Evaluation of triterpenols and sterols as organic matter biomarkers in a mangrove ecosystem in northern Brazil
B.P. Koch
J. Rullkötter
R.J. Lara
Abstract
Mangrove leaves, sediment, and excrementfrom the mangrove crab Ucidescordatus from the coastal areas of theBragança peninsula in North Brazil wereanalysed to determine suitable biomarkersfor mangrove-derived organic matter. Leavesof Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove),the dominant species in the area, werecharacterised by high amounts ofβ-amyrin, germanicol, taraxerol, andlupeol. Avicennia germinans (blackmangrove) mainly contained betulin, lupeol,and β-sitosterol, whereas significantquantities of β-sitosterol and lupeolwere typical of Laguncularia racemosa(white mangrove), the locally leastabundant species. Except for betulin, theexcrement of U. cordatus containedall of the above substances, but moststrongly reflected the triterpenolsignature of R. mangle leaves, thepredominant diet of this crab. Surfacesediments from various mangrove locationshad relatively uniform compositions thatpossibly reflect tidal mixing. Sedimentextracts were dominated by taraxerol andcontained smaller amounts ofβ-amyrin, germanicol, and lupeol.Only sediments in a marsh area, dominatedby Sporobolus virginicus (seashoredropseed) and Eleocharis sp. (spikerush), revealed a differentbiomarker distribution. Core samples ofsubrecent sediment (up to 4000 14C yrBP), for which previous pollen analysisindicated vegetation dominated bymangroves, had compositions similar to thatof the surface sediment. Taraxerol was themain component in the examined mangrovesediments and may be a marker for mangrovematter in this region, although analysis ofplant material did not unequivocallysupport this. Germanicol is suggested to bea biomarker for organic matter from R.mangle in North Brazil. It was detected inolder sediments, and was not significantlyaffected by ingestion by land crabs.
Koch B.P., Rullkötter J. and Lara R.J. (2003) Evaluation of triterpenols and sterols as organic matter biomarkers in a mangrove ecosystem in northern Brazil. 11(4): 257-263. 10.1023/A:1025063516054
@article{Koch2003,
Title = {Evaluation of triterpenols and sterols as organic matter biomarkers in a mangrove ecosystem in northern Brazil},
Author = {Koch, B.P. and Rullkötter, J. and Lara, R.J.},
Editor = {},
Year = {2003},
Pages = {257-263},
Volume = {11},
Doi = {10.1023/A:1025063516054},
Abstract = {Mangrove leaves, sediment, and excrementfrom the mangrove crab Ucidescordatus from the coastal areas of theBragança peninsula in North Brazil wereanalysed to determine suitable biomarkersfor mangrove-derived organic matter. Leavesof Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove),the dominant species in the area, werecharacterised by high amounts ofβ-amyrin, germanicol, taraxerol, andlupeol. Avicennia germinans (blackmangrove) mainly contained betulin, lupeol,and β-sitosterol, whereas significantquantities of β-sitosterol and lupeolwere typical of Laguncularia racemosa(white mangrove), the locally leastabundant species. Except for betulin, theexcrement of U. cordatus containedall of the above substances, but moststrongly reflected the triterpenolsignature of R. mangle leaves, thepredominant diet of this crab. Surfacesediments from various mangrove locationshad relatively uniform compositions thatpossibly reflect tidal mixing. Sedimentextracts were dominated by taraxerol andcontained smaller amounts ofβ-amyrin, germanicol, and lupeol.Only sediments in a marsh area, dominatedby Sporobolus virginicus (seashoredropseed) and Eleocharis sp. (spikerush), revealed a differentbiomarker distribution. Core samples ofsubrecent sediment (up to 4000 14C yrBP), for which previous pollen analysisindicated vegetation dominated bymangroves, had compositions similar to thatof the surface sediment. Taraxerol was themain component in the examined mangrovesediments and may be a marker for mangrovematter in this region, although analysis ofplant material did not unequivocallysupport this. Germanicol is suggested to bea biomarker for organic matter from R.mangle in North Brazil. It was detected inolder sediments, and was not significantlyaffected by ingestion by land crabs.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Koch, B.P.
AU - Rullkötter, J.
AU - Lara, R.J.
TI - Evaluation of triterpenols and sterols as organic matter biomarkers in a mangrove ecosystem in northern Brazil
PY - 2003
SP - 257-263
VL - 11
DO - 10.1023/A:1025063516054
AB - Mangrove leaves, sediment, and excrementfrom the mangrove crab Ucidescordatus from the coastal areas of theBragança peninsula in North Brazil wereanalysed to determine suitable biomarkersfor mangrove-derived organic matter. Leavesof Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove),the dominant species in the area, werecharacterised by high amounts ofβ-amyrin, germanicol, taraxerol, andlupeol. Avicennia germinans (blackmangrove) mainly contained betulin, lupeol,and β-sitosterol, whereas significantquantities of β-sitosterol and lupeolwere typical of Laguncularia racemosa(white mangrove), the locally leastabundant species. Except for betulin, theexcrement of U. cordatus containedall of the above substances, but moststrongly reflected the triterpenolsignature of R. mangle leaves, thepredominant diet of this crab. Surfacesediments from various mangrove locationshad relatively uniform compositions thatpossibly reflect tidal mixing. Sedimentextracts were dominated by taraxerol andcontained smaller amounts ofβ-amyrin, germanicol, and lupeol.Only sediments in a marsh area, dominatedby Sporobolus virginicus (seashoredropseed) and Eleocharis sp. (spikerush), revealed a differentbiomarker distribution. Core samples ofsubrecent sediment (up to 4000 14C yrBP), for which previous pollen analysisindicated vegetation dominated bymangroves, had compositions similar to thatof the surface sediment. Taraxerol was themain component in the examined mangrovesediments and may be a marker for mangrovematter in this region, although analysis ofplant material did not unequivocallysupport this. Germanicol is suggested to bea biomarker for organic matter from R.mangle in North Brazil. It was detected inolder sediments, and was not significantlyaffected by ingestion by land crabs.
ER -
