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Classification of lacustrine sediments based on sedimentary components

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Abstract

This paper introduces a flexible sediment classification scheme for modern and ancient lake sediments employed at the Limnological Research Center, University of Minnesota. Our classification scheme emphasizes the macroscopic structure and microscopic components of the sedimentary matrix (clastic, chemical and biological) and can be applied to a wide range of lacustrine settings. Such a classification scheme is necessary to i) facilitate communication and collaboration between the highly interdisciplinary community of scientists that study lacustrine archives, ii) create a structure for comparative lacustrine sedimentological studies, and iii) take greater advantage of the great potential information recorded by changing depositional environments. Such a development is needed in light of current and planned Global Lake Drilling efforts and to expedite the creation of on-line, searchable databases of global lacustrine archives. A more comprehensive treatment of the topics discussed in this paper is available at: http://lrc.geo.umn.edu/services/handbook/sedclass.html.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Limnological Research Center, Department of Geology and Geophysics, 220 Pillsbury Hall, University of Minnesota, 310 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Douglas Schnurrenberger, James Russell & Kerry Kelts

  2. Dept of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    James Russell

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  1. Douglas Schnurrenberger
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  2. James Russell
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  3. Kerry Kelts
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Correspondence to Douglas Schnurrenberger.

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Schnurrenberger, D., Russell, J. & Kelts, K. Classification of lacustrine sediments based on sedimentary components. Journal of Paleolimnology 29, 141–154 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023270324800

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