N and C Isotopic Compositions of the Lower Triassic of Southern Primorye and Reconstruction of the Habitat Conditions of Marine Organisms

N and C isotopic data are recorded and presented for the first time for the Lower Triassic claystones of Southern Primorye (Abrek Section). Five N isotope intervals and 11 more or less pronounced negative C isotope excursions, likely to reflect instability of the temperature regime and the oceanographic situation in the Early Triassic, are recognized in the section. The most favorable conditions for ammonoid recovery and other marine organisms in the Early Triassic (after the end- Permian ecological crisis) were associated with the late Induan—early Olenekian transgression and probable cooling.     

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of alkyl porphyrins from the Triassic Serpiano oil shale

The carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of seven of the most abundant alkylporphyrins from the Serpiano oil shale (marine, Triassic) were determined. For the C31 and C32 butanoporphyrins, values of delta 13CPDB and delta 15NAIR averaged -24.0% and -3.1%. In contrast, the C31 and C32 methylpropanoporphyrins, DPEP, and a C30 13-nor etioporphyrin had delta 13C and delta 15N values averaging -27.5 and -3.3%, respectively. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic values for kerogen averaged -30.8 and -0.9, whereas those for total extract averaged -31.6, and -4.0%. The butanoporphyrins apparently derive from a biological source different from that giving rise to the other porphyrins, their 13C enrichment not being related to carbon isotopic fractionation accompanying diagenetic reactions. The delta 15N values for all the porphyrins indicate that the depletion of 15N observed in the kerogen is of primary origin. Consistent with the very high abundance of hopanoids and methyl hopanoids in the aliphatic hydrocarbon fraction, it is suggested that cyanobacterial fixation of N2 may have been the main cause of 15N depletion.     

贵州乐康P/T界线无机碳同位素特征及其意义

贵州乐康深水海槽相中的无机碳同位素研究表明,晚二叠世由于局限环境,区域内生物贫乏,相对应的碳同位素值比同期其他剖面中碳同位素值偏低。而在长兴阶晚期,由于受区域内火山作用的影响,在剖面界线之下发育另一个碳同位素负异常,之后碳同位素有所回升,直至界线附近降低为最低值。早三叠世由于绝灭之后的生物复苏缓慢,无机碳同位素表现为低正值。碳同位素特征显示,碳同位素的变化受到了生物和环境等多种因素的综合控制。     

Identification of isotopically primitive interplanetary dust particles: A NanoSIMS isotopic imaging study

We have carried out a comprehensive survey of the isotopic compositions (H, B, C, N, O, and S) of a suite of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), including both cluster and individual particles. Isotopic imaging with the NanoSIMS shows the presence of numerous discrete hotspots that are strongly enriched in ¹⁵N, up to ∼1300‰. A number of the IDPs also contain larger regions with more modest enrichments in ¹⁵N, leading to average bulk N isotopic compositions that are ¹⁵N-enriched in these IDPs. Although C isotopic compositions are normal in most of the IDPs, two ¹⁵N-rich hotspots have correlated ¹³C anomalies. CN⁻/C⁻ ratios suggest that most of the ¹⁵N-rich hotspots are associated with relatively N-poor carbonaceous matter, although specific carriers have not been determined. H isotopic distributions are similar to those of N: D anomalies are present both as distinct D-rich hotspots and as larger regions with more modest enrichments. Nevertheless, H and N isotopic anomalies are not directly correlated, consistent with results from previous studies. Oxygen isotopic imaging shows the presence of abundant presolar silicate grains in some of the IDPs. The O isotopic compositions of the grains are similar to those of presolar oxide and silicate grains from primitive meteorites. Most of the silicate grains in the IDPs have isotopic ratios consistent with meteoritic Group 1 oxide grains, indicating origins in oxygen-rich red giant and asymptotic giant branch stars, but several presolar silicates exhibit the ¹⁷O and ¹⁸O enrichments of Group 4 oxide grains, whose origin is less well understood. Based on their N isotopic compositions, the IDPs studied here can be divided into two groups. One group is characterized as being “isotopically primitive” and consists of those IDPs that have anomalous bulk N isotopic compositions. These particles typically also contain numerous ¹⁵N-rich hotspots, occasional C isotopic anomalies, and abundant presolar silicate grains. In contrast, the other “isotopically normal” IDPs have normal bulk N isotopic compositions and, although some contain ¹⁵N-rich hotspots, none exhibit C isotopic anomalies and none contain presolar silicate or oxide grains. Thus, isotopically interesting IDPs can be identified and selected on the basis of their bulk N isotopic compositions for further study. However, this distinction does not appear to extend to H isotopic compositions. Although both H and N anomalies are frequently attributed to the survival of molecular cloud material in IDPs and, thus, should be more common in IDPs with anomalous bulk N compositions, D anomalies are as common in normal IDPs as they are in those characterized as isotopically primitive, based on their N isotopes.     

Isotopic characterisation of kerogen-like material in the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite

Isotopic data for C, H and N in acid-resistant residues from carbonaceous chondrites show substantial variability during stepwise pyrolysis and/or combustion. After subtraction of contributions due apparently to inorganic C grains, of probably circumstellar origin, considerable isotopic variability remains, attributable to the kerogen-like organic fraction. That variability may be interpreted in terms of three or four distinct components, based on C, H and N isotopes. The relative proportions of those components vary significantly from sample to sample. The different isotopic components are tentatively identified in terms of specific chemical/structural moieties within the kerogen-like material. This combination of chemical, structural and isotopic information suggests a complex history for meteoritic organic matter. At least three components within the organic population as a whole still carry a signature of apparently interstellar Denrichment. Part, at least, of the interstellar carrier consisted of reactive entities, not solely polymers.     

Small SiC grains and a nitride grain of circumstellar origin from the Murchison meteorite: implications for stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis

We report the results of SIMS isotopic analyses of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and silicon made on 849 small (approximately 1 micrometer) individual silicon carbide grains from the Murchison meteorite. The isotopic compositions of the major elements carbon and silicon of most grains (mainstream) are similar to those observed in larger grain studies suggesting an AGB star origin of these grains. In contrast, the trace element nitrogen shows a clear dependency on grain size. 14N/15N ratios increase with decreasing grain size, suggesting different stellar sources for grains of different size. Typically observed 14N/15N ratios in the small grains of this study are approximately 2700, clearly larger than the values expected from model calculations of AGB stars. In addition to the three dredge-up episodes characteristic for the evolution of AGB stars, extra-mixing of CNO-processed matter in low mass AGB stars appears to be a promising possibility in order to explain the high 14N/15N ratios of the small circumstellar SiC grains. A small fraction of grains shows a silicon isotopic signature not observed in larger circumstellar SiC grains from Murchison. Their stellar origin is still uncertain. The minor type A, B, Y, and X grains were found to be present at a level of a percent, which is similar to their abundance in the larger-grain SiC separates from Murchison. Oxygen isotopic compositions are normal within the experimental uncertainties of several 10%, indicating that oxygen of stellar origin is rare or even absent in the SiC grains. We conclude that most of the oxygen is a contaminant which was introduced into the SiC grains after their formation, e.g., during sample processing in the laboratory. We identified a nitride grain, most likely Si3N4 with little carbon, with highly anomalous isotopic compositions (12C/13C = 157 +/- 33, 14N/15N = 18 +/- 1, delta 29 Si = -43 +/- 56%, delta 30 Si = -271 +/- 50%). The isotopic patterns of carbon, nitrogen, and silicon resemble those of the rare SiC X grains suggesting that these two rare constituents of circumstellar matter formed in the same type of stellar source, namely, Type II supernovae.     

Seasonal variation of the stable isotopic compositions of coastal marine plankton from Woods Hole,Massachusetts and Georges Bank

A study of the isotopic composition of plankton from Woods Hole Harbor was conducted to investigate seasonal variation in carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in a shallow coastal environment. Stable isotopic ratios of carbon and nitrogen both showed temporal variation on the scale of weeks to months, with heaviest (most positive) values in summer to fall for both isotopes. Particulate organic matter (POM) δ¹³C values were highest (?19‰ to ?21‰) in August to November and lower (?21‰ to ?25‰) at other times of the year, while δ¹³N-POM values were highest (9.5‰ to 12‰) in March to September and lower (7.5‰ to 9.5‰) at other times of the year. Stable isotopic values were significantly correlated with temperature, DI¹³C, and C∶N ratios, but not with [DIC], [POC], [PN], [chlorophyll], or the taxonomic composition of the phytoplankton. There was no direct evidence of allochthonous inputs of carbon and nitrogen to the system. Woods Hole δ¹³C values were virtually identical to Georges Bank plankton values; similar POC: Chlorophyll and C∶N ratios in the two systems further suggest that Woods Hole Harbor is principally a marine system. The high δ¹³C values of net plankton (>20 μm) during summer and early fall are consistent with a smaller degree of photosynthetic isotopic fractionation at that time, related to temperature and/or [CO_2(aq)]. This pattern was not seen, however, in total POM. Plankton δ¹³N values were higher in Woods Hole Harbor than on Georges Bank, especially during warmer periods, possibly due to high rates of nitrification and organic matter recycling in Woods Hole waters. Relatively wide ranges of stable isotopic values from both Woods Hole Harbor and Georges Bank suggest that seasonality should be considered when attempting to establish endmember C and N isotopic values for temperate marine plankton. Preliminary results from size-fractionated samples suggest that cyanobacteria may fractionate carbon isotopes to a greater degree than net phytoplankton.     

