Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Sources and contribution of terrigenous organic carbon to surface sediments in the Gulf of Mexico

Nature volume 389, pages 275–278 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

The sources and burial processes of organic matter in marine sediments are not well understood, yet they are important if we are to have a better understanding of the global carbon cycle1. In particular, the nature and fraction of the terrestrial organic carbon preserved in marine sediments is poorly constrained. Here we use the chemical and stable carbon isotope signatures of oxidation products from a macromolecular component (lignin)2 of the terrigenous organic matter preserved in offshore surface sediments in the Gulf of Mexico to complement similar data from an existing onshore transect3 in this region. The complete onshore–offshore data set, along with radiocarbon dates of the bulk organic material at the same sites, allows the differentiation of material originating from plants that photosynthesize using the C4 mechanism from those that undergo C3 photosynthesis. We conclude that the offshore lignins derive from erosion of the extensive grassland (C4) soils of the Mississippi River drainage basin, and that the nearshore lignins originate largely from C3 plant detritus from coastal forests and swamps. This distribution is probably due to the hydrodynamic sorting of the different source materials4 during their seaward transport. These results suggest that previous studies3,5 have significantly underestimated the terrigenous fraction of organic matter in offshore sediments by not recognizing the contribution of C4 vegetation to the carbon-isotope composition. Such an underestimate may force revisions in the assessment of past marine primary productivity and associated organic carbon fluxes6, and of organic matter preservation/remineralization7 and nutrient cycling8 in marine sediments.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Map of the sampling locations and water depths (m) in the Gulf of Mexico.
Figure 2: Distribution of δ13COC (circles) and Λ (triangles) in surface sediments from various water depths of the Gulf of Mexico.
Figure 3: Relative contribution of C3 (white bars) and C4 (shaded bars) vascular plants as sources of sedimentary lignin in the Gulf of Mexico, based on the isotopic composition of syringic acid (measured by irm–GC–MS) from sediments (Table 1) and from C3 and C4 end-members2 (−30‰ and −15‰, respectively).

