Precession-paced climate oscillations in Messinian sulphate evaporites recorded by carbon stable isotopes of leaf wax derived n-alkanes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Stolwijk ◽  
Marcello Natalicchio ◽  
Francesco Dela Pierre ◽  
Daniel Birgel ◽  
Jörn Peckmann
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Terrestrial Organic Matter ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
Climate Oscillations ◽  
Proxy Records ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Nw Italy ◽  
Paleoclimatic Proxy ◽  
Long Chain

<p>During the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC), the Mediterranean Sea was gradually isolated from the Atlantic Ocean due to tectonics, ultimately resulting in the deposition of enormous volumes of evaporites on the Mediterranean seafloor. In marginal Mediterranean sub-basins, the first phase of the MSC is represented by a cyclic succession of gypsum and shales (Primary Lower Gypsum unit; PLG), changing laterally into an alternation of shales, marls and carbonates towards the deeper parts of the basins. The current consensus is that the lithological cyclicity is the expression of precession-paced climate oscillations, with shales deposited during insolation maxima (precession minima) and gypsum deposited during insolation minima (precession maxima). However, this hypothesis has yet to be validated, because this assumption is primarily based on the continuation of sedimentary cyclicity from the open marine pre-MSC sediments into the Primary Lower Gypsum unit. To assess the possible role of orbitally-driven paleoclimate change on the deposition of the PLG unit, we have analysed molecular fossils (lipid biomarkers) preserved in shales and gypsum of the Pollenzo section (Piedmont basin, NW Italy).</p><p>Long-chain n-alkanes are reliable biomarkers that are used to track the input of terrestrial organic matter and allow to reconstruct paleovegetation. By using the distribution of higher plant-derived long chain n-alkanes and their compound specific carbon isotope signature (δ<sup>13</sup>C), we show that the sedimentary cyclicity in the PLG unit is indeed controlled by precession. Our high-resolution paleoclimatic proxy records cover approximately 300 Ka (6.003 Ma – 5.721 Ma) and comprise the onset of the MSC (5.971 Ma) and the first 12 cycles of the PLG unit. Cyclic fluctuation of δ<sup>13</sup>C values is observed, with higher δ<sup>13</sup>C values typifying long-chain n-alkanes extracted for gypsum, while lower values correspond to shales.</p><p>Our results, which represent the first paleoclimatic proxy data derived from Messinian gypsum, show that riverine flux of organic matter to the basin varied significantly during the first phase of the MSC. In agreement with a precessional control on paleoclimate, lower n-alkane abundance in gypsum reflects drier conditions, while higher n-alkane abundance in shales indicates more humid climate and increased input of terrestrial organic matter to the basin.</p>

CPI values of terrestrial higher plant-derived long-chain n-alkanes: a potential paleoclimatic proxy

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiguo Rao ◽  
Zhaoyu Zhu ◽  
Suping Wang ◽  
Guodong Jia ◽  
Mingrui Qiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Plant ◽  
Paleoclimatic Proxy ◽  
Long Chain

scholarly journals The composition and flux of particulate and dissolved carbohydrates from the Rhone River into the Mediterranean Sea

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1827-1844 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Panagiotopoulos ◽  
R. Sempéré ◽  
J. Para ◽  
P. Raimbault ◽  
C. Rabouille ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Terrestrial Organic Matter ◽  
Rhône River ◽  
Rhone River ◽  
Northwestern Mediterranean Sea ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Northwestern Mediterranean ◽  
Annual Flux

