TY - JOUR
T1 - Carbon and hydrogen isotope variation of plant biomarkers in a plant-soil system
AU - Chikaraishi, Yoshito
AU - Naraoka, Hiroshi
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Mr. Naito for the assistance in the field. We are grateful to Prof. S.R. Poulson for constructive comments and English improvement, and to Dr. N. Ohkouchi, Dr. N.O. Ogawa, Dr. K. Matsumoto and Dr. H. Kitazato for expert advice and constructive discussion. We are also grateful to two anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions and critical comments. This work was supported by a research fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Young Scientists (Y.C.) and the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Technology (H.N.). [PD]
PY - 2006/7/30
Y1 - 2006/7/30
N2 - Stable carbon (δ13C) and hydrogen (δD) isotopic compositions of n-alkanes, anteiso-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, phytol and sterols in raw leaves of Acer argutum and Acer carpinifolium, their fallen leaves, mold and soils from a natural Acer forest were measured in order to: (1) understand isotopic variation of the plant biomarkers in a plant-soil system and (2) evaluate which biomarker is the most effective recorder of soil vegetation. Long-chain (> C24) n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and n-alkanols are gradually enriched in 13C up to 12.9‰ (average of 4.3‰) and depleted in D up to 94‰ (average of 55‰) from raw leaves to soils. However, anteiso-alkanes, phytol and sterols show little variation in both δ13C (< ± 1‰) and δD (< ± 2‰) from raw leaves to soils. These isotope signatures in a plant-soil system indicate that isoprenoid plant biomarkers such as sterols in soils faithfully preserve the isotopic compositions of dominant higher plants growing on the soils without a diagenetic effect upon the isotopic compositions. In contrast, long-chain n-alkyl molecules in soils undergo specific isotopic modification during biodegradation associated with early diagenesis and/or a significant contribution from heterotrophic reworking.
AB - Stable carbon (δ13C) and hydrogen (δD) isotopic compositions of n-alkanes, anteiso-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, phytol and sterols in raw leaves of Acer argutum and Acer carpinifolium, their fallen leaves, mold and soils from a natural Acer forest were measured in order to: (1) understand isotopic variation of the plant biomarkers in a plant-soil system and (2) evaluate which biomarker is the most effective recorder of soil vegetation. Long-chain (> C24) n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and n-alkanols are gradually enriched in 13C up to 12.9‰ (average of 4.3‰) and depleted in D up to 94‰ (average of 55‰) from raw leaves to soils. However, anteiso-alkanes, phytol and sterols show little variation in both δ13C (< ± 1‰) and δD (< ± 2‰) from raw leaves to soils. These isotope signatures in a plant-soil system indicate that isoprenoid plant biomarkers such as sterols in soils faithfully preserve the isotopic compositions of dominant higher plants growing on the soils without a diagenetic effect upon the isotopic compositions. In contrast, long-chain n-alkyl molecules in soils undergo specific isotopic modification during biodegradation associated with early diagenesis and/or a significant contribution from heterotrophic reworking.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2006.01.026
DO - 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2006.01.026
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33745655982
SN - 0009-2541
VL - 231
SP - 190
EP - 202
JO - Chemical Geology
JF - Chemical Geology
IS - 3
ER -