Effect of dietary copper exposure on accumulation, growth and hematological parameters of the juvenile rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli

Copper accumulation, and its effect on growth and hematological parameters were investigated in juvenile rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli (mean length 11.83+/-0.03 cm, and mean weight 26.02+/-0.23 g), after sub-chronic dietary Cu exposure (0, 50, 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) for 60 days. The profile of Cu accumulation among tissues in rockfish is dependent on the exposure periods and Cu concentration. Liver of rockfish is a more important storage tissue than other tissues, and the order of Cu accumulation in tissues was liver > intestine > kidney > gill > muscle. Cu reduced the growth rate, and there was an inverse relationship between growth and Cu concentration (> 50 mg/kg). The RNA:DNA ratios were not affected by exposure and there was no correlation between growth rate and RNA:DNA ratio in the liver and muscle. There was no significant effect of exposure on blood parameters except for magnesium. Cu exposure increased GOT and GPT serum concentrations with increasing time and dose.     

Uptake and distribution of N, P and heavy metals in three dominant salt marsh macrophytes from Yangtze River estuary, China

We examined the variation in aboveground biomass accumulation and tissue concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in Phragmites australis (common reed), Spartina alterniflora (salt cordgrass), and Scirpus mariqueter throughout the growing season (April-October 2005), in order to determine the differences in net element accumulation and distribution between the three salt marsh macrophytes in the Yangtze River estuary, China. The aboveground biomass was significantly greater in the plots of S. alterniflora than in the plots of P. australis and S. mariqueter throughout the growing season (P<0.05). In August, the peak aboveground biomass was 1246+/-89 gDW/m(2), 2759+/-250 gDW/m(2) and 548+/-54 gDW/m(2) for P. australis, S. alterniflora and S. mariqueter, respectively. The concentrations of nutrients and heavy metals in plant tissues showed similar seasonal patterns. There was a steady decline in element concentrations of the aboveground tissues from April to October. Relative element concentrations in aboveground tissues were at a peak during the spring sampling intervals with minimum levels during the fall. But the concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the belowground tissues were relatively constant throughout growing season. Generally, trace metal concentrations in the aboveground tissues of S. mariqueter was the highest throughout the growing season, and the metal concentrations of S. alterniflora tissues (aboveground and belowground) were greater than those of P. australis. Furthermore, the aboveground pools of nutrients and metals were consistently greater for S. alterniflora than for P. australis and S. mariqueter, which suggested that the rapid replacement of native P. australis and S. mariqueter with invasive S. alterniflora would significantly improve the magnitude of nutrient cycling and bioavailability of trace metals in the salt marsh and maybe transport more toxic metals into the water column and the detrital food web in the estuary.     

Population dynamics and production of the seagrass Zostera noltii in colonizing versus established meadows

The dynamics of the seagrass Zostera noltii in established and colonizing meadows were assessed in Ria Formosa lagoon, Southern Portugal. Shoot weight, above:belowground biomass ratio, flowering shoot density, meadow production, and biomass–density relationships were investigated. Results indicate that the species population dynamics differ clearly in different development stages of the meadows. The overall mean of flowering shoot density was five times higher in the colonizing (83 flowering shoots m⁻²) than in the established meadow (16 flowering shoots m⁻²), revealing a greater contribution of sexual reproduction during the species colonization process. The temporal variation of the biomass–density relationship in the colonizing meadow showed a cyclic seasonal trajectory, a wider range of data, and a simultaneous peak of biomass and density, suggesting no space limitations constraining the internal packing of shoots during the growing season. In the established meadow, density peaked before biomass in agreement to the dominant role of the clonal architecture of seagrasses in the configuration of closed meadows, suggesting the occurrence of self-thinning and/or regulation of ramet formation. Slope of the biomass–density relationships was similar in the established and colonizing meadows, generally suggesting similar nutritional conditions, regardless of their muddy and sandy sediments. Plants of the colonizing meadow invest mainly on the belowground fraction (above:belowground biomass ratio <1), as meadow expansion is mainly controlled by the elongation of horizontal rhizomes. The annual total production (1163 g C m⁻² year⁻¹) and the biomass turnover (34.8 year⁻¹) were also higher in this meadow, corroborating the high investment of the species during the meadow expansion. The faster biomass turnover of the colonizing meadow implies a more limited capacity to accumulate biomass, indicating a greater exportation of organic carbon and nutrients to the coastal area. The different biomass turnover rates suggest different trophic and structural roles of Z. noltii communities in established and colonizing meadows.     

