Strontium Concentrations in Vineyard Soils Developed on Volcano-Carbonate Materials Under Semiarid Climate

Abstract

Background: The variability of total strontium (Sr) concentration was studied in 75 vineyard soil profiles developed on volcano-carbonate materials (with different concentrations of carbonates) in the region of Campo de Calatrava (Central Spain), one of the main Cenozoic magmatic provinces belonging to the circum-Mediterranean region.

Aim: The aim of this survey was to build up a database on total Sr concentrations in vineyard soils of the Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain).

Methods: Most soils in this region are classified into six main Reference Soil Groups (WRB FAO) —luvisols, calcisols, cambisols, leptosols and regosols—along with lower amounts of gleysols, acrisols, and kastanozems; therefore, the studied region exhibited a remarkable level of pedodiversity.

Results: Strontium, a plentiful element, is widely spread and distributed in the soils of Campo de Calatrava, with an average total concentration of 206 mg kg⁻¹ (ranging from 59 to 2182 mg kg⁻¹). This variability in Sr concentration is attributed to lithologic heterogeneity (a common characteristic in the studied region), pedogenesis, and soil management. A tendency for Sr concentration to increase toward subsurface horizons was observed, although, in some cases, the opposite trend was detected. Soils developed on materials of volcanic origin, along with those of quartzite materials, showed the lowest Sr concentration.

Conclusion: However, Sr concentrations in the studied soils, except for a few isolated samples, were below the background (380 mg kg⁻¹) and threshold (1868 mg kg⁻¹) values ​​established for this region, indicating that there is no Sr contamination in the study area.