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hedges, J. I. Global biogeochemical cycles: Progress and problems. Mar. Chem. 39, 67–93 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Goñi, M. A. & Eglinton, T. I. Stable carbon isotopic analyses of lignin-derived CuO oxidation products by isotope ratio monitoring–Gas Chromatography–Mass spectrometry (irm–GC–MS). Org. Geochem. 24, 601–615 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hedges, J. I. & Parker, P. L. Land-derived organic matter in surface sediments from the Gulf of Mexico. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 40, 1019–1029 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Keil, R. G., Tsamakis, E., Bor Fuh, C., Giddings, J. C. & Hedges, J. I. Mineralogical and textural controls on the organic composition of coastal marine sediments: hydrodynamic separation using SPLITT-fractionation. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 58, 879–893 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Jasper, J. P. & Gagosian, R. B. Glacial-interglacial climatically forced δ13C variations in sedimentary organic matter. Nature 342, 60–62 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Müller, P. J. & Suess, E. Productivity, sedimentation rate, and sedimentary organic matter in the ocean. I. Organic carbon preservation. Deep Sea Res. 26, 1347–1367 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hedges, J. I. & Keil, R. G. Sedimentary organic matter preservation: an assessment and speculative synthesis. Mar. Chem. 49, 81–115 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Martin, J. H., Knauer, G. A., Karl, D. M. & Broenkow, W. W. VERTEX: Carbon cycling in the northeast Pacific. Deep Sea Res. 34, 267–285 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Van Andel, T. H. in Recent Sediments, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico(eds Shepard, F. P., Phleger, F. B. & Van Andel, T. H.) 34–55 (American Assoc. of Petrology and Geology, Tulsa, (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Sims, P. L. & Coupland, R. T. Producers. in Grassland Ecosystems of the World: Analyses of Grasslands and their Uses(ed. Coupland, R. T.) 49–72 (Cambridge Univ. Press, (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Deegan, L. A.et al.in Estuary Variability(ed. Wolfe, D. A.) 83–100 (Academic, New York, (1986).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Ruttenberg, K. C. & Goñi, M. A. Phosphorous distribution, C : N : P ratios, and δ13COC in arctic, temperate, and tropical coastal sediments: tools for characterizing bulk sedimentary organic matter. Mar. Geol. 139, 123–145 (1997).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Stuiver, M., Peason, G. W. & Braziunas, T. Radiocarbon age calibration of marine samples back to 9,00 cal yr. bp. Radiocarbon 28, 980–1021 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Eglinton, T. I. et al. Variability in radiocarbon ages of individual organic compounds from marine sediments. Science 277, 796–799 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Emerson, S. C. et al. Organic carbon in surface deep-sea sediments: C-14 concentration. Nature 329, 51–54 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hedges, J. I. & Mann, D. C. The characterization of plant tissues by their cupric oxide oxication products. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 43, 1803–1807 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Opsahl, S. & Benner, R. Early diagenesis of vascular plant tissues: lignin and cutin decomposition and biogeochemical implications. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 59, 4889–4904 (1995).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Goñi, M. A., Nelson, B., Blanchette, R. A. & Hedges, J. H. Fungal degradation of wood lignins: geochemical perspectives from CuO-derived phenolic dimers and monomers. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 57, 3985–4002 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hedges, J. I. et al. Compositions and fluxes of particulate organic material in the Amazon river. Limnol. Oceanogr. 31, 717–738 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ziegler, F., Kögel, I. & Zech, W. Z. Alteration of gymnosperm and angiosperm lignin during decomposition in forest humus layers. Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Bodenk. 149, 323–331 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Teeri, J. A. & Stowe, L. G. Climatic patterns and the distribution of C4 grasses in North America. Oecologia 23, 1–12 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Tieszen, L. L. & Archer, S. in Plant Biology of the Basin and Range(eds Osmond, C. S., Pitelka, L. F. & Hidy, G. M.) 293–321 (Ecological Studies Ser. Vol. 80, Springer, Heidelberg, (1990).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  23. Parton, W. J., Schimel, D. S., Cole, C. V. & Ojima, D. S. Analysis of factors controlling soil organic matter levels in Great Plains grasslands. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51, 1173–1179 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Chmura, G. L. Palynomorph distribution in marsh environments in the modern Mississippi Delta Plain. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 106, 705–714 (1994).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Prahl, F. G., Ertel, J. R., Goñi, M. A., Sparrow, M. A. & Eversmeyer, B. Terrestrial organic carbon contributions to sediments on the Washington margin. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 58, 3035–3048 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Goñi, M. A. in Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Sci. Rep. 155(eds Flood, R. D., Piper, D. J. W. & Klaus, A.) 519–530 (College Station, TX, (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  27. France-Lanord, C. & Derry, L. A. δ13C of organic carbon in the Bengal Fan: source evolution and transport of C3 and C4 plant carbon to marine sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 58, 4809–4814 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Parton, W. J. et al. Observations and modeling of biomass and soil organic matter dynamics for the grassland biome worldwide. Global Biochem. Cycles 7, 785–809 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Bird, M. I. et al. Terrestrial vegetation change inferred from n-alkane δ13C analysis in the marine environment. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 59, 2853–2857 (1995).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Cerling, T. E., Wang, Y. & Quade, J. Expansion of C4 ecosystems as an indicator of global ecological change in the late Miocene. Nature 361, 344–345 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank J. W. Morse for the opportunity to participate on the cruise in Gulf of Mexico; E. Tsamakis, K. Tholke, R. Ostermann, J. Irvine, N. Parmentier, L. Christman, J. Donahue and E.Tappa for help with sample preparation and analyses; and G. Eglinton, B. Fry, J. Jasper, J. Hedges, R.Benner, S. Smith and S.Montgomery for comments and discussions. This work was supported by the US NSF.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, 29208, South Carolina, USA

    Miguel A. Goñi

  2. Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, 02543, Massachusetts, USA

    Kathleen C. Ruttenberg & Timothy I. Eglinton

Authors
  1. Miguel A. Goñi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kathleen C. Ruttenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Timothy I. Eglinton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miguel A. Goñi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Goñi, M., Ruttenberg, K. & Eglinton, T. Sources and contribution of terrigenous organic carbon to surface sediments in the Gulf of Mexico. Nature 389, 275–278 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/38477

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/38477

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing