Article
 

¹⁴C and ¹³C characteristics of higher plant biomarkers in Washington margin surface sediments

Público Deposited

Contenido Descargable

Descargar PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/vh53wx368

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Plant wax lipids and lignin phenols are the two most common classes of molecular markers that are used to trace vascular plant-derived OM in the marine environment. However, their ¹³C and ¹⁴C compositions have not been directly compared, which can be used to constrain the flux and attenuation of terrestrial carbon in marine environment. In this study, we describe a revised method of isolating individual lignin phenols from complex sedimentary matrices for ¹⁴C analysis using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and compare this approach to a method utilizing preparative capillary gas chromatography (PCGC). We then examine in detail the ¹³C and ¹⁴C compositions of plant wax lipids and lignin phenols in sediments from the inner and mid shelf of the Washington margin that are influenced by discharge of the Columbia River. Plant wax lipids (including n-alkanes, n-alkanoic (fatty) acids, n-alkanols, and n-aldehydes) displayed significant variability in both σ¹³C (-28.3%₀ to -37.5%₀) and Δ¹⁴C values (-204%₀ to +2%₀), suggesting varied inputs and/or continental storage and transport histories. In contrast, lignin phenols exhibited similar σ¹³C values (between -30%₀ and -34%₀) and a relatively narrow range of Δ¹⁴C values (-45%₀ to -150%₀; HPLC-based measurement) that were similar to, or younger than, bulk OM (-195%₀ to -137%₀). Moreover, lignin phenol ¹⁴C age correlated with the degradation characteristics of this terrestrial biopolymer in that vanillyl phenols were on average ~500 years older than syringyl and cinnamyl phenols that degrade faster in soils and sediments. The isotopic characteristics, abundance, and distribution of lignin phenols in sediments suggest that they serve as promising tracers of recently biosynthesized terrestrial OM during supply to, and dispersal within the marine environment. Lignin phenol ¹⁴C measurements may also provide useful constraints on the vascular plant end member in isotopic mixing models for carbon source apportionment, and for interpretation of sedimentary records of past vegetation dynamics.
Resource Type
DOI
Fecha Disponible
Fecha de Emisión
Citation
  • Feng, X., Benitez-Nelson, B. C., Montluçon, D. B., Prahl, F. G., McNichol, A. P., Xu, L., . . . Eglinton, T. I. (2013). 14C and 13C characteristics of higher plant biomarkers in washington margin surface sediments. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta, 105, 14-30. doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2012.11.034
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 105
Declaración de derechos
Related Items
  • The published article can be found at Elsevier.
Funding Statement (additional comments about funding)
  • Grants OCE-9907129, OCE-0137005, and OCE-0526268 (to T.I.E.) from the National Science Foundation (NSF) supported this research.
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces

Relaciones

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Elementos

Miniatura Título Fecha de subida Visibilidad Acciones
file details PrahlFredrickGEarthOceanAtmosphericSciences14C13CCharacteristicsHigher.pdf 2017-07-24 Público Descargar