Kinetics of C, N, and Xe release during the quasi-isothermal pyrolysis and subsequent oxidation of nanodiamond from the Orgueil CI meteorite

Analysis of the C, N, and Xe release kinetics of intermediate-sized nanodiamond fraction from the Orgueil CI meteorite during isothermal pyrolysis conducted for the first time and subsequent oxidation indicates that (a) the rate of C, N, and Xe release at pyrolysis at a constant temperature decreases with time; (b) the relative amount of released Xe, which mostly has a normal isotopic composition (Xe-P3) at various pyrolysis time up to 800°C, is controlled, first of all, by the heating temperature, whereas the amount of N is controlled by both the temperature and heating time; and (c) prolonged pyrolysis notably modifies the distribution of nitrogen of normal (δ¹⁵N = 0) and anomalous (δ¹⁵N= ?350‰) isotopic composition in diamond grains. The identified features of the C and N release kinetics are explained by differences in the binding energy of chemically adsorbed O with C atoms and the accommodation of the main amounts of N in extended defects of the crystal structure of nanodiamond. The major factors of the decrease in the Xe-P3 release rate during the isothermal pyrolysis of nanodiamond are either the differences between the Xe desorption parameters of the traps in graphite-like phases containing Xe-P3 or the differences between the radiation-induced defectiveness of grains of the population containing implanted Xe-P3. Our results led us to conclude that (1) meteoritic nanodiamond contains relatively low amounts of a phases carrying the P3 component of noble gases, regardless of the nature of this component, and (2) the population of nanodiamond grains containing most of isotopically anomalous nitrogen was produced at a high rate to preserve this nitrogen, first of all, at extended defects in the diamond crystal structure.     

Mineral associations and character of isotopically anomalous organic material in the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite

We report a coordinated analytical study of matrix material in the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite in which the same small (?20 μm) fragments were measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES). SIMS analysis reveals H and N isotopic anomalies (hotspots), ranging from hundreds to thousands of nanometers in size, which are present throughout the fragments. Although the differences in spatial resolution of the SIMS techniques we have used introduce some uncertainty into the exact location of the hotspots, in general, the H and N isotopic anomalies are spatially correlated with C enrichments, suggesting an organic carrier. TEM analysis, enabled by site-specific extraction using a focused-ion-beam scanning-electron microscope, shows that the hotspots contain an amorphous component, Fe-Ni sulfides, serpentine, and mixed-cation carbonates. TEM imaging reveals that the amorphous component occurs in solid and porous forms, EDS indicates that it contains abundant C, and EELS and XANES at the C K edge reveal that it is largely aromatic. This amorphous component is probably macromolecular C, likely the carrier of the isotopic anomalies, and similar to the material extracted from bulk samples as insoluble organic matter. However, given the large sizes of some of the hotspots, the disparity in spatial resolution among the various techniques employed in our study, and the phases with which they are associated, we cannot entirely rule out that some of the isotopic anomalies are carried by inorganic material, e.g., sheet silicates. The isotopic composition of the organic matter points to an initially primitive origin, quite possibly within cold interstellar clouds or the outer reaches of the solar protoplanetary disk. The association of organic material with secondary phases, e.g., serpentine and carbonates, suggests that the organic matter was susceptible to parent-body processing, and thus, isotopic dilution.     