Impact of dynamic feedbacks between sedimentation,sea-level rise,and biomass production on near-surface marsh stratigraphy and carbon accumulation

Salt marshes accrete both organic and inorganic sediments. Here we present analytical and numerical models of salt marsh sedimentation that, in addition to capturing inorganic processes, explicitly account for above- and belowground organic processes including root growth and decay of organic carbon. The analytical model is used to examine the bias introduced by organic processes into proxy records of sedimentation, namely ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb. We find that accretion rates estimated using ²¹⁰Pb will be less than accretion rates estimated using the ¹³⁷Cs peak in steadily accreting marshes if (1) carbon decay is significant and (2) data for ²¹⁰Pb extend below the ¹³⁷Cs peak. The numerical model expands upon the analytical model by including belowground processes such as compaction and root growth, and by explicitly tracking the evolution of aboveground biomass and its effect on sedimentation rates. Using the numerical model we explore how marsh stratigraphy responds to sediment supply and the rate of sea-level rise. It is calibrated and tested using an extensive data set of both marsh stratigraphy and measurements of vegetation dynamics in a Spartina alterniflora marsh in South Carolina, USA. We find that carbon accumulation in marshes is nonlinearly related to both the supply of inorganic sediment and the rate of sea-level rise; carbon accumulation increases with sea-level rise until sea-level rise reaches a critical rate that drowns the marsh vegetation and halts carbon accumulation. The model predicts that changes in carbon storage resulting from changing sediment supply or sea-level rise are strongly dependent on the background sediment supply: if inorganic sediment supply is reduced in an already sediment poor marsh the storage of organic carbon will increase to a far greater extent than in a sediment-rich marsh, provided that the rate of sea-level rise does not exceed a threshold. These results imply that altering sediment supply to estuaries (e.g., by damming upstream rivers or altering littoral sediment transport) could lead to significant changes in the carbon budgets of coastal salt marshes.     

A system-level modelling perspective of the KwaZulu-Natal Bight ecosystem,eastern South Africa

The KwaZulu-Natal Bight comprises the only sizeable shelf region on the eastern coast of South Africa, and is influenced by both the Agulhas Current on its seaward side and rivers and estuaries on its landward side. Established knowledge of the effect of the Agulhas Current includes the influence on nutrient concentrations in the bight of a semi-permanent upwelling cell at its northern border (St Lucia) and, to a much lesser extent, of a semi-permanent eddy feature at its southern extremity. Current modelling efforts, however, point to a very important role of land-derived nutrients, which supplement the productivity of food webs of the bight. This connectivity of the bight to its adjacent ecosystems has various implications. First, its productivity has traditionally been viewed via phytoplankton growth, whereas ecosystem modelling efforts point to a very high reliance on imported detritus (mainly land-derived) in order to sustain especially the rich benthic food web. The benthos in the bight dominates the food web, and is in marked contrast to the upwelling system of the west coast of South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) where water-column productivity dominates. Second, the importance of the connectivity of the Thukela Bank prawn-trawling ground to estuarine nursery areas, which has been modelled quantitatively, highlights the significance of this particular ecosystem connectivity for fisheries and also for the Thukela Bank food web. Heterogeneity across the bight is apparent for nutrient turnover rates (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus), CNP content and stoichiometry, whereas nitrogen is a limiting nutrient across the entire bight. The food web near the Thukela River is richer in nutrient content and more active (higher turnover rates) compared to the northern and southern parts of the bight. This environmental heterogeneity was also apparent from the CNP content and stoichiometry of the various species and species groups in the bight. Requirements to take the hydrodynamic, biogeochemical and first ecosystem modelling efforts towards a meaningful predictive capability are discussed. The importance of adopting a system-level view of the bight and its connected systems for realistic exploration of global change scenarios is highlighted.     

