Sulphur isotopic variations in nature

Sulphur isotope ratios for soluable and adsorbed sulphate from a number of New Zealand soils have ratios close to those of modern sea water or marine evaporites. The ratios for plants grown in the soils tend to be lighter, indicating a measure of fractionation by the growing plant, particularly marked for bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. esculentum). Ratios for soil organic matter tend to be intermediate between those for the plant and those for the soluable and adsorbed soil sulphate. Oxygen isotopic ratios either show lighter values than marine sulphate, comparable to the fractionation of sulphur, or else heavier ratios, suggesting that the sulphate derives from the mineralisation of organic sulphur. Sulphur isotopic ratios of some plants grown in gypsum soils in Tunisia similarly show fractionation by the plant, the ratios being lighter than those for the gypsum. The oxygen isotopic ratios are heavier than sea-water oxygen, indicating that the sulphate is not derived directly from marine sources. (auth.)