Planktic foraminiferal and 13C isotopic changes across the Paleocene/Eocene boundary at Possagno (Italy)

 The interval spanning the Paleocene–Eocene (P/E) transition in the Possagno section consists of 1 m of red marls, including a 4-cm-thick, dark-red "dissolution" clay, which represents the Paleocene/Eocene boundary event. The Possagno section is much more condensed than other Tethyan and North Atlantic sections previously studied; however, in this section the most significant biotic, isotopic and sedimentological events across the P/E boundary can be recognized. The Possagno section spans the following planktic foraminiferal subzones: upper part of M. gracilis Subzone, A. berggreni Subzone, A. sibaiyaensis Subzone and probably lowermost part of P. wilcoxensis Subzone. The quantitative analysis indicates a major increase of low-latitude acarininids, including compressed tropical acarininids just above the boundary clay. This acarininid incursion begins just below the boundary clay but reaches its maximum just above the clay. The planktic foraminiferal faunal turnover is gradual except for the acarininid incursion. The isotopic results show a negative excursion in ∂¹³C values at the small benthic foraminifera mass extinction event. The acarininid maximum diversity coincides with this isotopic excursion, and reflects an increase in surface seawater temperature. Despite being very condensed, the Possagno section allows us to further confirm that the different biotic, isotopic and sedimentological events recognized in the Spanish sections (Alamedilla, Campo, Caravaca, Zumaya) are not local in nature and allows the establishment of a detailed chronostratigraphic framework to define the P/E boundary stratotype. Received: 8 April 1998 / Accepted: 12 April 1999     

广西上泥盆统F-F界线碳同位素的变化特征

发生在晚泥盆世弗拉期(Frasnian)-法门期(Famennian)之交的生物灭绝事件(简称F-F事件)是古生代以来五大生物集群灭绝事件之一,其原因仍含糊不清。碳同位素研究显示,伴随F-F事件全球碳循环发生了显著的变化。但对中国南方F-F事件地层碳同位素变化特征的认识不够,缺乏系统的研究。对广西桂林杨堤上泥盆统灰岩剖面的碳同位素的分析结果表明,在上泥盆统存在两次碳同位素正偏移,分别出现在下rhenana带和F-F的界线,其中,出现在F-F界线的碳同位素正偏移与广西垌村以及欧美和非洲等地的上泥盆统F-F界线附近的碳同位素记录一致,且具有相近的变化幅度。进一步对广西桂林附近的杨堤和垌村剖面F-F界线的碳同位素组成变化模式的分析发现,这次正偏移可能是由多次次级变化组成,与F-F事件中生物的灭绝步骤相似。     

全球奥陶系底界的“金钉子”问题及我国特马豆克阶(Tremadocian)的划分与对比

对全球寒武系与奥陶系界线层型剖面和点位(GSSP)——西纽芬兰绿岬(Green Point)剖面和我国吉林白山(原浑江)大阳岔小洋桥原全球寒武系与奥陶系界线候选剖面的对比研究表明,绿岬"金钉子"剖面所指定的界线生物标志——波动古大西洋牙形石(Iapetognathus fluctivagus)并不存在于所指定的界线生物层和点位上,而且在分布和分类上是均存在争议的物种,更遗憾的是,所展示的大部分牙形石和笔石标本图片以及碳氧同位素异常数据也并非来自该"金钉子"剖面,因而完全违背了选择金钉子剖面的原则和要求,有必要进行重新的评估。小洋桥寒武系与奥陶系界线剖面交通方便、环境优美,寒武系与奥陶系界线地层系由一套深水且未变质的黑色、黄绿色页岩与灰色薄层瘤状灰岩所构成的韵律沉积组成,并保存了完整的具有广泛代表性牙形石和笔石序列,在详细研究的34 m界线间隔中,自下而上保存了完整的Cambrostodus、Codylodus proavus、C.intermedius、C.lindstromi和C.angulatus等5牙形石生物带,在C.intermedius带上部至C.angulatus带之间,还依次出现3层笔石,归属于重新厘定的Rhabdinopora parabola和Anisograptus matanensis等2个笔石带,此外还有大量三叶虫和介形类化石共生,结合高精度同位素地球化学的研究,笔者等建议,以全球广泛分布的牙形石C.intermedius的首现,取代Iapetognathus fluctivagus,作为寒武系与奥陶系界线划分对比的标志,其层位与原来所指定的界线层几乎一致或接近,界线之上所记录的最大碳同位素异常和首次出现的最早的浮游正笔石——R.parabola(含R.praeparabola),可作为该界线划分的辅助标志。     

Carbon,hydrogen and nitrogen in carbonaceous chondrites: Abundances and isotopic compositions in bulk samples

Whole-rock samples of 25 carbonaceous chondrites were analysed for contents of C, H and N and δ¹³C, δD and δ¹⁵N. Inhomogeneous distribution of these isotopes within individual meteorites is pronounced in several cases. Few systematic intermeteorite trends were observed; N data are suggestive of isotopic inhomogeneity in the early solar system. Several chondrites revealed unusual compositions which would repay further, more detailed study. The data are also useful for classification of carbonaceous chondrites; N abundance and isotopic compositions can differentiate existing taxonomic groups with close to 100% reliability; Al Rais and Renazzo clearly constitute a discrete “grouplet”; and there are hints that both CI and CM groups may each be divisible into two subgroups.     

