Sediment source apportionment in Laurel Hill Creek,PA, using Bayesian chemical mass balance and isotope fingerprinting

A Bayesian chemical mass balance (CMB) approach was used to assess the contribution of potential sources for fluvial samples from Laurel Hill Creek in southwest Pennsylvania. The Bayesian approach provides joint probability density functions of the sources' contributions considering the uncertainties due to source and fluvial sample heterogeneity and measurement error. Both elemental profiles of sources and fluvial samples and ¹³C and ¹⁵N isotopes were used for source apportionment. The sources considered include stream bank erosion, forest, roads and agriculture (pasture and cropland). Agriculture was found to have the largest contribution, followed by stream bank erosion. Also, road erosion was found to have a significant contribution in three of the samples collected during lower‐intensity rain events. The source apportionment was performed with and without isotopes. The results were largely consistent; however, the use of isotopes was found to slightly increase the uncertainty in most of the cases. The correlation analysis between the contributions of sources shows strong correlations between stream bank and agriculture, whereas roads and forest seem to be less correlated to other sources. Thus, the method was better able to estimate road and forest contributions independently. The hypothesis that the contributions of sources are not seasonally changing was tested by assuming that all ten fluvial samples had the same source contributions. This hypothesis was rejected, demonstrating a significant seasonal variation in the sources of sediments in the stream. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fingerprinting upland sediment sources: particle size‐specific magnetic linkages between soils,lake sediments and suspended sediments

Accelerated erosion of fine‐grained sediment is an environmental problem of international dimensions. Erosion control strategies and targeting of mitigation measures require robust and quantitative identification of sediment sources. Here, we use magnetic ‘fingerprinting’ to characterize soils, and examine their affinity with and contribution to suspended sediments transported within two subcatchments feeding Bassenthwaite Lake, northwest England. A high‐resolution soil magnetic susceptibility survey was made using a field susceptometer (ZH Instruments, SM400 probe). Combining the spatial and vertical (down‐profile) soil magnetic data, a subset of soil profiles was selected for detailed, laboratory‐based magnetic remanence analyses. The magnetic properties of the catchment soils are highly particle size‐dependent. Magnetic analyses were performed on the 31–63 µm fraction, for particle size‐specific comparison both with the suspended sediments and lake sediments. Fuzzy cluster analysis groups the soil magnetic data into six clusters, apparently reflecting variations in parent material and horizon type, with three magnetically hard soils as unclassified outliers. Examination of the cluster affinity of the soils, suspended sediments and lake sediments indicates that topsoils of the upper Newlands Valley and subsoils around Keskadale Beck are a major source of the Newlands Beck suspended load, and the recent (post‐nineteenth century) sediments in the deep lake basin. Older lake sediments show strong affinity with a small number of the Derwent suspended sediments and one of the Glenderamackin soils. A large number of Derwent suspended sediments show no affinity with any of the soils or lake sediments, instead forming a coherent, discrete and statistically unclassified group, possibly resulting from mixing between the magnetically hard subsoils of the medium to high‐altitude Glenderamackin and Troutbeck areas and softer, lower altitude Glenderamackin soils. The lack of any affinity of these suspended sediments with the lake sediments may indicate deposition along the Derwent flood plain and/or in the shallow delta of Lake Bassenthwaite. Particle size‐specific magnetic fingerprinting is thus shown to be both highly discriminatory and quantitatively robust even within the homogeneous geological units of this catchment area. Such a methodological approach has important implications for small–large scale catchment management where sources of sediment arising from areas with uniform geology have been difficult to determine using other approaches, such as geochemical or radionuclide analyses. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An examination of geochemical modelling approaches to tracing sediment sources incorporating distribution mixing and elemental correlations

The identification of sediment sources is fundamental to the management of increasingly scarce water resources. Tracing the origin of sediment with elemental geochemistry is a well‐established approach to determining sediment provenance. Fundamental to the confident apportionment of sediment to their lithogenic sources is the modelling process. Recent approaches have incorporated distributions throughout the modelling process including source contribution terms for two end‐member sources. The shift from modelling source samples to modelling samples drawn from distributions has removed relationships, including potential correlations between elemental concentrations, from the modelling process. Here, we present a novel modelling approach that re‐incorporates correlations between elemental concentrations and models distributions for source contribution terms for multiple source end members. Artificial mixtures, based on catchment sources samples, were created to test the accuracy of this correlated distribution model and also examine modelling approaches used in the literature. The most accurate model incorporates correlations between elements, uses the absolute mixing model difference and does not use any weighting. This model was then applied to identify the sources of sediment in three South East Queensland catchments and demonstrated that Quaternary Alluvium is the most dominant source of sediment in these catchments (μ 44%, σ 12%). This study demonstrates that it is important to understand how different weightings may impact modelling results. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trace element studies in Laucala Bay, Suva, Fiji.

