Organic carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) of Arctic Amerasian Continental shelf sediments

Abstract.

Organic matter origins are inferred from carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) in recent continental shelf sediments and major rivers from 465 locations from the north Bering-Chukchi-East Siberian-Beaufort Sea, Arctic Amerasia. Generally, there is a cross-shelf increase in δ¹³C, which is due to progressive increased contribution seaward of marine-derived organic carbon to surface sediments. This conclusion is supported by the correlations between sediment δ¹³C, OC/N, and δ¹⁵N. The sources of total organic carbon (TOC) to the Amerasian margin sediments are primarily from marine water-column phytoplankton and terrigenous C₃ plants constituted of tundra taiga and angiosperms. In contrast to more temperate regions, the source of TOC from terrigenous C₄ and CAM plants to the study area is probably insignificant because these plants do not exist in the northern high latitudes. The input of carbon to the northern Alaskan shelf sediments from nearshore kelp community (Laminaria solidungula) is generally insignificant as indicated by the absence of high sediment δ¹³C values (–16.5 to –13.6‰) which are typical of the macrophytes. Our study suggests that the isotopic composition of sediment TOC has potential application in reconstructing temporal changes in delivery and accumulation of organic matter resulting from glacial–interglacial changes in sea level and environments. Furthermore, recycling and advection of the extensive deposits of terrestrially derived organic matter from land, or the wide Amerasian margin, could be a mechanism for elevating total CO₂ and pCO₂ in the Arctic Basin halocline.