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Cited by 1,026Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsMarine and coastal ecosystemsMethane Hydrates and Related Phenomena

Factors influencing organic carbon preservation in marine sediments

Canfield, Donald E.·1994·Chemical Geology
DOI 10.1016/0009-2541(94)90061-2
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Abstract

The organic matter that escapes decomposition is buried and preserved in marine sediments, with much debate as to whether the amount depends on bottom-water O2 concentration. One group argues that decomposition is more efficient with O2, and hence, organic carbon will be preferentially oxidized in its presence, and preserved in its absence. Another group argues that the kinetics of organic matter decomposition are similar in the presence and absence of O2, and there should be no influence of O2 on preservation. A compilation of carbon preservation shows that both groups are right, depending on the circumstances of deposition. At high rates of deposition, such as near continental margins, little difference in preservation is found with varying bottom-water O2. It is important that most carbon in these sediments decomposes by anaerobic pathways regardless of bottom-water O2. Hence, little influence of bottom-water O2 on preservation would, in fact, be expected. As sedimentation rate drops, sediments deposited under oxygenated bottom water become progressively more aerobic, while euxinic sediments remain anaerobic. Under these circumstances, the relative efficiencies of aerobic and anaerobic decomposition could affect preservation. Indeed, enhanced preservation is observed in low-O2 and euxinic environments. To explore in detail the factors contributing to this enhanced carbon preservation, aspects of the biochemistries of the aerobic and anaerobic process are reviewed. Other po…

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  • Anoxia alone cannot account for exceptional preservation because anaerobic degradation of labile tissues by sulfate reduction may proceed as rapidly as aerobic decomposition.

    “Although anoxia in bottom waters is usually considered a prerequisite for BST preservation (8–10), anoxia alone cannot account for exceptional preservation because anaerobic degradation of labile tissues by sulfate reduction may proceed as rapidly as aerobic decomposition (11, 12).”

    From Mechanism for Burgess Shale-type preservation (2012) · cites this paper as [11]

  • Diffusion-limited conditions would have slowed the typical processes of microbial degradation in sediments by restricting the efficiency of sulfate reduction, thereby shifting the primary microbial pathways for degradation of labile carbon to the less efficient processes of methanogenesis and fermentation.

    “Diffusion-limited conditions would have slowed the typical processes of microbial degradation in sediments by restricting the efficiency of sulfate reduction, thereby shifting the primary microbial pathways for degradation of labile carbon to the less efficient processes of methanogenesis and fermentation (11, 32).”

    From Mechanism for Burgess Shale-type preservation (2012) · cites this paper as [11]

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Authors
Canfield, D. E.
Affiliations
Georgia Institute of Technology (US)
Corresponding author
Canfield, Donald E.
ORCID
Canfield, Donald E.
Venue
Chemical Geology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1994-06
Volume
114
Issue
3-4
Pages
315-329
ISSN
0009-2541 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0009-2541(94)90061-2
OpenAlex
W1997153540
Cited by
1,026
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 49 · 2025: 77 · 2024: 70 · 2023: 58 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 62 · 2020: 61 · 2019: 49 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 44 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 22
FWCI
18.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Chemical Geology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine and coastal ecosystems
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
Keywords
organic carbon preservation, marine sediment, bottom water oxygen, organic matter decomposition, aerobic decomposition, anaerobic biodegradation, sedimentation rate, continental margin, recalcitrant organic matter, bioturbation, labile organic matter, metabolic activity
MeSH terms
Aerobiosis, Anaerobiosis, Bacteria, Anaerobic, Carbon, Environmental Microbiology, Kinetics, Marine Biology, Models, Chemical, Oxidation-Reduction, Oxygen, Geologic Sediments

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