The trace metal distribution in the sediments of Laucala Bay, a coastal lagoon with a barrier reef and significant freshwater input, adjacent to Suva, the capital of Fiji (150,000 people), was studied from the point of view of assessing the significance of anthropogenic sources relative to natural ones. Surface sediments from 25 sites in the Bay were analysed for particle size distribution, organic carbon and major (Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg) and trace metal (Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg) contents. Suspended sediments from one site and shellfish samples from five sites were also analysed. The sediments were found to be mostly of terrigenous origin. Particle size distribution, organic carbon and major elemental composition of the sediments were generally related to location within the Bay. A significant natural source of trace metals in the sediments is the suspended solids transported into the Bay by rivers. The spatial distribution of trace metals could not be fully explained by the particle size distribution and mineral composition of the sediments. Contributions from anthropogenic sources were also suspected, but the degree of enrichment from such sources is not great at the present time.     

Sediment sources and transport pathways in a rural catchment,Herefordshire, UK

The relative significance of primary and secondary suspended sediment sources has been identified in a small (15 km²) agricultural catchment through the application of a linear unmixing model using mineral magnetic, geochemical and radionuclide signatures of fine sediments. Roads appear to be important as a secondary source of suspended sediment and in the conveyance of topsoils to the river channel. Roads also alter the source signatures of sediment in transport, especially that derived from agricultural topsoils. Modelling suggests that c. 30% of the suspended sediment collected from suspended sediment traps in the River Leadon were derived from, or transported via, roads. Relative contributions from primary sources of c. 43% and c. 27% were estimated from a combined (subsoil and channel bank) subsurface source, and a combined (arable and grassland) topsoil source, respectively. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using a fluvial archive to place extreme flood sediment (dis)connectivity dynamics in context of a longer-term record

The aim of this study was to establish the source and provenance of sediments deposited in a large floodplain sink during extreme floods in the Lockyer Creek catchment, Australia, in 2011 and 2013. We place the sediment source patterns in context of the longer-term record to determine whether coarse-grained sediment sources (i.e., very fine sand to very coarse sand) and the spatio-temporal pattern of (dis)connectivity have changed over time. We do this by matching the geochemical properties and age structure of a sediment profile located in a downstream floodplain sink to the elemental composition of source sediments. One hundred and fifty-seven sediment samples from 20 sites across the catchment are analysed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry to compare the elemental ratio composition of the downstream floodplain sink to its source materials. We use Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating to determine the age structure of the sediments in the floodplain sink. The northern tributaries and parts of the Lockyer River trunk stream are the primary sources of coarse sediment. These areas are connected (coupled) to the lower trunk stream and floodplain sediment sink. Southern tributaries are largely disconnected (decoupled) and supply little sediment to the floodplain sediment sink. This pattern of sediment source contribution has remained similar over the last 6.8 ka at least. Sediment sources as observed in the 2011 flood have predominated over the mid-late Holocene whilst those in the 2013 flood are rare.     

Variable source contributions to river bed sediments across three size fractions

Sediment tracing using geochemical properties is an efficient way to identify the spatial sources of transported sediments delivered to waterways. Here, the contribution of soil sources to river bed sediments has been quantified in Emu Creek, a headwater catchment in south eastern Queensland, Australia. Soil samples were collected from the eight major rock types present in the catchment and were related to river bed sediments collected from eight sites along the main channel. Geochemistry, as characterized by 39 elemental concentrations, was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Three particle size fractions were examined, <10, 10–63 and 63–212 µm, with the three resultant mixing models showing divergent results. We conclude that the results of sediment mixing models based on the analysis of one grain size should not be assumed to apply across the entire particle size range of transported sediment, emphasizing the need to match the size fraction used in tracing studies to that size fraction of interest in downstream sinks. Furthermore, we present results highlighting the control transport distance plays in source dominance, with this particularly evident in the coarser fraction, where local sources dominate over more distant sources. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment fingerprinting in fluvial systems： review of tracers,sediment sources and mixing models