Abstract. Carbohydrates are important components of the carbon cycle and may be used as indicators of the origin and the diagenetic status of marine and terrestrial organic matter. Nevertheless, comprehensive studies of both particulate (PCHO) and dissolved (DCHO) carbohydrates in rivers are scarce, and the seasonal and interannual variability of these compounds in relationship to the bulk particulate (POM) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) is largely unknown. For the period 2007–2009, we sampled once per month POM and DOM and measured the total suspended matter (TSM), POM, DOM, PCHO, and DCHO for the Rhône River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Using these measurements, we estimated for the above parameters annual fluxes for the period 2007–2009. The estimated carbohydrate fluxes averaged 0.064 ± 0.026 × 1010 moles C yr−1 for PCHO and 0.042 ± 0.008 × 1010 moles C yr−1 DCHO, representing 6 % and 7 % of the annual flux of POC and DOC, respectively. During flood and low-water periods, POM variations were reflected into the PCHO pool, whereas this was not observed for DOC and DCHO, indicating a decoupling between particulate and dissolved organic matter. Our results also showed that flood and low-water periods may be differentiated using the ratios PCHO/DCHO and POC/DOC, which had a significant relationship. Based on the carbohydrate abundances in both the PCHO and DCHO pools, we conclude that this material mainly derives from allochthonous sources (vascular plants, bacteria and soils). Moreover, during flood events, an enrichment in mannose in POM was observed, probably reflecting an angiosperm source (leaves or grasses). By expanding our results to the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Gulf of Lions), we found that the total organic carbon (TOC) fluxes of the Rhône River accounted for ~1 % of the standing stock of seawater TOC. Considering that glucose is the most abundant carbohydrate in both particulate and dissolved organic matter pools (~33 %), its annual flux in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea was estimated to 3.8 × 108 moles glucose.

scholarly journals Lipid abundance and composition of a humic Oxisol as a function of land use

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristiane Pereira de Assis ◽  
Francisco Javier González-Vila ◽  
Ivo Jucksch ◽  
Jose Antonio González-Pérez ◽  
Júlio César Lima Neves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Lipid Composition ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
Alkanoic Acids ◽  
Plant Waxes ◽  
Long Chain

Soil organic matter of a humic Oxisol has been characterized by analyzing litter and soil lipid composition under vegetal covers (coffee, pasture and fragment of native forest). Soil and litter samples were collected from each site at two depths (0-10 and 60-100 cm). Lipid composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (CG-MS). In the solvent extracts of the soil lipids, even-numbered n-alkanoic acids in the range of C16-C32 indicate a soil organic matter input from higher plant waxes. The major compound classes in both the soil and the litter included saturated n-alkanoic acids, with average values in the total spectrum of 58 and 53%, respectively Clear differences in lipid composition were found between the topsoil and subsurface. Long chain alkylic compounds (alkanoic acids and alkanes) accumulated preferably at depths of 60-100 cm. On the surface, the soil from natural vegetation had a total lipid value higher than those cultivated soils, and showed a predominance of unsaturated alkanoic acids at 60-100 cm. Preservation of alkylic moieties with depth was observed under forest and pasture, indicating that these systems of land use are prone to lipid accumulation. Lipids, especially the long-chain (> C20) ones, may be important with regard to C stabilization and humification processes in subsoil of humic Oxisols, highlighting the importance of lipids compounds in the bulk structure of organic matter these soils.

scholarly journals A comparison of the distribution and sources of organic matter in surface sediments collected from northwestern and southwestern plateau lakes in China

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jidun Fang ◽  
Fengchang Wu ◽  
Yongqiang Xiong ◽  
Shuping Wang
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbons ◽  
Surface Sediments ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Lacustrine Sediments ◽  
Terrestrial Organic Matter ◽  
Algae And Bacteria ◽  
Long Chain

<p>Surface lacustrine sediments from six plateau lakes in China were analysed for total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen, δ<sup>13</sup>C<sub>org</sub>, δ<sup>15</sup>N<sub>total</sub>, aliphatic hydrocarbons, fatty acids (FAs), and alkanols. The FAs and alkanols were fractionated into free and bound subfractions to facilitate investigation of their sources. Higher average TOC levels were observed in sediments from southwestern plateau lakes than in those from northwestern plateau lakes. The sediments from the southwestern plateau lakes may have been contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons from anthropogenic activities. The molecular compositions of n-alkanes, n-alkanols, and FAs extracted from the lacustrine sediments showed different responses to environmental changes. Most of the n-alkanol and FA distributions were dominated by short-chain components originating from algae and bacteria. However, the presence of long-chain n-alkanes indicate the presence of predominantly terrestrial organic matter (OM) in the sediment samples from the northwestern plateau lakes in China, suggesting that secondary components derived from post-depositional microbial activity were key contributors to the n-alkanols and FAs. Aquatic FAs derived from algae and anaerobic bacteria were a major component of the sedimentary OM and accounted for 65.1-90.2% of the total lipid concentrations.</p>

scholarly journals The composition and flux of particulate and dissolved carbohydrates from the Rhône River into the Mediterranean Sea