Global and local controls influencing the deposition of the La Luna Formation (Cenomanian-Campanian), western Venezuela

Bulk and molecular geochemical, micropalaeontological, and carbon-isotopic data are used to address the different local and global factors influencing the environment of sedimentation of the La Luna Formation (Cenomanian-Campanian, approximate palaeolatitude 15°N) in a single section in western Venezuela. Based on the constructed chronostratigraphic framework, oxygen-depleted bottom-water conditions and black-shale deposition started in western Venezuela well before the widespread occurrence of organic-rich sediments in higher palaeolatitude regions such as the Tethys and the North Atlantic near or at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. In the La Luna Formation, palaeoenvironmental conditions that allowed the preservation of organic matter (mainly of marine origin), prevailed until Santonian times in a distal platform facies with very low siliciclastic input. Changes in lithology appear to reflect the local response to eustatic sea-level variations and the presence of a migrating upwelling belt affecting the bioproductivity of silica and carbonate. A marked δ¹³C_org isotopic excursion is recognised in the middle part of the section, and is apparently unrelated to local palaeoenvironmental changes in bioproductivity and oxygen depletion. Biological marker data show no variations in association with the isotopic excursion, being mainly controlled by local fluctuations in organic-matter input and preservation.     

库车坳陷中生代海侵事件对有机质的影响

对库车河剖面三叠侏罗系重要生烃组段进行了有机质生物标志化合物及单体烃同位素研究,研究结果表明,海侵层位与非海侵层位在生物组成和生标特征等方面明显不同,海侵带来了不同的生物体,使有机质类型发生了改变。在生物标志化合物参数方面表现为Ｐｒ／Ｐｈ小于１,甾烷含量丰富,甾烷中Ｃ_２７化合物丰度与Ｃ_２９相当,三环萜烷有Ｃ_２１＜Ｃ_２３＞Ｃ_２４的分布特点,单体烃同位素表现出富集轻碳同位素的特点。中生代海侵事件对塔北隆起区及库车拗陷油气资源具有重要的意义。     

Late Permian–Early Triassic environmental changes recorded by multi-isotope (Re-Os-N-Hg) data and trace metal distribution from the Hovea-3 section,Western Australia

The temporal coincidence between the Late Permian mass extinction (LPME) and the emplacement of Siberian Trap basalts suggests a causal link between the two events. Here, we discuss stratigraphic changes of organic and inorganic (including isotopic) geochemical properties of marine sediments across the Permian–Triassic boundary (PTB) in the Hovea-3 core, Western Australia, a key PTB section in the southern Neo-Tethys ocean. These data are compared with published data from the Meishan section, southern China, and from the Opal Creek section in western Canada, providing a view of Tethys and Panthalassa changes at the PTB. Trace metal and N-isotopic data, together with organic matter properties suggest that anoxic conditions were established prior to the LPME, intensified close to the LPME, and continued with photic-zone euxinia into the Early Triassic. For the Hovea-3 section, Re-Os ages confirm Changhsingian (253.5 ± 1.4 Ma) deposition of the dated interval sampled immediately below the stratigraphic level characterized by major lithological and isotopic changes. Evaluation of Re-Os, N, and Hg elemental and isotopic data for Hovea-3 suggests that anoxic conditions in the latest Permian were generally unrelated to direct magmatic contributions. A major increase in the initial Os isotopic ratio of Lower Triassic shales suggest an ~8× increase in the Early Triassic continental runoff, based on moderately conservative assumptions for end-members contributing Os to the Permian–Triassic ocean. Comparison to other PTB sections confirms a global signal of increasing Re/Os ratios in the Late Permian, and major and long-lived changes in the isotopic composition of the post-extinction ocean. A distinct peak in Hg concentrations carrying a volcanic isotopic signature, also identified in other PTB sections, likely represents a major pulse of Siberian Trap volcanism. This Hg peak in the Hovea-3 section, however, is detected above the stratigraphic level containing multiple other widely recognized and more permanent geochemical changes. Therefore, direct volcanic inputs to the Permian–Triassic Ocean likely post-date the LPME in this Western Australian section.     