Suspended sediments in fluvial systems originate from a myriad of diffuse and point sources, with the relative contribution from each source varying over time and space. The process of sediment fingerprinting focuses on developing methods that enable discrete sediment sources to be identified from a composite sample of suspended material. This review identifies existing methodological steps for sediment fingerprinting including fluvial and source sampling, and critically compares biogeochemical and physical tracers used in fingerprinting studies. Implications of applying different mixing models to the same source data are explored using data from 41 catchments across Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, and North and South America. The application of seven commonly used mixing models to two case studies from the US （North Fork Broad River watershed） and France （Bldone watershed） with local and global （genetic algorithm） optimization methods identified all outputs remained in the acceptable range of error defined by the original authors. We propose future sediment fingerprinting studies use models that combine the best explanatory parameters provided by the modified Collins （using correction factors） and Hughes （relying on iterations involving all data, and not only their mean values） models with optimization using genetic algorithms to best predict the relative contribution of sediment sources to fluvial systems.     

Storm event sediment fingerprinting for temporal and spatial sediment source tracing

Sediment fingerprinting has been widely used to distinguish discrete sediment sources; however, application to intra-storm sediment source variability has received relatively little focus despite the benefit being long recognized. In this investigation, sediment fingerprinting was applied to a 53-hr storm event sampled hourly to determine sediment source dynamics throughout the event. Sediment sources were differentiated using 16 variables, and source contribution determined using Bayesian and Frequentist mixing models for comparison. Both models provided comparable source predictions for the dominant source estimates and the general temporal pattern. The Frequentist model appeared to exhibit some unreliable values coinciding with low GOF and attributed to inherent model structure. The Bayesian model showed higher uncertainty, likely due to the “process error” utilized associated with single sample mixtures. High variability in sediment source contribution was observed between hourly time steps; however, local smoothing reveals temporal trends during the event. A higher average proportion of mudstone is found in the falling limb (0.544) compared with the rising limb (0.464), and the reverse is observed for mountain range (0.218 vs. 0.283) and unconsolidated (0.073 vs. 0.055). In the initial hours of the storm, mudstone source contribution significantly drops, whereas mountain range and unconsolidated contributions peak. The SSC-Q clockwise hysteresis indicates proximal sediment sources, suggesting the mudstone sediment is stored channel sediment and easily entrained. This sediment flushes through, coinciding with a drop as the distal mountain range and unconsolidated sources arrive to peak contribution. The wider Manawatū discharge and sediment load then arrive, delivering increasing levels of mudstone throughout the remainder of the event while mountain range sediment diminishes. Spatial representation of the sediment source contribution was derived from distributing sediment source loads to the spatial extent of the source material according to sub-catchment sediment loads and was weighted according to slope. This provided an effective means to visualize the origin of the sediment and a better spatial interpretation of sediment fingerprinting results, which is typically limited by poor spatial resolution.     

Application of Bayesian model and discriminant function analysis to the estimation of sediment source contributions

Bayesian and discriminant function analysis (DFA) models have recently been used as tools to estimate sediment source contributions. Unlike existing multivariate mixing models, the accuracy of these two models remains unclear. In the current study, four well-distinguished source samples were used to create artificial mixtures to test the performance of Bayesian and DFA models. These models were tested against the Walling-Collins model, a credible model used in estimation of sediment source contributions estimation, as a reference. The artificial mixtures were divided into five groups, with each group consisting of five samples with known source percentages. The relative contributions of the sediment sources to the individual and grouped samples were calculated using each of the models. The mean absolute error (MAE) and standard error of (SE) MAE were used to test the accuracy of each model and the robustness of the optimized solutions. For the individual sediment samples, the calculated source contributions obtained with the Bayesian (MAE = 7.4%, SE = 0.6%) and Walling-Collins (MAE = 7.5%, SE = 0.7%) models produced results which were closest to the actual percentages of the source contributions to the sediment mixtures. The DFA model produced the worst estimates (MAE = 18.4%, SE = 1.4%). For the grouped sediment samples, the Walling-Collins model (MAE = 5.4%) was the best predictor, closely followed by the Bayesian model (MAE = 5.9%). The results obtained with the DFA model were similar to the values for the individual sediment samples, with the accuracy of the source contribution value being the poorest obtained with any of the models (MAE = 18.5%). An increase in sample size improved the accuracies of the Walling-Collins and Bayesian models, but the DFA model produced similarly inaccurate results for both the individual and grouped sediment samples. Generally, the accuracy of the Walling-Collins and Bayesian models was similar (p > 0.01), while there were significant differences (p < 0.01) between the DFA model and the other models. This study demonstrated that the Bayesian model could provide a credible estimation of sediment source contributions and has great practical potential, while the accuracy of the DFA model still requires considerable improvement.     

