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Preservation conditions and the use of sediment pigments as a tool for recent ecological reconstruction in four Northern European estuaries

Reuss, Nina LU ; Conley, Daniel LU and Bianchi, Thomas (2005) In Marine Chemistry 95. p.283-302
Abstract
Down-core sediment pigment concentrations from four Northern European estuaries were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to investigate phytoplankton community structure and preservation conditions over the last ca. 100 years where all sites have experienced different levels of eutrophication. Phytoplankton pigments have been shown to be useful biomarkers for phytoplankton community structure and abundance due to their taxonomic specificity. The pigment

concentrations and sediment pigment inventory showed large variation between the four sites. Concentrations ranged from more than 6000 nmol/g OC to less than 100 nmol/g OC and the inventory integrated over the top 10 cm from more than 300 nmol/cm2 to less... (More)
Down-core sediment pigment concentrations from four Northern European estuaries were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to investigate phytoplankton community structure and preservation conditions over the last ca. 100 years where all sites have experienced different levels of eutrophication. Phytoplankton pigments have been shown to be useful biomarkers for phytoplankton community structure and abundance due to their taxonomic specificity. The pigment

concentrations and sediment pigment inventory showed large variation between the four sites. Concentrations ranged from more than 6000 nmol/g OC to less than 100 nmol/g OC and the inventory integrated over the top 10 cm from more than 300 nmol/cm2 to less than 30 nmol/cm2 for total identified pigments. Good pigment preservation in Mariager Fjord (Denmark) reflected the almost permanently anoxic conditions. Pigments in Laajalahti (Finland) showed peak concentrations around the time of highest nitrogen loading events known from historical and modelled records over the past 100 years. In contrast, poor downcore preservation of pigments (especially carotenoids) was observed in the Ems-Dollard (The Netherlands) and Himmerfj7rden (Sweden) estuaries. The Ems-Dollard site is an intertidal mudflat that experiences daily exposure to light and air, which

enhances pigment degradation. In Himmerfj7rden, resuspension is an important process affecting both the sedimentation rate and degradation properties. The different preservation conditions at the four sites were supported by the differences in two degradation indicators; the ratio of pheopigment-a to chlorophyll-a and total carotenoids to total pigments. Class-specific

carotenoid pigments represented the dominant algal groups reported from each site, however, no distinct down-core changes in the pigment composition were observed at any of the four sites. This indicated that changes in plankton community structure on the group level have been limited over this time period or masked by low preservation of pigments. (Less)
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author
; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Estuaries, Preservation, Sediment, Pigments, Phytoplankton composition, Northern Europe
in
Marine Chemistry
volume
95
pages
283 - 302
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:19044378010
ISSN
1872-7581
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
be21f548-b5f8-4973-8c98-bab56f084849 (old id 603608)
alternative location
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/marchem
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 08:05:14
date last changed
2022-04-23 17:00:22
@article{be21f548-b5f8-4973-8c98-bab56f084849,
  abstract     = {{Down-core sediment pigment concentrations from four Northern European estuaries were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to investigate phytoplankton community structure and preservation conditions over the last ca. 100 years where all sites have experienced different levels of eutrophication. Phytoplankton pigments have been shown to be useful biomarkers for phytoplankton community structure and abundance due to their taxonomic specificity. The pigment<br/><br>
concentrations and sediment pigment inventory showed large variation between the four sites. Concentrations ranged from more than 6000 nmol/g OC to less than 100 nmol/g OC and the inventory integrated over the top 10 cm from more than 300 nmol/cm2 to less than 30 nmol/cm2 for total identified pigments. Good pigment preservation in Mariager Fjord (Denmark) reflected the almost permanently anoxic conditions. Pigments in Laajalahti (Finland) showed peak concentrations around the time of highest nitrogen loading events known from historical and modelled records over the past 100 years. In contrast, poor downcore preservation of pigments (especially carotenoids) was observed in the Ems-Dollard (The Netherlands) and Himmerfj7rden (Sweden) estuaries. The Ems-Dollard site is an intertidal mudflat that experiences daily exposure to light and air, which<br/><br>
enhances pigment degradation. In Himmerfj7rden, resuspension is an important process affecting both the sedimentation rate and degradation properties. The different preservation conditions at the four sites were supported by the differences in two degradation indicators; the ratio of pheopigment-a to chlorophyll-a and total carotenoids to total pigments. Class-specific<br/><br>
carotenoid pigments represented the dominant algal groups reported from each site, however, no distinct down-core changes in the pigment composition were observed at any of the four sites. This indicated that changes in plankton community structure on the group level have been limited over this time period or masked by low preservation of pigments.}},
  author       = {{Reuss, Nina and Conley, Daniel and Bianchi, Thomas}},
  issn         = {{1872-7581}},
  keywords     = {{Estuaries; Preservation; Sediment; Pigments; Phytoplankton composition; Northern Europe}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{283--302}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Marine Chemistry}},
  title        = {{Preservation conditions and the use of sediment pigments as a tool for recent ecological reconstruction in four Northern European estuaries}},
  url          = {{http://www.elsevier.com/locate/marchem}},
  volume       = {{95}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}