K isotopes trace temporal silicate weathering intensity
Silicate weathering alters the biogeochemical compositions of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, and thereby regulates both nutrient cycling and habitable temperatures on Earth, but tracing silicate weathering effectively remains a challenge. Potassium (K) isotopes have been proposed as a tracer of silicate weathering intensity spatially, but there is a significant gap in how and why K isotopes trace silicate weathering temporally. Here we investigate seasonal variations in dissolved K isotopes in the middle Yellow River, which drains a large area of homogeneous loess that represents the average geochemical composition of the upper continental crust, and experiences significant climatic seasonality driven by the East Asian monsoon. We find that K isotopes show strong seasonality as a function of aluminosilicate neoformation following silicate dissolution, and thus could serve as a tracer of silicate weathering intensity. We derive an empirical relationship of δ<sup>41</sup>K<sub>rw</sub> = -0.07 × ln(W/D) - 0.38, where W(silicate chemical weathering)/D(denudation) refers to silicate weathering intensity.
Authors
- Zhi‐Qi Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1363-2723)
- Hai‐Ou Gu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8476-2621)
- David J. Wilson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2786-4688)
- W. Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0285-091X)
- Αlbert Galy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9978-4287)
- Philip A.E. Pogge von Strandmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7181-4165)
- Jun Xiao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4591-9320)
- He Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8370-0437)
- Zhangdong Jin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1457-0552)
- Long‐Fei Gou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8711-7540)
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Hefei University of Technology (CN)
- Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE)
- Chang'an University (CN)
- China University of Geosciences (CN)
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (FR)
- Institute of Earth Environment (CN)
- University College London (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-12-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67085-w
- Primary Topic
- Silicon Effects in Agriculture
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Hefei University
- Hefei University of Technology
- Natural Environment Research Council