Spatial variability of organic matter molecular composition and elemental geochemistry in surface sediments of a small boreal Swedish lake
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Abstract
Abstract. The composition of sediment organic matter (OM) exerts a strong control on biogeochemical processes in lakes, such as those involved in the fate of carbon, nutrients and trace metals. While between-lake spatial variability of OM quality is increasingly investigated, we explored in this study how the molecular composition of sediment OM varies spatially within a single lake and related this variability to physical parameters and elemental geochemistry. Surface sediment samples (0–10 cm) from 42 locations in Härsvatten – a small boreal forest lake with a complex basin morphometry – were analyzed for OM molecular composition using pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry for the contents of 23 major and trace elements and biogenic silica. We identified 162 organic compounds belonging to different biochemical classes of OM (e.g., carbohydrates, lignin and lipids). Close relationships were found between the spatial patterns of sediment OM molecular composition and elemental geochemistry. Differences in the source types of OM (i.e., terrestrial, aquatic plant and algal) were linked to the individual basin morphometries and chemical status of the lake. The variability in OM molecular composition was further driven by the degradation status of these different source pools, which appeared to be related to sedimentary physicochemical parameters (e.g., redox conditions) and to the molecular structure of the organic compounds. Given the high spatial variation in OM molecular composition within Härsvatten and its close relationship with elemental geochemistry, the potential for large spatial variability across lakes should be considered when studying biogeochemical processes involved in the cycling of carbon, nutrients and trace elements or when assessing lake budgets.
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- Authors
- Tolu, J., Rydberg, J., Meyer-Jacob, C., Gerber, L., & Bindler, R.
- Affiliations
- Umeå University (SE)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Tolu, Julie
- Venue
- Biogeosciences
- Publisher
- Copernicus GmbH
- Published
- 2017-04-03
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1773-1792
- ISSN
- 1726-4170 (ISSN-L)
- 1726-4189
- OpenAlex
- W2604727834
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 94
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 1.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Biogeosciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DiVA at Umeå University (Umeå University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Keywords
- sediment organic matter, spatial variability, elemental geochemistry, boreal lakes, organic matter sources, terrestrial organic matter, algal organic matter, organic matter decomposition, redox conditions, biogeochemical cycles, carbon cycle, nutrients, trace elements, biogenic silica, pyrolysis-GC/MS
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