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C/N ratios and carbon isotope composition of organic matter in estuarine environments

Leng, Melanie J.; Lewis, Jonathan P.

Authors

Jonathan P. Lewis



Contributors

K. Weckstr�m
Editor

K. Saunders
Editor

P. Gell
Editor

G. Skilbeck
Editor

Abstract

The sediments that are preserved in estuarine environments (saltmarsh, riverine estuaries, mangrove habitats, lagoons, isolation basins and fjords) contain organic matter that allows investigation of the provenance of that material. These data can then be used specifically to investigate past sea level/land level changes and changes in freshwater flux. Where microfossils are poorly preserved or absent, C/N and δ13C analyses offer an alternative method to deduce environmental histories, but they are especially useful when used in conjunction with a range of other proxies, and when local modern end-member organic variables can be measured to ‘calibrate’ the sedimentary C/N and δ13C. There are a wide range of C/N-δ13C based carbon studies, here we describe examples of studies in a variety of estuarine environments.

Citation

Leng, M. J., & Lewis, J. P. (2017). C/N ratios and carbon isotope composition of organic matter in estuarine environments. In K. Weckström, K. Saunders, P. Gell, & G. Skilbeck (Eds.), Applications of Paleoenvironmental Techniques in Estuarine Studies. Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0990-1_9

Acceptance Date Dec 19, 2016
Publication Date Jan 1, 2017
Deposit Date Feb 23, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Electronic ISSN 1571-5299
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 20
Issue 20
Series Title Developments in Paleoenvironmental Research
Book Title Applications of Paleoenvironmental Techniques in Estuarine Studies
ISBN 9789402409888, 9789402409901 (ebook)
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0990-1_9
Keywords C/N ratios ; Carbon isotope ratios ; Carbon cycle ; Saltmarsh ; Riverine estuaries ; Mangrove habitats ; Lagoons ; Isolation basins ; Fjords
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/830748
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0990-1_9
Related Public URLs http://www.springer.com/gb/book/9789402409888#aboutBook