Change of Organic C-13 in Ornithogenic Sediments of the Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea and its Implication for Ecological Development
Change of Organic C-13 in Ornithogenic Sediments of the Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea and its Implication for Ecological Development
复制标题
南海西沙群岛鸟类沉积物中有机C-13变化及其生态发展意义
DOI:
10.1111/1755-6724.13327
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发表时间:
2017
影响因子:
3.3
通讯作者:
Xu Liqiang
中科院分区:
文献类型:
--
作者:
Wu Libin;Liu Xiaodong;Xu Liqiang
Organic carbon isotopes in sediments have been frequently used to identify the source of organic matter. Here we present a study of organicδ13C on two sediment profiles influenced by guano from Guangjin and Jinqing islands in the Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea. Organic matter from ornithogenic coral sand sediments has two main sources, guano pellets and plant residues, and their organicδ13C (δ13COM) are significantly different Organic carbonδ13Cguanois much higher thanδ13Cplant, andδ13COMof bulk samples is intermediate. Based on a two‐end‐member mixing model, the proportions of guano‐ and plant‐derived organic matter in the bulk samples were reconstructed quantitatively. The results showed that seabirds began to inhabit the islands around approximately 1200–1400 AD, and that guano pellets have been an important source of soil organic matter since then. With the accumulation of guano‐derived nutrients, plants began to develop prosperously on the islands in the last 200 years, which is reflected by the significant increase of plant‐derived organic matter in the upper sediment layer. However, guano‐derived organic matter decreased greatly in recent decades, indicating a rapid decrease in seabird population. Our results show that organicδ13C can be effectively used to quantitatively determine different source contributions of OM to bulk ornithogenic coral sand sediments.