Suitability of 239+240Pu and 137Cs as tracers for soil erosion assessment in mountain grasslands

Soil erosion assessment using 239+240Pu as a tracer pointed to a huge dynamic and high heterogeneity of erosive processes (between sedimentation of 1.9 and 7 t ha−1 yr−1 and erosion of 0.2-16.4 t ha−1 yr−1 in the Urseren Valley and sedimentation of 0.4-20.3 t ha−1 yr−1 and erosion of 0.1-16.4 t ha−1 yr−1 at Val Piora). Our study represents a novel and successful application of 239+240Pu as a tracer of soil erosion in a mountain environment.