Beryllium-7 interception by cultivated plants on the slopes of the Yangtze river delta

The radionuclide, beryllium-7 (⁷Be) has been widely used as a nuclear trace element to study surface soil particle migration and identify sediment sources in short-term processes. In this study, we measured ⁷Be concentration in vegetation and its interception (⁷Be deposition intercepted by vegetation) and absorption from the atmosphere on the slopes of the Yangtze river delta. We report the concentrations of ⁷Be were highest in dry plants and lower in cultivated crops. ⁷Be interception amounts varied greatly among different plant species, with an average interception ratio of ⁷Be plant inventories to soil deposition of 13 ± 8%. There is a significant positive correlation between biomass and ⁷Be interception in natural and wild plants. The depositional ⁷Be was redistributed by the covering vegetation. This study provides an important basis for using ⁷Be as a tracer for soil erosion under vegetation cover. (author)