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Organic carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in the intertidal sediments from the Yangtze Estuary, China |
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| Authors: | Liu M Hou L J Xu S Y Ou D N Yang Y Yu J Wang Q |
| Institution: | aDepartment of Geography, Key Laboratory of Geographical Information Science of the Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, No. 3663 Zhongshan North Road, Shanghai 200062, PR China bState Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China cInstitute of Geoscience, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Becherweg 55099, Germany |
| Abstract: | The natural isotopic compositions and C/N elemental ratios of sedimentary organic matter were determined in the intertidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary. The results showed that the ratios of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were respectively −29.8‰ to − 26.0‰ and 1.6‰–5.5‰ in the flood season (July), while they were −27.3‰ to − 25.6‰ and 1.7‰–7.8‰ in the dry season (February), respectively. The δ13C signatures were remarkably higher in July than in February, and gradually increased from the freshwater areas to the brackish areas. In contrast, there were relatively complex seasonal and spatial changes in stable nitrogen isotopes. It was also reflected that δ15N and C/N compositions had been obviously modified by organic matter diagenesis and biological processing, and could not be used to trace the sources of organic matter at the study area. In addition, it was considered that the mixing inputs of terrigenous and marine materials generally dominated sedimentary organic matter in the intertidal flat. The contribution of terrigenous inputs to sedimentary organic matter was roughly estimated according to the mixing balance model of stable carbon isotopes. |
| Keywords: | Sedimentary organic matter Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes C/N elemental ratio Intertidal flat The Yangtze Estuary China |
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