Accumulation of Chemical Elements in the Dominant Species of Copepods in the Ob Estuary and the Adjacent Shelf of the Kara Sea

Studies were carried out in the Ob River estuary and at the adjacent shelf of the Kara Sea. The concentrations of organic carbon, lipids, major elements (Na, Mg, P, S, K, and Ca), trace elements (Li, Be, B, Al, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, and U), and rare-earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) were determined in the dominant species of mesozooplankton (Senecella siberica, Limnocalanus macrurus, and Calanus spp.). The similarities and differences are shown for the chemical compositions of the specimens. Calanus spp. are characterized by a large Li accumulation with concentrations ~350 times higher than those in S. siberica and L. macrurus. The total accumulation of chemical elements per unit volume is higher in L. macrurus than in S. siberica and Calanus spp., amounting to 6.63, 0.69, and 0.41 mg, respectively. The intensity of biological accumulation and the spatial disposition of the area of maximum accumulation of elements in the zooplankton community within the boundaries of the Ob River estuary depend on the hydrophysical conditions. Postmortem variations in the concentrations of chemical elements in dead L. macrurus are characterized by a multidirectional nature. The revealed distinctions of the chemical compositions in live and dead L. macrurus represent the features of lifetime and postmortem concentrations of elements.     

Object-Oriented Model of Functioning of the Plankton Community of the Shelf

We propose to study the ecosystem of the plankton community of the euphotic shelf zone as a complex system with five hierarchical levels. To construct the computer image of the ecosystem, we use the methods of object-oriented modeling. The vital activity of the organisms of each species inside a certain conventional volume of water (basic object of the model) is described in detail. As a result, the entire system simulates the interaction of species in the analyzed ecosystem. The system combines four groups of biological elements (phytoplankton, bacteria, protozoa, and zooplankton) and biomineral elements (organic and mineral phosphorus) and includes the equations for the temperature of water and dissolved oxygen. The proposed numerical model reproduces the observed spotted character of the space and time distributions of the density of aquatic life and its activity. The data of the performed numerical experiments reveal the correspondence between the integral quantitative parameters computed in the model and the average characteristics obtained under natural conditions.__________Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 6, pp. 43–61, November–December, 2004.     

重金属Pb和Cu对Cd在泥鳅（Misgurnus anguillicaudatus）组织器官蓄积的影响

采用静水生物测试方法,研究了Pb（0.5mg/L）和Cu（0.1mg/L）的相互作用对Cd（0.05mg/L）在泥鳅组织器官中蓄积的影响。结果表明,重金属离子相互作用对Cd在泥鳅组织器官中蓄积的影响与重金属的种类、数量、染毒时间及组织器官性质有关,Cd在泥鳅组织器官中的蓄积顺序为肝〉肾〉肌肉。研究发现,Cd在组织器官中...     

Dynamics of nonstructural carbohydrates in seagrass Thalassia hemprichii and its response to shading

A field survey was performed to examine nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) dynamics in seagrass Thalassia hemprichii at the Xincun Bay in southern China. An indoor experiment to investigate the response of NSC in T. hemprichii to shade was conducted. Belowground tissue of T. hemprichii was the dominant site of NSC reserves, and soluble sugar was the primary storage compound. The starch content of belowground tissue was lower in high intertidal areas than in low intertidal areas, indicating that the longer air exposure in high intertidal areas resulted in less NSC synthesis and less accumulation of NSC in T. hemprichii. The lowest level of soluble sugar and its proportion to NSC in belowground tissue were observed near the cage culture area, where the nutrient concentration in water and sediment was the highest;while the highest level of that was observed near the coastal shrimp farm,where salinity was the lowest. Soluble sugar in belowground tissue showed the following trend: summer>spring>winter>autumn. This corresponded to seasonal changes in the intensity of light. Leaf sugar accumulated during the autumn-winter period, providing a carbon and energy source for flower bud formation and seed germination. Short-termshading decreased NSC accumulation. Collectively, these results suggest that nutrient enrichment, freshwater discharge and exposure to air affect NSC dynamics in T. hemprichii. Light intensity, flower bud formation, and seed germination were all found to induce seasonal variations in NSC in T. hemprichii.     

Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) as an indicator organism of trace metals in the Limfjord,Denmark

The concentrations of Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn were determined in above- and belowground parts of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) at forty stations in a shallow, brackish water area (the Limfjord, Denmark). The concentrations of the trace metals were significantly elevated near the cities of Aalborg (Pb, Cu) and Struer (Cd). Trace metal concentrations in above and belowground parts of eelgrass were log-normal distributed and the concentrations of Cd, Cu and Zn in aboveground parts were significantly higher than in belowground parts. Furthermore, a significant correlation between trace metal concentrations in above- and belowground parts was found. The background level of trace metal concentrations in eelgrass in the Limfjord was estimated.The application of eelgrass as a monitoring organism is discussed; it is suggested that the concentration of some trace metals in above- and belowground parts of eelgrass may be used as a measure of the bioavailable fraction of these trace metals in ambient and interstitial water (sediment), respectively.     

STUDIES ON THE MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM OF THE JIULONGJIANG RIVER ESTUARY IN CHINA Ⅲ. ACCUMULATION AND BIOLOGICAL CYCLE OF CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM IN Kandelia candel COMMUNITY

This is a paper dealing mainly with the accumulation and biological cycle of calcium and magnesium elements of the artificial 20-years old Kandelia candel community in the Jiulongjiang River Estuary of Fujian Province, China.The result of measurements is that the quantities of the two elements in the standing crop are (kg·ha^-1) 772.91 for Ca and 526.57 for Mg.In the biological cycle of the two elements, the annual uptakes are 174.86 for Ca and 89.30 for Mg (kg·ha^-1); the amounts of Ca and Mg returned via litter fall are estimated to be (kg·ha^-1·a^-1) 103.28 for Ca and 40.42 for Mg; the annual retention are (kg·ha^-1·a^-1) 71.58 for Ca and 48.88 for Mg, respectively.The turnover periods of Ca and Mg are 8 and 13 years, respectively.     

Use of a high-resolution profiling sonar and a towed video camera to map a Zostera marina bed,Solent, UK

Seagrasses are flowering plants that develop into extensive underwater meadows and play a key role in the coastal ecosystem. In the last few years, several techniques have been developed to map and monitor seagrass beds in order to protect them. Here, we present the results of a survey using a profiling sonar, the Sediment Imager Sonar (SIS) and a towed video sledge to study a Zostera marina bed in the Solent, southern UK. The survey aimed to test the instruments for seagrass detection and to describe the area for the first time.     

Nitrogen cycle in the earth climatic system and its modeling

Investigations into the nitrogen cycle in the climatic system of the earth are reviewed with special emphasis on the biospheric nitrogen cycle. Approaches to modeling the biogeochemical nitrogen turnover are described. Excluding the nitrogen cycle from consideration when probable consequences of climate change are analyzed can lead to inaccurate estimates of the ecosystem response, in particular, for regions where mineral compounds of soil nitrogen are a limiting factor for the development of vegetation cover. Numerical experiments with climatic models point to a substantial influence of the nitrogen turnover on the feedback between climatic characteristics and the carbon cycle. Models of the combined dynamics of carbon and nitrogen make it possible to obtain realistic estimates of present-day resources and fluxes of these elements in ecosystems, as well as to estimate their changes during possible climatic changes.     

Role of different salt marsh plants on metal retention in an urban estuary (Lima estuary,NW Portugal)

The aim of the present work was to understand the role different salt marsh plants on metal distribution and retention in the Lima River estuary (NW Portugal), which to our knowledge have not been ascertained in this area yet. The knowledge of these differences is an important requirement for the development of appropriate management strategies, and is poorly described for Eurosiberian estuaries, like the one selected. In addition it is important to understand the difference among introduced and native salt marsh plants. In this work, metal levels (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were surveyed (by atomic absorption spectrometry) in sediments from sites vegetated with Juncus maritimus, Spartina patens, Phragmites australis and Triglochin striata (rhizo-sediments), in non-vegetated sediments and in the different tissues of the plants (roots, rhizomes and aerial shoots). In general, rhizo-sediments had higher metal concentrations than non-vegetated sediments, a feature that seems common to sediments colonized by salt marsh plants of different estuarine areas. All plants concentrated metals, at least Cd, Cu and Zn (and Pb for T. striata) in their belowground structures ([M]_{belowground tissues}/[M]_{non-vegetated sediment} > 1). However, when considered per unit of salt marsh area, the different selected plants played a different role on sediment metal distribution and retention. Triglochin striata retained a significant metal burden in it belowground structures (root plus rhizomes) acting like a possible phyto-stabilizer, whereas P. australis had an higher metal burden in aboveground tissues acting as a possible phyto-extractor. As for J. maritimus and S. patens, metal burden distribution between above and belowground structures depended on the metal, with J. maritimus retaining, for instance, much more Cd and Cu in the aboveground than in the belowground structures. Therefore, the presence of invasive and exotic plants in some areas of the salt marsh may considerably affect metal distribution and retention in the estuarine region.     

