From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping

Amanda Sengeløv; Giacomo Capuzzo; Sarah Dalle; Hannah James; Charlotte Sabaux; Elisavet Stamataki; Marta Hlad; Carina Gerritzen; Emma Legrand; Barbara Veselka; Guy De Mulder; Rica Annaert; Mathieu Boudin; Kevin Salesse; Eugène Warmenbol; Nadine Matielli; Christophe Snoeck; Martine Vercauteren

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117123

From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping

Amanda Sengeløv, Giacomo Capuzzo, Sarah Dalle, Hannah James, Charlotte Sabaux, Elisavet Stamataki, Marta Hlad, Carina Gerritzen, Emma Legrand, Barbara Veselka, Guy De Mulder, Rica Annaert, Mathieu Boudin, Kevin Salesse, Eugène Warmenbol, Nadine Matielli, Christophe Snoeck, Martine Vercauteren

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Understanding the spatial distribution of strontium isotopes in plants or other archives within a region is crucial for various fields, including archaeology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensic science. This study aims to create a detailed dynamic strontium isoscape for Belgium through high-density plant sampling, presented in a web application (IsoBel) that serves the mentioned research fields. A total of 540 plant samples (199 locations), representing various species of grass, shrubs, and trees across Belgium were collected and were analysed for their strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) to create a first biologically available strontium map. Sampling sites were selected to cover diverse lithological formations and soil types, ensuring representative coverage of the region’s geological heterogeneity, by using a novel high density grid mapping method. Sixty-four previously published plants from 21 locations are also included in this study, bringing the total amount of plant samples used to 604 from 220 locations. The results reveal significant variations in 87Sr/86Sr across Belgium (ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259), which reflect the underlying lithology and geological processes (tectonics, weathering,…) which shaped the landscape. Although overlapping 87Sr/86Sr is seen across the majority of lithologies, there is a statistically significant difference between the distribution of 87Sr/86Sr values across all different lithological units in Belgium (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.0001). Distinct regional patterns were observed, with higher 87Sr/86Sr in the older geological south-eastern part of Belgium, compared to the younger north-western parts. The high-density plant sampling approach employed in this study allowed for enhanced spatial resolution and improved accuracy in the predictive surfaces for bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr created by Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). These findings provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of strontium isotopes within Belgium and offer a foundation for future studies in archaeology, ecology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensics. Furthermore, the extensive coverage of various plant species provided a robust representation of the local ecosystems and their strontium sources. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on regional strontium isoscapes, enhancing our understanding of the complex interplay between litho- and biosphere in shaping the strontium isotope compositions of ecosystems.

Original language	English
Article number	117123
Pages (from-to)	1-15
Number of pages	15
Journal	Geoderma
Volume	453
Issue number	117123
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117123
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2025

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Wendy Debouge en Jeroen De Jong of G-Time lab (Geochemistry & Geophysics: Tephra, Isotope, Mineral & Earthquakes) at the Universit\u00E9 Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), and Martyna Kremer from the AMGC lab (Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) for their help with the different isotope analyses. We would like to thank the EOS-project CRUMBEL (30999782), and the ERC Starting Grant LUMIERE (Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRope \u2013 Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation), funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 948913. AS thanks the F.R.S-FNRS (Le Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique) for her doctoral scholarship (40001875). AS would also like to thank Rens de Hond and Jeanette Sengel\u00F8v, who helped collecting the majority of the samples in the field. CTG thanks the CRIME-project (CRemation or Inhumation of ancient populations? A Multidisciplinary question at the European level), which is a joint Flemish-Slovenian research project funded by the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) and the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), for her doctoral scholarship (G0A9721N). MH, ES, and EMG also want to thank FWO for their doctoral scholarship (11F1122N, 11A6221N, and 11PUL24N respectively). Acknowledgments are extended to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (RBINS), who provided the geological shapefiles.