Interannual variation of suspended sediment load and sediment yield in an alpine catchment

Abstract

The results are described of 16 years operation of a measuring station for the automatic recording of water discharge, bed load and suspended sediment transport in the Rio Cordon catchment, a small alpine basin (5 km²) located in northeastern Italy. Hillslope erosion processes were investigated by surveying individual sediment sources repeatedly. Annual and seasonal variations of suspended sediment load during the period 1986–2001 are analysed along with their contribution to the total sediment yield. The results show that suspended load accounted for 76% of total load and that most of the suspended sediment transport occurred during two flood events: an extreme summer flash flood in September 1994 (27% of the 16-years total suspended load) and a snowmelt-induced event in May 2001 accompanied by a mud flow which fed the stream with sediments. The role of active sediment source areas is discussed in relation to the changes in flood peak—suspended load trends which became apparent after both the 1994 and the 2001 events.     

Spatio-temporal suspended sediment fingerprinting under different land management practices

Understanding spatio-temporal suspended sediment dynamics is more important in large watersheds due to the decisive role of local source apportionment in sediment transport and yield. The Talar River with a large mountainous watershed in northern Iran, which plays a vital role in water supply for agriculture and drinking, recently has faced quality degradation. The current study explores the relative contribution of suspended sediment sources using geochemical tracers and fingerprinting techniqu...     

Dynamics of suspended sediment transport and yield in a large agricultural catchment,southwest France

The dynamics of suspended sediment transport were monitored continuously in a large agricultural catchment in southwest France from January 2007 to March 2009. The objective of this paper is to analyse the temporal variability in suspended sediment transport and yield in that catchment. Analyses were also undertaken to assess the relationships between precipitation, discharge and suspended sediment transport, and to interpret sediment delivery processes using suspended sediment‐discharge hysteresis patterns. During the study period, we analysed 17 flood events, with high resolution suspended sediment data derived from continuous turbidity and automatic sampling. The results revealed strong seasonal, annual and inter‐annual variability in suspended sediment transport. Sediment was strongly transported during spring, when frequent flood events of high magnitude and intensity occurred. Annual sediment transport in 2007 yielded 16 614 tonnes, representing 15 t km^?2 (85% of annual load transport during floods for 16% of annual duration), while the 2008 sediment yield was 77 960 tonnes, representing 70 t km^?2 (95% of annual load transport during floods for 20% of annual duration). Analysis of the relationships between precipitation, discharge and suspended sediment transport showed that there were significant correlations between total precipitation, peak discharge, total water yield, flood intensity and sediment variables during the flood events, but no relationship with antecedent conditions. Flood events were classified in relation to suspended sediment concentration (SSC)–discharge hysteretic loops, complemented with temporal dynamics of SSC–discharge ranges during rising and falling flow. The hysteretic shapes obtained for all flood events reflected the distribution of probable sediment sources throughout the catchment. Regarding the sediment transport during all flood events, clockwise hysteretic loops represented 68% from river deposited sediments and nearby source areas, anticlockwise 29% from distant source areas, and simultaneity of SSC and discharge 3%. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using LM‐OSL of quartz to distinguish sediments derived from surface‐soil and channel erosion

