Degradation and Preservation of Organic Matter in Marine Sediments

Wakeham, Stuart G.; Canuel, Elizabeth A.

doi:10.1007/698_2_009

Cited by 90 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 115 publications

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“…Up until recently, it was widely considered that the terrestrial particulate organic matter (TPOM) flowing into oceans through rivers was refractory to degradation (biotic and abiotic), since it was constituted of terrestrial plant debris previously degraded during transport (de Leeuw and Largeau, 1993;Wakeham and Canuel, 2006). However, coastal sediments have shown very little trace of a terrestrial OM signature (Hedges and Keil, 1995;McKee et al, 2004), which implies that either global carbon fluxes and budgets are wrong, or, as is more likely, that terrestrial POM undergoes a rapid and intense degradation upon its arrival at sea (Hedges et al, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal survey of the composition and degradation state of particulate organic matter in the Rhône River using lipid tracers

et al. 2015

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Abstract. Lipid tracers including fatty acids, hydroxyacids, n-alkanols, sterols and triterpenoids were used to determine the origin and fate of suspended particulate organic matter (POM) collected in the Rhône River (France). This seasonal survey (April 2011 to May 2013) revealed a yearround strong terrestrial higher-plant contribution to the particulate organic matter (POM), with significant algal inputs observed in March and attributed to phytoplanktonic blooms likely dominated by diatoms. Major terrigenous contributors to our samples are gymnosperms, and more precisely their roots and stems, as evidenced by the presence of high proportions of ω-hydroxydocosanoic acid (a suberin biomarker). The high amounts of coprostanol detected clearly show that the Rhône River is significantly affected by sewage waters.Specific sterol degradation products were quantified and used to assess the part of biotic and abiotic degradation of POM within the river. Higher-plant-derived organic matter appears to be mainly affected by photo-oxidation and autoxidation (free radical oxidation), while organic matter of mammal or human origin, evidenced by the presence of coprostanol, is clearly more prone to bacterial degradation. Despite the involvement of an intense autoxidation-inducing homolytic cleavage of peroxy bonds, a significant proportion of hydroperoxides is still intact in higher plant debris. These compounds could affect the degradation of terrestrial material by inducing an intense autoxidation upon its arrival at sea.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal survey of the composition and degradation state of particulate organic matter in the Rhône River using lipid tracers

et al. 2015

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“…Selective enrichment of terrigenous OC in marine sediments over what is observed in the water column may result from differences in the intrinsic reactivity of the organic molecules themselves, protection by degradation-resistant macroorganic matrices and mineral surfaces, or environmental conditions (oxygen availability, oscillating redox, microbial consortia present) (Hedges and Keil, 1995;Hedges et al, 2001;Aller, 1994;Wakeham and Canuel, 2006;Burdige, 2007).…”

Section: S G Wakeham and A P Mcnichol: Transfer Of Organic Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transfer of organic carbon through marine water columns to sediments – insights from stable and radiocarbon isotopes of lipid biomarkers

Wakeham

McNichol

2014

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. Compound-specific 13 C and 14 C compositions of diverse lipid biomarkers (fatty acids, alkenones, hydrocarbons, sterols and fatty alcohols) were measured in sinking particulate matter collected in sediment traps and from underlying surface sediments in the Black Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Ross Sea. The goal was to develop a multiparameter approach to constrain relative inputs of organic carbon (OC) from marine biomass, terrigenous vascular-plant and relict-kerogen sources. Using an isotope mass balance, we calculate that marine biomass in sediment trap material from the Black Sea and Arabian Sea accounted for 66-100 % of OC, with lower terrigenous (3-8 %) and relict (4-16 %) contributions. Marine biomass in sediments constituted lower proportions of OC (66-90 %), with consequentially higher proportions of terrigenous and relict carbon (3-17 and 7-13 %, respectively). Ross Sea data were insufficient to allow similar mass balance calculations. These results suggest that, whereas particulate organic carbon is overwhelmingly marine in origin, pre-aged allochthonous terrigenous and relict OC become proportionally more important in sediments, consistent with pre-aged OC being better preserved during vertical transport to and burial at the seafloor than the upper-ocean-derived marine OC.

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“…This might be due to the depositional environment of the sampling site. Besides, it might also be due to other factors such as productivity, oxygen exposure time, sediment accumulation rate and organic matter composition which all influence organic carbon preservation [14][15][16]. FIGURE 2.…”

Section: Composition Bacterial-sewage Biomarkers In Marine Sediment Corementioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical profiles of bacterial-sewage derived biomarkers in marine sediment

Amiruddin

Ali²

2013

AIP Conference Proceedings

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Degradation and Preservation of Organic Matter in Marine Sediments

Cited by 90 publications

References 115 publications

Seasonal survey of the composition and degradation state of particulate organic matter in the Rhône River using lipid tracers

Seasonal survey of the composition and degradation state of particulate organic matter in the Rhône River using lipid tracers

Transfer of organic carbon through marine water columns to sediments – insights from stable and radiocarbon isotopes of lipid biomarkers

Vertical profiles of bacterial-sewage derived biomarkers in marine sediment

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