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 11165-11213 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Panagiotopoulos ◽  
R. Sempéré ◽  
J. Para ◽  
P. Raimbault ◽  
C. Rabouille ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Terrestrial Organic Matter ◽  
Rhône River ◽  
Rhone River ◽  
Northwestern Mediterranean Sea ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Northwestern Mediterranean ◽  
Annual Flux

Abstract. Carbohydrates are important components of the carbon cycle and may be used as indicators of the origin and the diagenetic status of marine and terrestrial organic matter. Nevertheless, comprehensive studies of both particulate (PCHO) and dissolved (DCHO) carbohydrates in rivers are scarce, and the seasonal and interannual variability of these compounds in relationship to the bulk particulate (POM) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) is largely unknown. For the period 2007–2009, we sampled once per month POM and DOM and measured the total suspended matter (TSM), POM, DOM, PCHO, and DCHO for the Rhône River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Using these measurements, we estimated for the above parameters annual fluxes for the period 2001–2010. The estimated carbohydrate fluxes averaged 0.061±0.043×1010 moles Cy−1 for PCHO and 0.041±0.0062×1010 moles Cy−1 DCHO, representing 8% and 7% of the annual flux of POC and DOC, respectively. During flood and low-water periods, POM variations were reflected into the PCHO pool, whereas this was not observed for DOC and DCHO, indicating a decoupling between particulate and dissolved organic matter. Our results also showed that flood and low-water periods may be differentiated using the ratios PCHO/DCHO and POC/DOC, which had a significant linear relationship. Based on the carbohydrate abundances in both the PCHO and DCHO pools, we conclude that this material mainly derives from allochthonous sources (vascular plants, bacteria and soils). Moreover, during flood events, an enrichment in mannose in POM was observed, probably reflecting an angiosperm source (leaves or grasses). By expanding our results to the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Gulf of Lions), we found that the total organic carbon (TOC) fluxes of the Rhône River accounted for ~1% of the standing stock of seawater TOC. Considering that glucose is the most abundant carbohydrate in both particulate and dissolved organic matter pools (~33%), its annual flux in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea was estimated to 19.2×108 moles glucose-C.

scholarly journals The influences of sedimentary environments on organic matter enrichment in fine-grained rocks of the Paleogene Shahejie formation in Nanpu Sag, Huanghua Depression, Bohai Bay Basin

2021 ◽  
pp. 014459872110310
Author(s):  
Min Li ◽  
Xiongqi Pang ◽  
Guoyong Liu ◽  
Di Chen ◽  
Lingjian Meng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Bohai Bay ◽  
Bohai Bay Basin ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Huanghua Depression ◽  
Shahejie Formation ◽  
Nanpu Sag

The fine-grained rocks in the Paleogene Shahejie Formation in Nanpu Sag, Huanghua Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, are extremely important source rocks. These Paleogene rocks are mainly subdivided into organic-rich black shale and gray mudstone. The average total organic carbon contents of the shale and mudstone are 11.5 wt.% and 8.4 wt.%, respectively. The average hydrocarbon (HC)-generating potentials (which is equal to the sum of free hydrocarbons (S1) and potential hydrocarbons (S2)) of the shale and mudstone are 39.3 mg HC/g rock and 28.5 mg HC/g rock, respectively, with mean vitrinite reflectance values of 0.82% and 0.81%, respectively. The higher abundance of organic matter in the shale than in the mudstone is due mainly to paleoenvironmental differences. The chemical index of alteration values and Na/Al ratios reveal a warm and humid climate during shale deposition and a cold and dry climate during mudstone deposition. The biologically derived Ba and Ba/Al ratios indicate high productivity in both the shale and mudstone, with relatively low productivity in the shale. The shale formed in fresh to brackish water, whereas the mudstone was deposited in fresh water, with the former having a higher salinity. Compared with the shale, the mudstone underwent higher detrital input, exhibiting higher Si/Al and Ti/Al ratios. Shale deposition was more dysoxic than mudstone deposition. The organic matter enrichment of the shale sediments was controlled mainly by reducing conditions followed by moderate-to-high productivity, which was promoted by a warm and humid climate and salinity stratification. The organic matter enrichment of the mudstone was less than that of the shale and was controlled by relatively oxic conditions.

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