Corrigendum to “The impact of fire on the geochemistry of speleothem-forming drip water in a sub-alpine cave” [Sci. Total Environ. (2018) 408–420]

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorColeborn, Ken_AU
dc.contributor.authorBaker, AAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTreble, PCen_AU
dc.contributor.authorAndersen, MSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorBaker, ACen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTadros, CVen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTozer, MGen_AU
dc.contributor.authorFairchild, IJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSpate, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMeehan, Sen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-12T04:38:55Zen_AU
dc.date.available2025-09-12T04:38:55Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2019-06-10en_AU
dc.date.statistics2024-10-15en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe authors regret that, while revisiting the data of the paper: “The impact of fire on the geochemistry of speleothem-forming drip water in a sub-alpine cave” by Coleborn et al. (2018) for further analysis, a serious error in the experimental procedure was discovered. A critical assessment revealed that some of the conclusions and wider implications of the paper are invalidated by the error. We have consulted with the editors of Science of the Total Environment and based on their advice, decided to publish this corrigendum explaining the limitations to the interpretation of the data. We also point out that a significant part of the paper and its data can still be used. The stable water isotope data (δ 18 O and δ 2 H) and trace element (B, Cu, Fe, Na, Ni, Pb, Ti, Zn, Si) data for the 5th July 2015 sampling event are unreliable. While acid-washed HDPE bottles were used to collect the drip water samples (as stated in the Methods section), the samples were subsequently split into aliquots in the lab. Polypropylene vials were routinely used for cation, anion and water isotope analysis, with the exception of samples collected on 5th July 2015. On this occasion, aliquots were erroneously transferred into non-standard labware consisting of glass-walled containers with ill-fitting polypropylene lids. This was only realised when the aliquots were removed from storage after the manuscript had been published. The lids allowed evaporation from the containers and as the samples were analysed one year after collection, we cannot quantify how much evaporation may have occurred. Therefore, the stable water isotope data (δ 18 O and δ 2 H) for the 5th July 2015 sampling event are unreliable and should be disregarded. Analytical blanks conducted on the glass containers have revealed that the containers likely contributed significant contamination to the following cations: B, Cu, Fe, Na, Ni, Pb, Ti, Zn, Si; for all samples collected on 5th July 2015. Thus, the B, Cu, Fe, Na, Ni, Pb, Ti, Zn, Si concentration data for the sampling date 5th July 2015 are unreliable and should be disregarded. The glass containers did not contaminate samples for Ca, Mg or Sr, therefore we believe that the data for Ca, Mg and Sr are reliable for 5th July 2015 sampling event. The data from the 5th July 2015 sampling event informed a major part of the interpretation and conclusions, thus we draw the reader's attention to the following changes. (1) In the published manuscript we hypothesised that the higher δ 18 O and δ 2 H values were due to partial evaporation of soil water due to heating of the soil by the prescribed fire. However, due to the potential evaporation of the samples occurring in the vials before analysis we now state there is no evidence for the impact of a low-intensity prescribed fire on cave drip water δ 18 O and δ 2 H at this site.(2) It was hypothesised that the significantly higher concentration of B, Si, Fe, Pb and Na was due to the influx of ash into the karst system and cave drip water. This was interpreted as evidence for an impact of a prescribed fire on cave drip water geochemistry. However, as the increased concentration of these elements was likely from contamination, we now state that there is no evidence for the impact of a low-intensity prescribed fire on these elements in the cave drip water at this site.The samples collected on all other dates were stored as per the standard protocols outlined in the Methods and we are thus confident that the remainder of the dataset is reliable. The samples from other dates after the fire does not show any evidence for impact of the prescribed fire on drip water isotope and trace element geochemistry, further supporting the suspicion of procedural error with the 5th July 2015 data. The paper should be used as a record of the low-intensity prescribed fire experiment above South Glory Cave. The hydroclimate data, including the soil moisture, integrated discharge, precipitation and drip water stable water isotopes (with the exception of the 5th July 2015 sampling event) can all be used with confidence to characterise this cave site. The major bedrock-derived element (Ca, Mg and Sr) data and the interpretation regarding the drip water geochemical evolution processes including prior calcite precipitation also remain valid. The trace elemental concentration data for all other sampling dates remains valid.’ On behalf of the authors, Katie Coleborn © 2019 Elsevier B.V.en_AU
dc.format.mediumPrint-Electronicen_AU
dc.identifier.citationColeborn, K., Baker, A., Treble, P. C., Andersen, M. S., Baker, A., Tadros, C. V., Tozer, M., Fairchild, I. J., Spate, A., & Meehan, S. (2019). Corrigendum to “The impact of fire on the geochemistry of speleothem-forming drip water in a sub-alpine cave” [Sci. Total Environ. (2018) 408–420]. Science of The Total Environment, 668, 1339-1340. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.350en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0048-9697en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1879-1026en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleThe Science of The Total Environmenten_AU
dc.identifier.pagination1339-1340en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.350en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/16490en_AU
dc.identifier.volume668en_AU
dc.languageEnglishen_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectGeochemistryen_AU
dc.subjectWateren_AU
dc.subjectIsotopesen_AU
dc.subjectPolypropyleneen_AU
dc.subjectEvaporationen_AU
dc.subjectCavesen_AU
dc.subjectSiliconen_AU
dc.subjectZincen_AU
dc.subjectTitaniumen_AU
dc.subjectLeaden_AU
dc.subjectNickelen_AU
dc.subjectSodiumen_AU
dc.subjectIronen_AU
dc.subjectCopperen_AU
dc.subjectBoronen_AU
dc.titleCorrigendum to “The impact of fire on the geochemistry of speleothem-forming drip water in a sub-alpine cave” [Sci. Total Environ. (2018) 408–420]en_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.66 KB
Format:
Plain Text
Description:
Download
Collections
Journal Articles