Boron Dissolved and Particulate Atmospheric Inputs to a Forest Ecosystem (Northeastern France)

Boron concentrations and isotopic compositions of atmospheric dust and dissolved depositions were monitored over a two-year period (2012-2013) in the forest ecosystem of Montiers (Northeastern France).This time series allows the determination of the boron atmospheric inputs to this forest ecosystem and contributes to refine our understanding of the sources and processes that control the boron atmospheric cycle. Mean annual dust and dissolved boron atmospheric depositions are comparable in size (13 g.ha(-1).yr(-1) and 16 g.ha(-1).yr(-1), respectively), which however show significant intra- and interannual variations.Boron isotopes in dust differ from dissolved inputs, with an annual mean value of +1 and +18 for, respectively. The notable high boron contents (190-390 mu g.g(1)) of the dust samples are interpreted as resulting from localized spreading of boron-rich fertilizers, thus indicating a significant local impact of regional agricultural activities. Boron isotopes in dissolved depositions show a clear seasonal trend.The absence of correlation with marine cyclic solutes contradicts a control of atmospheric boron by dissolution of seasalts. Instead, the boron data from this study are consistent with a Rayleigh-like evolution of the atmospheric gaseous boron reservoir with possible but limited anthropogenic and/or biogenic contributions