Beryllium-7 interception by cultivated plants on the slopes of the Yangtze river delta

The radionuclide, beryllium-7 (7Be) has been widely used as a nuclear trace element to study surface soil particle migration and identify sediment sources in short-term processes. In this study, we measured 7Be concentration in vegetation and its interception (7Be deposition intercepted by vegetation) and absorption from the atmosphere on the slopes of the Yangtze river delta. We report the concentrations of 7Be were highest in dry plants and lower in cultivated crops. 7Be interception amounts varied greatly among different plant species, with an average interception ratio of 7Be plant inventories to soil deposition of 13 ± 8%. There is a significant positive correlation between biomass and 7Be interception in natural and wild plants. The depositional 7Be was redistributed by the covering vegetation. This study provides an important basis for using 7Be as a tracer for soil erosion under vegetation cover.