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Iron and Manganese Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2018) | Viewed by 28221

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jasquelin Pena

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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

Dr. Aaron Thompson

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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

Prof. Dr. Andreas Kappler

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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

Prof. Dr. Scott Fendorf

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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

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Soil Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2511 KiB

Open AccessArticle

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 - 08 Feb 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4684

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 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

Open AccessArticle

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 23 | Viewed by 5581

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 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

Open AccessArticle

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 3483

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 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

Open AccessArticle

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 - 01 Nov 2018

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 4711

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 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, Fe^II, rapidly reducible Fe oxides (Fe^III_RR), 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 Fe^II was four days for both production and consumption, and may be driven by fluctuations in Fe^III_RR, which ranged from 42% to 100% of citrate–ascorbate-extractable Fe^III (short-range order (SRO)-Fe^III) 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

Open AccessArticle

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 14 | Viewed by 4753

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⁻) 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

Open AccessReview

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 20 | Viewed by 4284

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 As^III to less mobile As^V. 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 As^III oxidation by Mn oxides is examined, and several potential reasons for inconsistent kinetic data are discussed. The oxidation of As^III 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 As^III 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 Mn^III and Mn^IV, and the sorption and desorption of As^III, As^V, and Mn^II. 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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