Sedimentological and biogeochemical composition of fractionated permafrost- and sediment organic carbon of the nearshore zone of Herschel Island (Yukon, Canada) ...

• Main Authors: Jong, Dirk, Bröder, Lisa, Tesi, Tommaso, Tanski, George, Oudenhuijsen, Mickolai, Fritz, Michael, Lantuit, Hugues, Haghipour, Negar, Eglinton, Timothy Ian, Vonk, Jorien E
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2024
• Subjects: Arctic; Biomarkers; organic carbon; Permafrost; sediment; Multiple investigations; Canada; Herschel Island; Mackenzie River; Yukon; Herschel; Mackenzie river; permafrost
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.960026; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.960026

This study aims to give insight into the processes affecting permafrost organic carbon (OC) during transport from its source to its sink, through a study on three sediment fractions along a land-to-ocean transect. Material was followed from thawing permafrost, through a dynamic 'disturbed zone' and the nearshore zone, to an enclosed basin offshore Herschel Island - Qikiqtaruk, to assess sorting and degradation processes on specific fractions of sediment OC. Sediment, soil and permafrost samples were taken along a transect from the source (undisturbed active layer and permafrost), via two transitional zones (a terrestrial disturbed zone, i.e. the 'scar zone' of the RTS, and the marine nearshore zone up to a water depth of 5 m), to sink (basin sediment, water depth >20 m) at the coast of Herschel Island – Qikiqtaruk and the (semi-enclosed) Herschel Basin in Yukon, Canada, just west of the Mackenzie River delta. Samples were taken in May 2016 and July 2017. Sample material was fractionated with an aqueous ...