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Physiological reactions in plants visualized by 14C: The impact of sea spray on radiocarbon analyses of terrestrial plants in coastal regions quantified by a greenhouse study

Göhring A, Hüls CM, Hölzl S, Mayr C, Strauss H, Hamann C (2025)

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Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Book Volume: 67

Pages Range: 539-564

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1017/RDC.2025.1

Abstract

Marine aerosols can enter the terrestrial environment via sea spray which is known to affect the stable isotope fingerprint of coastal samples (plants, animals/humans), including 13C. However, the impact of sea spray on 14C dating of terrestrial organisms at coastal sites has not been investigated so far. Besides a direct effect, sea spray is accompanied by physiological effects, e.g., due to salinity. In an artificial sea spray experiment in the greenhouse, the effect of sea spray on 14C in plant tissue was investigated. Beach grass was sprayed with mineral salt solutions containing only traces of NaCl or with brackish water from the Schlei inlet or the Baltic Sea. These plants should give a 14C signal close to the modern atmospheric 14CO2 composition. However, three treatment groups showed variable radiocarbon concentrations. Plants sprayed with water from the Schlei inlet, Baltic Sea water, or with a mineral salt solution with very high HCO3- concentration are depleted in 14C content relative to contemporary atmospheric composition. While 13Creflects physiological effects in the plants, caused either by salinity (NaCl) or HCO3- stress, resulting in decreased discrimination against 13C, the uptake of high amounts of 14C (ca. 53-67%) from DIC (dissolved inorganic carbon) partly masks the underlying physiological reactions, as is visible in the radiocarbon signature of the plant tissues. This preliminary study indicates that sea spray effects on plant tissue could potentially influence faunal tissue 14C composition at coastal sites. Further research is required to better understand the observed reservoir effect.

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How to cite

APA:

Göhring, A., Hüls, C.M., Hölzl, S., Mayr, C., Strauss, H., & Hamann, C. (2025). Physiological reactions in plants visualized by 14C: The impact of sea spray on radiocarbon analyses of terrestrial plants in coastal regions quantified by a greenhouse study. Radiocarbon, 67(3), 539-564. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2025.1

MLA:

Göhring, Andrea, et al. "Physiological reactions in plants visualized by 14C: The impact of sea spray on radiocarbon analyses of terrestrial plants in coastal regions quantified by a greenhouse study." Radiocarbon 67.3 (2025): 539-564.

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