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Wendy Debouge en Jeroen De Jong of G-Time lab (Geochemistry & Geophysics: Tephra, Isotope, Mineral & Earthquakes) at the Universit\u00E9 Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), and Martyna Kope\u0107 from the AMGC lab (Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) for their help with the different isotope analyses. We would like to thank the EOS-project CRUMBEL (30999782), and the ERC Starting Grant LUMIERE (Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRope \u2013 Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation), funded by European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 948913. AS thanks the F.R.S-FNRS (Le Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique) for her doctoral scholarship (40001875). AS would also like to thank Rens de Hond and Jeanette Sengel\u00F8v, who helped collecting the majority of the samples in the field. CTG thanks the CRIME-project (CRemation or Inhumation of ancient populations? A Multidisciplinary question at the European level), which is a joint Flemish-Slovenian research project funded by the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) and the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), for her doctoral scholarship (G0A9721N). MH, ES, and EMG also want to thank FWO for their doctoral scholarship (11F1122N, 11A6221N, and 11PUL24N respectively). Acknowledgments are extended to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (RBINS), who provided the geological shapefiles.

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© 2024 The Authors

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Sengeløv, A., Capuzzo, G., Dalle, S., James, H., Sabaux, C., Stamataki, E., Hlad, M., Gerritzen, C., Legrand, E., Veselka, B., De Mulder, G., Annaert, R., Boudin, M., Salesse, K., Warmenbol, E., Matielli, N., Snoeck, C., & Vercauteren, M. (2025). From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping. Geoderma, 453(117123), 1-15. Article 117123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117123

@article{79604a3320ac46ba858eef04280ee16e,

title = "From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping",

abstract = "Understanding the spatial distribution of strontium isotopes in plants or other archives within a region is crucial for various fields, including archaeology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensic science. This study aims to create a detailed dynamic strontium isoscape for Belgium through high-density plant sampling, presented in a web application (IsoBel) that serves the mentioned research fields. A total of 540 plant samples (199 locations), representing various species of grass, shrubs, and trees across Belgium were collected and were analysed for their strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) to create a first biologically available strontium map. Sampling sites were selected to cover diverse lithological formations and soil types, ensuring representative coverage of the region{\textquoteright}s geological heterogeneity, by using a novel high density grid mapping method. Sixty-four previously published plants from 21 locations are also included in this study, bringing the total amount of plant samples used to 604 from 220 locations. The results reveal significant variations in 87Sr/86Sr across Belgium (ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259), which reflect the underlying lithology and geological processes (tectonics, weathering,…) which shaped the landscape. Although overlapping 87Sr/86Sr is seen across the majority of lithologies, there is a statistically significant difference between the distribution of 87Sr/86Sr values across all different lithological units in Belgium (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.0001). Distinct regional patterns were observed, with higher 87Sr/86Sr in the older geological south-eastern part of Belgium, compared to the younger north-western parts. The high-density plant sampling approach employed in this study allowed for enhanced spatial resolution and improved accuracy in the predictive surfaces for bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr created by Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). These findings provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of strontium isotopes within Belgium and offer a foundation for future studies in archaeology, ecology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensics. Furthermore, the extensive coverage of various plant species provided a robust representation of the local ecosystems and their strontium sources. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on regional strontium isoscapes, enhancing our understanding of the complex interplay between litho- and biosphere in shaping the strontium isotope compositions of ecosystems.",

author = "Amanda Sengel{\o}v and Giacomo Capuzzo and Sarah Dalle and Hannah James and Charlotte Sabaux and Elisavet Stamataki and Marta Hlad and Carina Gerritzen and Emma Legrand and Barbara Veselka and {De Mulder}, Guy and Rica Annaert and Mathieu Boudin and Kevin Salesse and Eug{\`e}ne Warmenbol and Nadine Matielli and Christophe Snoeck and Martine Vercauteren",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Wendy Debouge en Jeroen De Jong of G-Time lab (Geochemistry & Geophysics: Tephra, Isotope, Mineral & Earthquakes) at the Universit\u00E9 Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), and Martyna Kremer from the AMGC lab (Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) for their help with the different isotope analyses. We would like to thank the EOS-project CRUMBEL (30999782), and the ERC Starting Grant LUMIERE (Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRope \u2013 Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation), funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 948913. AS thanks the F.R.S-FNRS (Le Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique) for her doctoral scholarship (40001875). AS would also like to thank Rens de Hond and Jeanette Sengel\u00F8v, who helped collecting the majority of the samples in the field. CTG thanks the CRIME-project (CRemation or Inhumation of ancient populations? A Multidisciplinary question at the European level), which is a joint Flemish-Slovenian research project funded by the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) and the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), for her doctoral scholarship (G0A9721N). MH, ES, and EMG also want to thank FWO for their doctoral scholarship (11F1122N, 11A6221N, and 11PUL24N respectively). Acknowledgments are extended to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (RBINS), who provided the geological shapefiles. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Wendy Debouge en Jeroen De Jong of G-Time lab (Geochemistry & Geophysics: Tephra, Isotope, Mineral & Earthquakes) at the Universit\u00E9 Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), and Martyna Kope\u0107 from the AMGC lab (Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) for their help with the different isotope analyses. We would like to thank the EOS-project CRUMBEL (30999782), and the ERC Starting Grant LUMIERE (Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRope \u2013 Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation), funded by European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 948913. AS thanks the F.R.S-FNRS (Le Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique) for her doctoral scholarship (40001875). AS would also like to thank Rens de Hond and Jeanette Sengel\u00F8v, who helped collecting the majority of the samples in the field. CTG thanks the CRIME-project (CRemation or Inhumation of ancient populations? A Multidisciplinary question at the European level), which is a joint Flemish-Slovenian research project funded by the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) and the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), for her doctoral scholarship (G0A9721N). MH, ES, and EMG also want to thank FWO for their doctoral scholarship (11F1122N, 11A6221N, and 11PUL24N respectively). Acknowledgments are extended to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (RBINS), who provided the geological shapefiles. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Authors",