This study describes the use of linearly modulated optically stimulated luminescence (LM‐OSL) to distinguish surface‐soil derived sediments from those derived from channel bank erosion. LM‐OSL signals from quartz extracted from 15 surface‐soil and five channel bank samples were analysed and compared to signals from samples collected from two downstream river sites. Discriminant analysis showed that the detrapping probabilities of fast, first slow and second slow components of the LM‐OSL signal can be used to differentiate between the samples collected from the channel bank and surface‐soil sources. We show that for each of these source end members these components are all normally distributed. These distributions are then used to estimate the relative contribution of surface‐soil derived and channel bank derived sediment to the river bed sediments. The results indicate that channel bank derived sediments dominate the sediment sources at both sites, with 90.1 ± 3% and 91.9 ± 1.9% contributions. These results are in agreement with a previous study which used measurements of ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex fallout radionuclides to estimate the relative contribution from these two sources. This result shows that LM‐OSL may be a useful method, at least in the studied catchment, to estimate the relative contribution of surface soil and channel erosion to river sediments. However, further research in different settings is required to test the difference of OSL signals in distinguishing these sediment sources. And if generally acceptable, this technique may provide an alternative to the use of fallout radionuclides for source tracing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of temporal variation and sources of PCBs in the sediments of Mediterranean Sea, Mersin Bay, Turkey

Information on temporal distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the coastal sediments of Mediterranean Sea, Mersin was compiled using data published between 1980 and 2009, and the present study. The first congener specific PCB results from the region yield concentration levels of Σ₄₁PCBs in sediments ranging from 0.61 to 1.04 ng g⁻¹. Sediment profiles show penta-, hexa- and hepta-chlorobiphenyls, specifically, #149 and 153 as the most abundant congeners in all samples. Comparison of total PCB concentrations over time suggests no recent PCB input to the region. Using congener specific PCB data for the region, identity and contribution of PCB sources were also predicted using a chemical mass balance -based (CMB) receptor model. The CMB model identified Aroclor 1260 to be the major PCB source in coastal sediments. The potential sources for the PCBs were briefly discussed in terms of their use in various industrial applications.     

Suspended‐sediment sources in an urban watershed,Northeast Branch Anacostia River,Maryland

Fine sediment sources were characterized by chemical composition in an urban watershed, the Northeast Branch Anacostia River, which drains to the Chesapeake Bay. Concentrations of 63 elements and two radionuclides were measured in possible land‐based sediment sources and suspended sediment collected from the water column at the watershed outlet during storm events. These tracer concentrations were used to determine the relative quantity of suspended sediment contributed by each source. Although this is an urbanized watershed, there was not a distinct urban signature that can be evaluated except for the contributions from road surfaces. We identified the sources of fine sediment by both physiographic province (Piedmont and Coastal Plain) and source locale (streambanks, upland and street residue) by using different sets of elemental tracers. The Piedmont contributed the majority of the fine sediment for seven of the eight measured storms. The streambanks contributed the greatest quantity of fine sediment when evaluated by source locale. Street residue contributed 13% of the total suspended sediment on average and was the source most concentrated in anthropogenically enriched elements. Combining results from the source locale and physiographic province analyses, most fine sediment in the Northeast Branch watershed is derived from streambanks that contain sediment eroded from the Piedmont physiographic province of the watershed. Sediment fingerprinting analyses are most useful when longer term evaluations of sediment erosion and storage are also available from streambank‐erosion measurements, sediment budget and other methods. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transport and deposition of plutonium in the ocean: evidence from Gulf of Mexico sediments

A study of sediments in the Gulf of Mexico shows dramatic gradients in Pu content and isotope ratios from the continental shelf to the Sigsbee Abyssal Plain. In terms of predicted direct fallout inventory of Pu, one shelf core contains 745% of the predicted inventory, while abyssal plain sediments contain only 15–20% of the predicted value. Absolute Pu concentrations of shelf sediments are also conspicuously high, up to 110 dpm/kg, compared to 13.5 dpm/kg in Mississippi River suspended sediment. There is no evidence of Pu remobilization in Gulf of Mexico shelf sediments, based on comparison of Pu profiles with Mn/Al and Fe/Al profiles. Horizontal transport of fallout nuclides from the open ocean to removal sites in ocean margin sediments is concluded to be the source of both the high concentrations and high inventories of Pu reported here.The shelf sediments show²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratios close to 0.179, the average stratospheric fallout value, but the ratios decrease progressively across the Gulf to low values of 0.06 in abyssal plain sediments. The source of low-ratio Pu in deep-water sediments may be debris from low yield tests transported in the troposphere. Alternatively, it may represent a fraction of the Pu from global stratospheric fallout which has been separated in the water column from the remainder of the Pu in the ocean. In either case, the low-ratio material must have been removed rapidly to the sea floor where it composes a major fraction of the Pu in abyssal plain sediments. Pu delivered by global atmospheric fallout from the stratosphere has apparently remained for the most part in the water or has been transported horizontally and removed into shallow-water sediments.     

