An Investigation of the Sediment-Water Interfacial Oxic/Anoxic Effects on Degradation and Preservation of Planktonic Lipids in Coastal Sediments--a Pilot Study

本研究比较了好氧和缺氧沉积物中植物营养脂类的分解速率。目前，控制海洋沉积物中有机物保存的各种因素的重要性存在争议，有机碳流入海底的降雨率和各种相互竞争的问题。这项研究将专门确定在好氧和缺氧沉积物中的脂质分解率。将使用14C标记的藻类和标记的单个脂质进行实验室培养，目的是估计好氧和厌氧分解过程的降解率。从实验室实验中获得的分解率将与沿海沉积物中脂质分布模型计算的速率进行比较。研究结果将有助于更好地理解好氧与缺氧环境在沉积物有机质降解或保存中的重要性。

This Study compares rates of decomposition of phytoplanktonic lipids in oxic and anoxic sediments. The importance of various factors which control the preservation of organic matter in marine sediments is at present controversial, with both rain rate of organic carbon to the sea floor and variable rates of competing issues. This study will specifically determine the rates of lipid decomposition in oxic and anoxic sediments. Laboratory incubations using 14C-labelled algae and labelled individual lipids will be conducted with the objective of estimating degradation rates for aerobic and anaerobic decomposition processes. The decomposition rates obtained from the laboratory experiments will then be compared with rates calculated from modelling of lipid distributions in coastal sediments. The results will lead to a better understanding of the importance of oxic vs anoxic environments in the degradation or preservation of organic matter in sediments.