year = "2025",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117123",

language = "English",

volume = "453",

pages = "1--15",

journal = "Geoderma",

issn = "0016-7061",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "117123",

}

Sengeløv, A , Capuzzo, G, Dalle, S, James, H, Sabaux, C, Stamataki, E , Hlad, M , Gerritzen, C , Legrand, E , Veselka, B, De Mulder, G, Annaert, R, Boudin, M, Salesse, K, Warmenbol, E, Matielli, N, Snoeck, C & Vercauteren, M 2025, 'From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping', Geoderma, vol. 453, no. 117123, 117123, pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117123

TY - JOUR

T1 - From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping

AU - Sengeløv, Amanda

AU - Capuzzo, Giacomo

AU - Dalle, Sarah

AU - James, Hannah

AU - Sabaux, Charlotte

AU - Stamataki, Elisavet

AU - Hlad, Marta

AU - Gerritzen, Carina

AU - Legrand, Emma

AU - Veselka, Barbara

AU - De Mulder, Guy

AU - Annaert, Rica

AU - Boudin, Mathieu

AU - Salesse, Kevin

AU - Warmenbol, Eugène

AU - Matielli, Nadine

AU - Snoeck, Christophe

AU - Vercauteren, Martine

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Wendy Debouge en Jeroen De Jong of G-Time lab (Geochemistry & Geophysics: Tephra, Isotope, Mineral & Earthquakes) at the Universit\u00E9 Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), and Martyna Kremer from the AMGC lab (Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) for their help with the different isotope analyses. We would like to thank the EOS-project CRUMBEL (30999782), and the ERC Starting Grant LUMIERE (Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRope \u2013 Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation), funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 948913. AS thanks the F.R.S-FNRS (Le Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique) for her doctoral scholarship (40001875). AS would also like to thank Rens de Hond and Jeanette Sengel\u00F8v, who helped collecting the majority of the samples in the field. CTG thanks the CRIME-project (CRemation or Inhumation of ancient populations? A Multidisciplinary question at the European level), which is a joint Flemish-Slovenian research project funded by the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) and the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), for her doctoral scholarship (G0A9721N). MH, ES, and EMG also want to thank FWO for their doctoral scholarship (11F1122N, 11A6221N, and 11PUL24N respectively). Acknowledgments are extended to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (RBINS), who provided the geological shapefiles. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Wendy Debouge en Jeroen De Jong of G-Time lab (Geochemistry & Geophysics: Tephra, Isotope, Mineral & Earthquakes) at the Universit\u00E9 Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), and Martyna Kope\u0107 from the AMGC lab (Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) for their help with the different isotope analyses. We would like to thank the EOS-project CRUMBEL (30999782), and the ERC Starting Grant LUMIERE (Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRope \u2013 Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation), funded by European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 948913. AS thanks the F.R.S-FNRS (Le Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique) for her doctoral scholarship (40001875). AS would also like to thank Rens de Hond and Jeanette Sengel\u00F8v, who helped collecting the majority of the samples in the field. CTG thanks the CRIME-project (CRemation or Inhumation of ancient populations? A Multidisciplinary question at the European level), which is a joint Flemish-Slovenian research project funded by the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) and the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), for her doctoral scholarship (G0A9721N). MH, ES, and EMG also want to thank FWO for their doctoral scholarship (11F1122N, 11A6221N, and 11PUL24N respectively). Acknowledgments are extended to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (RBINS), who provided the geological shapefiles. Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors

