Distributions and origins of lipid biomarkers in surface sediments from the southern Yellow Sea

► Distributions of terrestrial and marine biomarker in Yellow Sea sediments are unlike. ► Productivity and sedimentation rate control the distribution of marine biomarkers. ► Biomarkers are reliable proxies for reconstruction of carbon cycle and ecosystem changes in the YS. This paper reports on the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied geochemistry 2011-08, Vol.26 (8), p.1584-1593
Main Authors: Xing, Lei, Tao, Shuqin, Zhang, Hailong, Liu, Yanguang, Yu, Zhigang, Zhao, Meixun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alkanes
Bacillariophyceae
biomarkers
coasts
Dinophyceae
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
Geochemistry
Haptophyta
organic matter
paleoecology
phytoplankton
Pollution, environment geology
primary productivity
rivers
sediments
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Summary:► Distributions of terrestrial and marine biomarker in Yellow Sea sediments are unlike. ► Productivity and sedimentation rate control the distribution of marine biomarkers. ► Biomarkers are reliable proxies for reconstruction of carbon cycle and ecosystem changes in the YS. This paper reports on the spatial distribution patterns and investigates the controlling mechanisms of phytoplankton biomarkers (brassicasterol for diatoms, alkenones for haptophytes, dinosterol for dinoflagellates) and terrestrial biomarkers (odd C number long-chain (C 27 + C 29 + C 31) n-alkanes) in surface sediments from the southern Yellow Sea (SYS). The contents of the phytoplankton biomarkers in the SYS surface sediments reveals a clear spatial pattern, with low values near the coasts and increased values seaward, caused by higher phytoplankton primary productivity and low sedimentation rates in the basin. The contents of terrestrial biomarkers show high values in the northern part of the study areas off the Shandong Peninsula and Jiangsu coast, caused by inputs of materials from the modern Huanghe River and the old Huanghe delta, respectively. The results also indicate that biomarker ratios offer the best approach for reconstructing marginal sea C cycles, as these proxies can be used to estimate the contributions of both terrestrial and marine organic matter and to reconstruct paleoproductivity and paleoecological changes in the SYS.
ISSN:0883-2927
1872-9134
DOI:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2011.06.024