hydroxides in soils have revealed that reductive transformation of CrO42− is reversible in the presence of Mn(IV) oxides, limiting the applicability of green rust for Cr remediation in some soils. The linkage of Cr redox speciation to existing Fe and Mn biogeochemical cycles in soils implies that modification of green rust particles to produce an insoluble, Cr(III)-bearing Fe oxide product may increase the efficacy of this technique. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils)
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Review

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24 pages, 3673 KiB  
Review
Arsenite Depletion by Manganese Oxides: A Case Study on the Limitations of Observed First Order Rate Constants
by Lily Schacht and Matthew Ginder-Vogel
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(3), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030039 - 27 Jun 2018
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4752
Abstract
Arsenic (As) contamination of drinking water is a threat to global health. Manganese(III/IV) (Mn) oxides control As in groundwater by oxidizing more mobile AsIII to less mobile AsV. Both As species sorb to the Mn oxide. The rates and mechanisms [...] Read more.
Arsenic (As) contamination of drinking water is a threat to global health. Manganese(III/IV) (Mn) oxides control As in groundwater by oxidizing more mobile AsIII to less mobile AsV. Both As species sorb to the Mn oxide. The rates and mechanisms of this process are the subject of extensive research; however, as a group, study results are inconclusive and often contradictory. Here, the existing body of literature describing AsIII oxidation by Mn oxides is examined, and several potential reasons for inconsistent kinetic data are discussed. The oxidation of AsIII by Mn(III/IV) oxides is generally biphasic, with reported first order rate constants ranging seven orders of magnitude. Reanalysis of existing datasets from batch reactions of AsIII with δ-MnO2 reveal that the first order rate constants reported for As depletion are time-dependent, and are not well described by pure kinetic rate models. This finding emphasizes the importance of mechanistic modeling that accounts for differences in reactivity between MnIII and MnIV, and the sorption and desorption of AsIII, AsV, and MnII. A thorough understanding of the reaction is crucial to predicting As fate in groundwater and removing As via water treatment with Mn oxides, thus ensuring worldwide access to safe drinking water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils)
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