南沙海槽南部海区表层沉积物重金属元素含量及其影响因素

南沙海槽南部海区表层沉积物重金属元素表现为亲陆性,丰度为:Ba>Sr>Zn>Ni>Zr>Pb>Cr>Cu>Co,浓集程度为Ba>Sr>Cr>Zr>Pb>Zn>Co>Ni>Cu,元素Cu-Zn,Cu-Ni,Cu-Ba及Ba-Zn呈明显正相关,Cu,Ni,Ba,Zn,Cr与水深变化关系较为密切。元素与CaCO3含量、氧化物含量、粒度组成的相关系数表明:（1）Pb,Co,Zr,既存在于陆源碎屑矿物晶格中,又以吸附状态被黏土吸附,还受碳酸盐沉积影响。（2）Sr,主要受生物碳酸盐沉积作用影响。（3）Cu,Zn,Ni,Cr,Ba,主要受黏土的吸附作用及铁锰氧化物的影响。     

论新疆巴里坤湖沉积地球化学指标的累积规律

于１９８９年８月，在新疆巴里坤湖区进行多次野外调查和钻孔取样，将１１６块岩芯样用等离子发射光谱对各种微量元素和氧化物进行全面分析，以研究古气候与古环境的演变关系。研究得知，本区多数微量元素以碎屑形式机械迁移为主，因此，在地表径流较丰富的凉湿或冷湿环境，湖底沉积的元素相对富集；反之，在地表径流减少的暖干环境，元素富集减少。这种元素的迁移规律，表明干旱区内陆确存在冷湿暖干型的气候特征，不同于东部季风区     

A study of Cu turnover in proteins of the visceral complex of Littorina littorea by stable isotopic analysis using coupled HPLC-ICP-MS

A two-dimensional HPLC system, tandemly coupled to an ICP-MS, has been used to study copper accumulation and turnover in the visceral complex cytosol of the gastropod, Littorina littorea. Animals were exposed for 8 weeks to NTA-buffered seawater containing stable isotopic 65Cu and then transferred to media containing stable isotopic 63Cu. The free ion activity of each isotope was maintained at 10(-11) M. Size exclusion (SE) HPLC showed Cu associated with haemocyanin (HC) and metallothionein-like (MT) proteins in two ligand pools with apparent molecular weights of >300 kDa and approximately 17 kDa, respectively. The MT pool was inducible by Cu, could assimilate the metal from both intrinsic and extrinsic sources and showed a higher rate of Cu accumulation and turnover than the HC pool. The induction of this pool also caused the sequestration and cytosolic redistribution of Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn and Co. Further fractionation of the MT pool by ion-exchange (IE) HPLC revealed that the Cu was associated with a single, major isoform of the protein that was Cu inducible and also bound trace quantities of Zn and Pb. A number of additional metal containing proteins were also resolved by IE. the most prominent of which also bound Pb, Mn and minor quantities of Zn. The significance of these findings in metal homeostasis and detoxification is discussed.     

Monitoring trace metals in seawater using a diffusive gradient in thin film probe in Ulsan Bay,East Sea,Korea: Comparison with transplanted mussels

