Organic geochemistry of Baffin Island fjords
Fjords are natural laboratories which approximate deepwater ocean systems wherein the input, recycling and preservation of organic matter can be better understood. Seven fjords, representing a cross-section of characteristics with respect to hydrography, inputs and morphology have been utilized in this study to quantify and distinguish the sources and fate of organic matter. Low level organic terrigenous inputs derived from arctic tundra vegetation are readily resolved from more organic rich marine sources through stable isotopic and bound amino acid compositions of sedimentary organic matter. Increasing enrichments in amino acid content (8 ..mu..mol/g to 26 ..mu..mol/g) as well as /sup 15/N and /sup 13/C stable isotopic abundances (+4 per thousands to +10 per thousands and -25 per thousands to -21.5 per thousands, respectively) are observed seaward of fjord heads. As a result of increased kinetic isotopic fractionation attributed to temperature effects, two separate marine organic sources, macrophytic algae and saltmarsh plants, can be distinguished from the normal marine planktonic end member. The fjord sediments are more enriched in /sup 15/N than Mid-Atlantic Coast shelf sediments. This difference may reflect extensive fertilizer input to the ocean along the Mid-Atlantic Seaboard. Relative amino acid abundances also appear to be useful for identifying sources of organic matter preserved in these sediments.
- Research Organization:
- Memorial Univ., St. John's, Newfoundland (Canada)
- OSTI ID:
- 6460044
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FIORDS
GEOMORPHOLOGY
NEWFOUNDLAND
ORGANIC MATTER
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DEPOSITION
STRATIGRAPHY
SEDIMENTS
AMINO ACIDS
ARCTIC REGIONS
FRACTIONATION
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
HYDROLOGY
ISOTOPE RATIO
PETROLOGY
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
REACTION KINETICS
TOPOGRAPHY
TUNDRA
CANADA
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
ESTUARIES
GEOLOGY
ISLANDS
KINETICS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SURFACE WATERS
580300* - Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics- (-1989)
580400 - Geochemistry- (-1989)
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)