Sources and sediment yield from a rural catchment in humid temperate environment,northwest Spain

A study was carried out on a rural catchment located in northwest Spain to examine the sediment yield from the catchment by measuring suspended sediments during rainfall events. Within the catchment regular surveys were conducted to obtain data on the suspended sediment sources. Important variations in sediment load were detected at event scale (0·3–21·0 Mg); some of these can be explained in terms of event size, antecedent conditions, rainfall distribution and soil surface erosion. To study the variables controlling suspended sediment yield during the events in the catchment, several event and pre‐event variables were calculated for all events. The sediment load is strongly influenced by discharge variables. During the events discharge–suspended sediments were also analysed. When the soil surface was unprotected, the formation of rills and ephemeral gullies on agricultural land at the catchment head was an important source of suspended sediments in the catchment. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Particulate aluminium, iron and manganese chemistry at the deep Atlantic boundary layer

Scanning electron microscopy and instrumental neutron activation analyses of filtered suspended matter from the Atlantic Ocean show that particulate aluminium (Al_p) is a sensitive measure of bottom derived or resuspended material. The proportion of Al_p in suspended particulate matter (SPM) increases slightly between surface and intermediate depths but shows large and steady increases in deep waters with approach to the bottom.

Fe_p/Al_p andMn_p/Al_p ratios are always higher than the crustal ratios throughout the water column. We show that the processes which can explain such enrichments are different for particulate matter in surface waters (scavenging, incorporation in biogenic particles) than for resuspended material (precipitation from interstitial waters on surficial sediments).

Close to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the bottom suspended matter exhibits higher Fe_p/Al_p andMn_p/Al_p ratios than in abyssal plains. A ridge crest source must be invoked to explain the striking enrichment of Mn_p. This source could also explain the enrichment of Fe_p, although primarily because the resuspended flux is small in that region, one cannot exclude the contribution of particles from the mid-water column.     

Quantitative reconstruction of Holocene sediment sources contributing to the central Jiangsu coast,China: New insights into source-to-sink processes

Coastal deltaic deposits are the primary locations for sediment storage on Earth, and quantifying their source contributions is a critical prerequisite for delineating S2S patterns in marginal seas. In most cases, quantification for the contribution by fine-grained sediments (i.e. particle size < 63 μm) is considered to be representative to constrain the overall sediment supply. However, this approach may be inappropriate because large differences exist between the two quantities. Here we propose an approach to solve the problem, which is based on the maximum number of tracers from multiple sediment size fractions incorporating the content of all size fractions of sediment. Using this approach, absolute source contributions during the Holocene are reconstructed that provide a first-order model for the S2S pattern of the central Jiangsu coast, China. The Huanghe River is the strongest driver for the Holocene sedimentation, with a mean contribution of ~72 ± 6% (1417 × 10⁸ t). The absolute contributions from the Changjiang and offshore areas were of secondary importance, (i.e. ~17 ± 1% (330 × 10⁸ t) and ~11 ± 5% (217 × 10⁸ t), respectively). The results show that a large difference between the relative and absolute source contributions and the assumption that the relative contribution represents the absolute contribution is invalid in a coastal setting. The impact of the Huanghe is mainly based on episodic events, such as the event of 1128–1855 AD . The model also reveals that the offshore sediments are as important as the Changjiang sediments for the central Jiangsu coast during the Holocene. Thus, the model provides both the time series and overall quantities of sediment supply during the formation and evolution of the Holocene tidal flats on the Jiangsu coast. Our findings shed new light on quantitative analysis of sediment sources applicable to future S2S studies of marginal seas. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.