To evaluate the applicability of a diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) probe for monitoring dissolved metals in coastal seawater, DGT-labile metal concentrations were compared with total dissolved metal concentrations using spiked and natural seawater samples in the laboratory and transplanted mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). This was achieved through the simultaneous deployment of DGT probes and transplanted mussels in Ulsan Bay during winter and summer. DGT-labile metal concentrations were 45% (Cu) ~ 90% (Zn) of total dissolved concentrations, and the order of non-labile concentrations was Cu > Pb > Co ~ Ni > Cd ~ Zn in both metal-contaminated and non-contaminated seawater samples, which was similar to the order of stability of metal complexes in the Irving–Williams series. The overall variability of the DGT probe results within and between tanks was less than 10% (relative standard deviation: RSD) for all the metals tested during a 48-h deployment. The accumulation of metals, as determined by DGT probes, represented the spatial gradients better than the transplanted mussels did for all of the metals tested, and the extent of metal accumulation in mussels differed depending on the metal. The comparison of results for the DGT probe and the transplanted mussels in two seasons (winter and summer) suggested that metal accumulation in mussels was controlled by the physiological factors of mussels and partly by their diet (particulate metal loadings). The DGT probe could be used as a monitoring tool for dissolved metals in coastal seawater because its results explained only labile species. When using the DGT probe, slightly more than half of the total dissolved concentration in seawater samples for all the metals investigated displayed timeintegrated properties and distinct spatial gradients from pristine to metal-contaminated seawater.     

Phosphorus metabolism in anthropogenically transformed lagoon ecosystems: The Comacchio lagoons (Ferrara, Italy)

Inorganic phosphorus dynamics were investigated with the use of ³²P in the hypertrophic Comacchio lagoons (NE Adriatic) during an extremely dense, quasi-permanent bloom of picocyanobacteria. Concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) in waters of the blooming lagoons were usually near the detection limit (0.01 μmoles·dm⁻³). DIP uptake rates by microplankton at near-ambient concentrations (0.01 to 0.1 μmoles·dm⁻³) were in the range of 9.6 to 16.1 nmoles P·dm⁻³·min⁻¹, and turnover times were 1.5 to 3 min. The turnover time was >40 h in the eutrophic coastal waters of the adjacent Adriatic Sea. The uptake rate of DIP depended on its initial concentration. In water samples artificially enriched with DIP, the uptake rate rose to its maximum of 0.10 to 0.13 μmoles P·dm⁻³·min⁻¹ (or 6 to 7 μmoles·dm⁻³·h⁻¹) when the initial concentration of DIP was elevated to 10 to 20 μmoles·dm⁻³. The potential capacity of microplankton in the water samples to consume and retain DIP was estimated at 25 μmoles·dm⁻³. Specific features are discussed of phosphorus metabolism in the anthropogenically transformed lagoon ecosystem with an anomalous food web with few animals.     

Organic matter accumulation,redox, and diagenetic history of the Marcellus Formation,southwestern Pennsylvania,Appalachian basin

Variations in the concentration of redox sensitive elements combined with pyrite framboid size data documented from a Marcellus Formation (Middle Devonian) core recovered from southwestern Pennsylvania elucidate the redox, organic matter accumulation, and diagenetic history of these deposits in this region of the basin. Uranium and Mo enrichment and Fe/Al display sharp increases coincident with diminishing Th/U upward through the initial 3rd order trangressive systems tract (lower Union Springs Member). These data as well as abundant small (<6 μm) pyrite framboids record establishment of strongly reducing benthic conditions, perhaps related to the expansion of an oxygen minimum zone induced by increased surface productivity. Strongly anoxic, even euxinic, conditions were interrupted by episodes of dysoxia, perhaps seasonal or longer term. Overlying regressive systems tract (RST) deposits record modestly improved redox conditions, likely a reflection of a receding oxygen minimum zone as base level dropped. A subsequent 3rd order base level rise and renewed expansion of the oxygen minimum zone triggered by increased surface productivity resulted in the accumulation of the organic-rich lower Oatka Creek Member. Still, the mix of abundant small and subordinate large (>10 μm) framboids preserves the record of oxygen deficient to sulfidic bottom conditions frequently interrupted by episodes of (dys)oxia. Improving redox conditions through the overlying RST were accompanied by a two-fold increase in Al and consequent dilution of the organic matter flux and authigenic trace metal uptake at the sediment–water interface. The upper half of the Oatka Creek comprises a depositional sequence not obvious from core inspection or gamma-ray signature but revealed by Mo enrichment and Al concentration profiles. Diagenetic modification of the Marcellus includes several horizons of authigenic calcium carbonate concretions and marked Ba enrichment. Both features reflect the effects of non-steady state microbial diagenesis within a methane-rich sedimentary column.