一种新的、快速的碳、氮、硫同位素测定手段──EA－IRMS连线分析技术

一种新的、快速的碳、氮、硫同位素测定手段──ＥＡ－ＩＲＭＳ连线分析技术储雪蕾（中国科学院地质研究所，北京１０００２９）关键词元素分析仪－同位素比值质谱仪，连线分析碳，氮，硫同位素碳、氮、硫三种元素的稳定同位素在地学、生态学、环境科学等领域受到了重视，...     

Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene productivity in the Arabian Sea

The stable isotopic compositions of organic C and N and the organic carbon (OC) content of the Oman Margin (ODP Site 724) sediments, ranging from Pliocene to Early Pleistocene in age, are used to infer palaeoproductivity in the area. At the boundary between the Pliocene and the Pleistocene, the amount of organic matter preserved is low compared to other periods before and after this transition period. This low OC content is associated with depleted N and C isotope values. This may indicate low primary productivity as a result of a diminished supply of nutrients caused by weak coastal upwelling. Higher amounts of OC, in conjunction with enrichment in the isotopic compositions of both organic C and N before and after the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition period, are likely to be a consequence of an increase in primary productivity, which resulted from a higher nutrient supply. However, a higher amount of OC may have resulted from enhanced preservation. The enhanced preservation may have resulted from an intrusion of highly saline waters from the Res Sea and Persian Gulf and/or restricted circulation.     

Isotopic and Elemental Composition of Marine Macrophytes as Biotracers of Nutrient Recycling Within a Coastal Lagoon in Baja California,Mexico

Nutrient sources of San Quintin Bay, a coastal lagoon affected by coastal upwelling off Baja California (Mexico), were traced using generalized additive (mixed) models (GAMM) to the stable nitrogen isotopic composition, C:N and N content of two co-occurring macrophytes (the macroalgae Ulva spp. and the seagrass Zostera marina). The geochemical tracers followed a spatial trend that partly responded to the long-term nutrient gradient from the ocean towards the interior of the bay. N content in Z. marina and Ulva spp. decreased linearly (while C:N increased) towards the middle section of the bay to concentration levels that indicate potential N limitation for growth. Concurrently midway into the bay (6–9 km), the δ¹⁵N of both macrophytes showed a gradual enrichment in ¹⁵N reflecting progressive denitrification. The spatial pattern of δ¹⁵N and the decrease in C:N of the macrophytes towards the innermost section of the bay indicated an additional nonoceanic source of dissolved nitrogen in this zone. The similarity of the δ¹⁵N pattern of Z. marina and Ulva spp. implies that their δ¹⁵N composition is mainly controlled by the availability of N, in spite of the physiological differences between taxa. A better fit of GAMM to N content and C:N was obtained for Z. marina than for Ulva spp. indicating that the former delineate more steadily and smoothly the influence of upwelling along the spatial gradient. Nonetheless, Ulva spp. may be analyzed in combination with Z. marina to characterize the environmental conditions at the time of sampling.     

Elemental and isotopic carbon and nitrogen records of organic matter accumulation in a Holocene permafrost peat sequence in the East European Russian Arctic

A peat deposit from the East European Russian Arctic, spanning nearly 10 000 years, was investigated to study soil organic matter degradation using analyses of bulk elemental and stable isotopic compositions and plant macrofossil remains. The peat accumulated initially in a wet fen that was transformed into a peat plateau bog following aggradation of permafrost in the late Holocene (～2500 cal a BP). Total organic carbon and total nitrogen (N) concentrations are higher in the fen peat than in the moss‐dominated bog peat layers. Layers in the sequence that have lower concentrations of total hydrogen (H) are associated with degraded vascular plant residues. C/N and H/C atomic ratios indicate better preservation of organic matter in peat material dominated by bryophytes as opposed to vascular plants. The presence of permafrost in the peat plateau stage and water‐saturated conditions at the bottom of the fen stage appear to lead to better preservation of organic plant material. δ¹⁵N values suggest N isotopic fractionation was driven primarily by microbial decomposition whereas differences in δ¹³C values appear to reflect mainly changes in plant assemblages. Positive shifts in both δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values coincide with a local change to drier conditions as a result of the onset of permafrost and frost heave of the peat surface. This pattern suggests that permafrost aggradation not only resulted in changes in vegetation but also aerated the underlying fen peat, which enhanced microbial denitrification, causing the observed ¹⁵N‐enrichment. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.