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Biochemical and stable carbon isotope records of mangrove derived organic matter in the sediment cores

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Abstract

Core sediments from five mangrove ecosystems along northern Kerala Coast were collected to evaluate the nature and sources of organic matter in these ecosystems. General sedimentary parameters (pH, Eh, grain size and total organic carbon) and biochemical constituents (carbohydrate, lipid and protein) were analysed. The protein-to-carbohydrate ratio and lipid-to-carbohydrate ratio were calculated to assess the quality of organic matter in core sediments. Higher concentrations of biochemical components were recorded in surface sediments, with a dominance of carbohydrates followed by lipids and proteins. Protein/carbohydrate ratio was found to be <1 in the entire study region indicating a large content of aged and/or non-living organic matter in mangrove sediments. This also confirms the involvement of heterotrophic microorganisms in the organic carbon dynamics of the study area. The bulk elemental ratio (total organic carbon/total nitrogen) varied between 11.39 and 24.14 in the study region, recording minimum value at Kunjimangalam and maximum at Pappinissery. Samples from Kadalundi recorded low total organic carbon/total nitrogen ratio throughout the core, indicated a marine signature. Stable carbon isotopic ratio (−29.19 to −23.87 ‰) in the sediments suggested the dominance of terrestrially derived organic matter. Principal component analysis revealed that mangrove litter addition, diagenesis and accumulation of organic matter on fine grained sediments are the major processes controlling the distribution of the parameters in the study area.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the facilities and the support provided by the Dean and Director, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology. We are thankful to Dr. Aninda Sarkar, Professor, IIT Kharagpur, for the stable carbon isotope analysis of total organic matter in sediment samples. We also acknowledge the financial support rendered by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MOES), Government of India and Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Government of Kerala, for the financial assistance to carry out the research work. The first author acknowledges the University Grant provided by Cochin University of Science and Technology for first 2 years and fellowship provided by Department of Science and Technology- Promoting University Research for Scientific Excellence (DST-PURSE) for another 2 years. We extend our sincere thanks to the anonymous reviewers for giving constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Oceanography, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India

    M. N. Manju & P. Resmi

  2. Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory, Headquarters, Public Health Campus, Red Cross Road, Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, 695036, Kerala, India

    C. S. Ratheesh Kumar

  3. National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Dr. Salim Ali Road, Post Box No. 1913, Kochi, 682 018, India

    T. R. Gireeshkumar

  4. Inter University Centre for Development of Marine Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India

    N. Chandramohanakumar & Manju Mary Joseph

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  1. M. N. Manju
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  2. P. Resmi
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  3. C. S. Ratheesh Kumar
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  4. T. R. Gireeshkumar
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  5. N. Chandramohanakumar
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  6. Manju Mary Joseph
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Correspondence to M. N. Manju.

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Manju, M.N., Resmi, P., Ratheesh Kumar, C.S. et al. Biochemical and stable carbon isotope records of mangrove derived organic matter in the sediment cores. Environ Earth Sci 75, 565 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5245-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5245-x

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