PY - 2025/1/1

Y1 - 2025/1/1

N2 - Understanding the spatial distribution of strontium isotopes in plants or other archives within a region is crucial for various fields, including archaeology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensic science. This study aims to create a detailed dynamic strontium isoscape for Belgium through high-density plant sampling, presented in a web application (IsoBel) that serves the mentioned research fields. A total of 540 plant samples (199 locations), representing various species of grass, shrubs, and trees across Belgium were collected and were analysed for their strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) to create a first biologically available strontium map. Sampling sites were selected to cover diverse lithological formations and soil types, ensuring representative coverage of the region’s geological heterogeneity, by using a novel high density grid mapping method. Sixty-four previously published plants from 21 locations are also included in this study, bringing the total amount of plant samples used to 604 from 220 locations. The results reveal significant variations in 87Sr/86Sr across Belgium (ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259), which reflect the underlying lithology and geological processes (tectonics, weathering,…) which shaped the landscape. Although overlapping 87Sr/86Sr is seen across the majority of lithologies, there is a statistically significant difference between the distribution of 87Sr/86Sr values across all different lithological units in Belgium (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.0001). Distinct regional patterns were observed, with higher 87Sr/86Sr in the older geological south-eastern part of Belgium, compared to the younger north-western parts. The high-density plant sampling approach employed in this study allowed for enhanced spatial resolution and improved accuracy in the predictive surfaces for bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr created by Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). These findings provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of strontium isotopes within Belgium and offer a foundation for future studies in archaeology, ecology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensics. Furthermore, the extensive coverage of various plant species provided a robust representation of the local ecosystems and their strontium sources. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on regional strontium isoscapes, enhancing our understanding of the complex interplay between litho- and biosphere in shaping the strontium isotope compositions of ecosystems.

AB - Understanding the spatial distribution of strontium isotopes in plants or other archives within a region is crucial for various fields, including archaeology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensic science. This study aims to create a detailed dynamic strontium isoscape for Belgium through high-density plant sampling, presented in a web application (IsoBel) that serves the mentioned research fields. A total of 540 plant samples (199 locations), representing various species of grass, shrubs, and trees across Belgium were collected and were analysed for their strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) to create a first biologically available strontium map. Sampling sites were selected to cover diverse lithological formations and soil types, ensuring representative coverage of the region’s geological heterogeneity, by using a novel high density grid mapping method. Sixty-four previously published plants from 21 locations are also included in this study, bringing the total amount of plant samples used to 604 from 220 locations. The results reveal significant variations in 87Sr/86Sr across Belgium (ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259), which reflect the underlying lithology and geological processes (tectonics, weathering,…) which shaped the landscape. Although overlapping 87Sr/86Sr is seen across the majority of lithologies, there is a statistically significant difference between the distribution of 87Sr/86Sr values across all different lithological units in Belgium (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.0001). Distinct regional patterns were observed, with higher 87Sr/86Sr in the older geological south-eastern part of Belgium, compared to the younger north-western parts. The high-density plant sampling approach employed in this study allowed for enhanced spatial resolution and improved accuracy in the predictive surfaces for bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr created by Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). These findings provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of strontium isotopes within Belgium and offer a foundation for future studies in archaeology, ecology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensics. Furthermore, the extensive coverage of various plant species provided a robust representation of the local ecosystems and their strontium sources. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on regional strontium isoscapes, enhancing our understanding of the complex interplay between litho- and biosphere in shaping the strontium isotope compositions of ecosystems.

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U2 - 10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117123

DO - 10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117123

M3 - Article

SN - 0016-7061

VL - 453

SP - 1

EP - 15

JO - Geoderma

JF - Geoderma

IS - 117123

M1 - 117123

ER -

From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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EU632: Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRopE - Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation

FWOEOS8: Cremations, urnes and mobility - ancient population dynamics in Belgium

Cite this

From plants to patterns: Constructing a comprehensive online strontium isoscape for Belgium (IsoBel) using high density grid mapping

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

Handle.net

Other files and links

Projects

EU632: Landscape Use and Mobility In EuRopE - Bridging the gap between cremation and inhumation

FWOEOS8: Cremations, urnes and mobility - ancient population dynamics in Belgium

Cite this