Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems
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University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK
2017
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1527606422395088 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-ucin15276064223950882021-08-03T07:07:09Z Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems Sparks, Janine M. Biogeochemistry Sulfur isotopes Trinidad Southwestern Ohio Vegetation Archaeology In order to confidently use sulfur isotopes in archaeological and ecological research, it is necessary to establish the extent to which natural and anthropogenic sources of sulfur are integrated into terrestrial biological systems. In particular, it is necessary to discern the relative impact of atmospheric sulfur sources on the sulfur isotope values in vegetation, and consequently, to animals consuming vegetation. Terrestrial vegetation uses sulfur from geologic and atmospheric sulfur sources to help form essential compounds such as amino acids. There has been less sulfur isotope work on terrestrial vegetation than on soils, air, or wet and dry deposition. Furthermore, previous sulfur isotope studies have been geographically limited; there has been an absence of sulfur isotope work concerning pollution in the midwestern United States, and an absence of sulfur isotope work in general in the Caribbean on terrestrial biological systems.In this dissertation, I address these gaps in the existing literature. In Chapter 2, I investigate the degree to which coastal proximity, wind direction, and precipitation amount influence the distribution of marine sulfur in terrestrial vegetation on Trinidad. I found that both precipitation amount and wind direction are important controls, and vegetation at locations with high precipitation amounts and an oceanic wind have the highest sulfur isotope values; additionally, although high sulfur isotope values for plants from locations <1.5 km from the ocean indicate a heavy influence of marine sulfur, sulfur isotope values for vegetation growing up to 10 km from the ocean still demonstrate the impact of marine sulfur.In Chapter 3, I use my results from Chapter 2 to investigate foraging strategies for prehistoric Trinidadians. Specifically, I assess the degree to which the combination of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen isotope values in bone collagen from zooarchaeological remains can be used to identify reliance on terrestrial prey from coastal versus inland localities. Overall, I found that while there were no substantial or consistent isotopic trends over time at any of the sites, the majority of harvested prey likely lived 1.5-10 km from the ocean. It was the combination of sulfur and nitrogen isotope values that was most effective at distinguishing terrestrial remains from coastal versus inland localities.Finally, in Chapter 4, I investigate the degree to which sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power stations are incorporated in vegetation. I determine how relative proximity to coal-fired power stations as well as station operational status influence sulfur concentration and sulfur isotope values in vegetation growing in southwestern Ohio, which has a long-standing history of coal-powered industry. The results from this study indicate that vegetation growing near an active power station are heavily impacted by sulfur dioxide emissions yet vegetation near a recently decommissioned power station can show similar concentrations and isotope values to a site that has never been near a power station. Together, these three studies more firmly establish the influence of natural and anthropogenic sulfur sources in vegetation and geographically expand what we know about variability in sulfur isotope spatial patterns in tropical and temperate settings. 2017 English text University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1527606422395088 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1527606422395088 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Biogeochemistry Sulfur isotopes Trinidad Southwestern Ohio Vegetation Archaeology |
| spellingShingle |
Biogeochemistry Sulfur isotopes Trinidad Southwestern Ohio Vegetation Archaeology Sparks, Janine M. Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems |
| author |
Sparks, Janine M. |
| author_facet |
Sparks, Janine M. |
| author_sort |
Sparks, Janine M. |
| title |
Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems |
| title_short |
Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems |
| title_full |
Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems |
| title_fullStr |
Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Characterizing Spatial Patterns for Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Sulfur in Terrestrial Biological Systems |
| title_sort |
characterizing spatial patterns for natural and anthropogenic atmospheric sulfur in terrestrial biological systems |
| publisher |
University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2017 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1527606422395088 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT sparksjaninem characterizingspatialpatternsfornaturalandanthropogenicatmosphericsulfurinterrestrialbiologicalsystems |
| _version_ |
1719454119986462720 |