TOTAL ELEMENTS IN FOREST SOILS AFFECTED BY ACID DEPOSITION IN SOUTHERN QUEBEC

Major and trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sc, Si, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V, Yb and Zn) in forest soils from three acid-deposition-affec ted locations in southern Quebec were investigated. Total element conc entrations in the surface layer (0-20 cm) of the Podzolic soils were m ostly well within the range of element concentrations in Podzols repor ted worldwide but showed higher mean values for most elements. The mea n concentrations of elements (except Zn, at 124 mu g g(-1)) were also generally comparable to the respective elemental baseline data establi shed for Canadian soils. Element concentrations (mu g g(-1)) of Cs (6. 2), Sc (19.8), V (106), Rb (194), K (26 500) and Al (76 900) in the su rface soils were significantly higher at the 940-m elevation than the concentrations from the sites at 650 and 770 m along the Roundtop Moun tain slope, but Ca (1120) and Ni (4.4) were lowest at the 940-m elevat ion. A similar trend with elevation was not observed at the other moun tain location (White Peak). Enrichment-factor (EF) analysis showed sig nificant element enrichment (EF greater than or equal to 10) for Cd, R b and Sb but impoverishment (EF less than or equal to 0.1) for Ca, Cu and Ni in topsoils.