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| Titel |
Defining organic matter quality in sediment systems: a suggested classification scheme |
| VerfasserIn |
Danielle Alderson, Martin Evans, James Rothwell, Stephen Boult |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2015
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 17 (2015) |
| Datensatznummer |
250106777
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2015-6455.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The quantity and quality of the mineral component of sediments is a core focus of
sedimentological investigation in terrestrial systems. This is not to say that the organic
component of collected sediments is simply ignored; the organic component is often
scrutinised, but in some fields in a restricted manner, limited to basic characteristics such as
the ratio of organic to mineral content derived from loss on ignition. There is no doubt that
this information is useful; however, these types of analysis indicate the quantity of organic
matter relative to a particular temporal scale or volume, rather than treating the
organic fraction as a separate entity worthy of substantial investigation. The quality
of the organic component is being increasingly considered in a number of fields,
with molecular, thermal, spectroscopic and bulk methods being used. However,
models and theories on organic matter processing in a variety of environmental
systems, have been developed without clearly defining organic matter quality, because
most results do not depend on an outright measure of quality (Bosatta and Agren,
1999). With approaches and techniques varying between fields, there is a need to
consider a more systematic approach to the analysis and definition of organic matter
quality.
The disparities in the definition of the quality of organic matter, and thus how it may be
measured have vital implications for the study of carbon cycling, biogeochemical processing,
and ultimately ecosystem structure and function. The quality and quantity of organic matter
have an influence on the chemistry and biology of systems and may reveal a wealth of past or
contemporary environmental information.
In this paper we provide a classification of organic matter quality and examples of
potential applications and suitable techniques for the analysis of the main classes of organic
matter character. A more consistent approach to organic matter characterisation has the
potential to aid understanding of soils and sediments through consideration of decomposition
dynamics; accounting for organic matter variety in carbon cycling and budgeting; use of
organic proxies of source determination; and investigations into palaeovegetation and
palaeoclimate. |
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