An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Measurement of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) preserved in speleothems offers a potential proxy for past temperature but, in general, their origin is unknown. To understand the source of speleothem GDGTs, we undertook an irrigation experiment to activate drip site...

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Main Authors: Baker, A., Jex, C., Rutlidge, H., Woltering, M., Blyth, Alison, Andersen, M., Cuthbert, M., Marjo, C., Markowska, M., Rau, G., Khan, S.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/32246
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author Baker, A.
Jex, C.
Rutlidge, H.
Woltering, M.
Blyth, Alison
Andersen, M.
Cuthbert, M.
Marjo, C.
Markowska, M.
Rau, G.
Khan, S.
author_facet Baker, A.
Jex, C.
Rutlidge, H.
Woltering, M.
Blyth, Alison
Andersen, M.
Cuthbert, M.
Marjo, C.
Markowska, M.
Rau, G.
Khan, S.
author_sort Baker, A.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Measurement of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) preserved in speleothems offers a potential proxy for past temperature but, in general, their origin is unknown. To understand the source of speleothem GDGTs, we undertook an irrigation experiment to activate drip sites within a hydrogeochemically well characterised cave. The cave drip water was analysed for GDGTs, inorganic elements (major ions and trace elements), stable isotopes and dissolved organic matter concentration and character. Published speleothem GDGT records from the site have been observed to be dominated by isoprenoid GDGTs and interpreted as deriving from in situ microbial communities within the cave or vadose zone. The drip water in our irrigation experiment had a GDGT distribution distinct from that of soil and speleothem samples, providing direct evidence that the distinctive GDGT signature in speleothems is derived from a subsurface source. Analysis of GDGTs in this context allowed further elucidation of their source and transport in cave systems, enhancing our understanding of how they might be used as a temperature proxy.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-322462017-09-13T15:25:11Z An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions Baker, A. Jex, C. Rutlidge, H. Woltering, M. Blyth, Alison Andersen, M. Cuthbert, M. Marjo, C. Markowska, M. Rau, G. Khan, S. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Measurement of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) preserved in speleothems offers a potential proxy for past temperature but, in general, their origin is unknown. To understand the source of speleothem GDGTs, we undertook an irrigation experiment to activate drip sites within a hydrogeochemically well characterised cave. The cave drip water was analysed for GDGTs, inorganic elements (major ions and trace elements), stable isotopes and dissolved organic matter concentration and character. Published speleothem GDGT records from the site have been observed to be dominated by isoprenoid GDGTs and interpreted as deriving from in situ microbial communities within the cave or vadose zone. The drip water in our irrigation experiment had a GDGT distribution distinct from that of soil and speleothem samples, providing direct evidence that the distinctive GDGT signature in speleothems is derived from a subsurface source. Analysis of GDGTs in this context allowed further elucidation of their source and transport in cave systems, enhancing our understanding of how they might be used as a temperature proxy. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/32246 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2016.01.005 restricted
spellingShingle Baker, A.
Jex, C.
Rutlidge, H.
Woltering, M.
Blyth, Alison
Andersen, M.
Cuthbert, M.
Marjo, C.
Markowska, M.
Rau, G.
Khan, S.
An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions
title An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions
title_full An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions
title_fullStr An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions
title_full_unstemmed An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions
title_short An irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions
title_sort irrigation experiment to compare soil, water and speleothem tetraether membrane lipid distributions
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/32246