Gireesh Kumar, T R; Dr.Chandramohanakumar, N(Cochin University Of Science And Technology, February , 2013)
[+]
[-]
Abstract:
The source, fate and diagentic pathway of sedimentary organic matter in
estuaries are difficult to delineate due to the complexity of organic matter
sources, intensive physical mixing and biological processes. A combination of
bulk organic matter techniques and molecular biomarkers are found to be
successful in explaining organic matter dynamics in estuaries. The basic
requirement for these multi-proxy approaches are (i) sources have significantly
differing characteristics, (ii) there are a sufficient number of tracers to delineate
all sources and (iii) organic matter degradation and processing have little,
similar or predictable effects on end member characteristics.
Although there have been abundant researches that have attempted to
tackle difficulties related to the source and fate of organic matter in
estuarine systems, our understanding remains limited or rather inconsistent
regarding the Indian estuaries. Cochin estuary is the largest among many
extensive estuarine systems along the southwest coast of India. It supports
as much biological productivity and diversity as tropical rain forests. In this
study, we have used a combination of bulk geochemical parameters and
different group of molecular biomarkers to define organic matter sources
and thereby identifying various biogeochemical processes acting along the
salinity gradient of the Cochin estuary
Description:
Department of Chemical Oceanography
School of Marine Sciences
Cochin University of Science and Technology