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Hydrogen isotope ratios of individual lipids in lake sediments as novel tracers of climatic and environmental change: a surface sediment test

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Abstract

We determined hydrogen isotope ratios of modern lake-waters and individual lipids from surface sediments of 36 lakes in the eastern North America. The lakes selected lie on two transects (south–north transect from Florida to Ontario and east–west transect from Wisconsin to South Dakota) and encompass large temperature and moisture gradients, and a wide range of lake water δD values (>100‰). The study allows a rigorous test of the applicability of using δD values of sedimentary lipids as paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental proxies. We examined a range of lipids including C17 n-alkane, straight chain fatty acids, phytol and sterols in both free extracts and ester-bound fractions in the solvent extracted sediments. Useful isotopic indicators are expected to show a linear correlation and constant fractionation factor between their δD values in surface sediments and modern lake water. Our results demonstrate that several lipid compounds, free and ester-bound palmitic acid (16:0), C17 n-alkane, and phytol are useful candidates for paleoclimate reconstructions, in addition to two sterols that have been suggested previously (. Compound-specific D/H ratios of lipid biomarkers from sediments as a proxy for environmental and climatic conditons. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 65: 213–222). Authigenic or biogenic carbonate in sediments is conventional material for paleoclimatic study using ocean and lake sediments. However, because majority of lake sediments do not contain suitable carbonate materials for isotopic study, hydrogen isotope ratios of these lipids provide invaluable new sources of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental information.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA

    Yongsong Huang, Bryan Shuman, Yi Wang & Thompson Webb

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  1. Yongsong Huang
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  2. Bryan Shuman
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Huang, Y., Shuman, B., Wang, Y. et al. Hydrogen isotope ratios of individual lipids in lake sediments as novel tracers of climatic and environmental change: a surface sediment test. J Paleolimnol 31, 363–375 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOPL.0000021855.80535.13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOPL.0000021855.80535.13

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