A review of the stable isotope bio-geochemistry of the global silicon cycle and its associated trace elements

Open access
Date
2018-01-30Type
- Review Article
Citations
Cited 40 times in
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Cited 39 times in
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Abstract
Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and is an important nutrient in the ocean. The global Si cycle plays a critical role in regulating primary productivity and carbon cycling on the continents and in the oceans. Development of the analytical tools used to study the sources, sinks, and fluxes of the global Si cycle (e.g. elemental and stable isotope ratio data for Ge, Si, Zn, etc.) have recently led to major advances in our understanding of the mechanisms and processes that constrain the cycling of Si in the modern environment and in the past. Here, we provide background on the geochemical tools that are available for studying the Si cycle and highlight our current understanding of the marine, freshwater and terrestrial systems. We place emphasis on the geochemistry of dissolved and biogenic Si; presenting case studies and discussing challenges associated with the development of these environmental proxies for the global Si cycle. We also discuss how each system within the global Si cycle might change over time (i.e. sources, sinks, and processes) and the potential technical and conceptual limitations that need to be considered for future studies. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000229197Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Frontiers in Earth ScienceVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Frontiers MediaSubject
C – N – O - Si isotopes; biogenic silica; element/Si ratios; biogeochemical cycles; siliconOrganisational unit
03956 - Vance, Derek / Vance, Derek
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Citations
Cited 40 times in
Web of Science
Cited 39 times in
Scopus
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics