Alkenones are common in prairie lakes of interior Canada

Toney, J.L. , Leavitt, P.R. and Huang, Y. (2011) Alkenones are common in prairie lakes of interior Canada. Organic Geochemistry, 42(7), pp. 707-712. (doi: 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2011.06.014)

Abstract

Long chain alkenone (LCA) lipids produced by haptophyte algae are ubiquitous in marine environments and are increasingly reported from enhanced conductivity, solute rich lakes worldwide. Following our survey of lakes in the United States (Toney et al., 10.1016/j.gca.2009.11.021), we examined surface sediments from 19 lakes in central Canada for alkenones and compared our data with lake characteristics. We found that 68% of surveyed lakes contained sedimentary LCAs, all have C37:4me dominated profiles. Lakes containing LCAs had salinities >1.5 g/l and SO4/CO3 ratios >3.5. LCA concentrations were highly elevated (∑C37 > 500 μg/g sediment) in sediments of meromictic lakes with permanently anoxic deep waters. Overall, the distribution of LCAs was consistent with a previous survey of lakes in the interior of the United States demonstrating that tetra-unsaturated lipids were most common in sulfate rich, saline lakes. Alkenone unsaturation indices (View the MathML source) from the upper 10 cm of the sediment column are weakly correlated with point sampled average spring water temperature (r2 = 0.30, p = 0.067) and the range of inferred temperatures is in agreement with the average, long term potential evapotranspiration weighted temperature.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Toney, Professor Jaime
• Authors: Toney, J.L., Leavitt, P.R., and Huang, Y.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
• Journal Name: Organic Geochemistry
• ISSN: 0146-6380
• Published Online: 25 June 2011