Carbon cycle and the rate of vertical accumulation of peat in the Mississippi River deltaic plain
A large percentage of the annual plant biomass production in interdistributary basins of the Mississippi River delta plain either remains on the marsh in the form of organic-rich sediment (peat) or is lost to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and methane. Peat is formed due to vertical accretion as the marsh surface is maintained relative to a mean water level. The rate of accretion determined from Cs-137 dating averaged 0.85 cm and 0.95 cm/yr for the fresh and brackish peat deposits respectively. However, increase in water level, obtained from analysis of tide gauge data, was estimated to be in order of 60-1.0 cm/yr. The rapid rate of peat accumulation (254-296 g C/sq m/yr) is attributed to increases in water level due to subsidence resulting from the consolidation of Mississippi River deltaic deposits. 28 references, 5 figures, 1 table.
- Research Organization:
- Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge
- OSTI ID:
- 5230563
- Journal Information:
- Southeast. Geol.; (United States), Vol. 25:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Characteristics of peat deposits in Mississippi River delta plain
Mississippi delta peats - their relationship to deltaic lignites and coals
Related Subjects
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
RIVER DELTAS
CARBON CYCLE
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CESIUM 137
METHANE
MINERAL CYCLING
NUTRIENTS
PEAT
WETLANDS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKANES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHALCOGENIDES
COASTAL REGIONS
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
RIVERS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
SYNTHESIS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
510100* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)
520100 - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)