Compositional patterns of lignin derived phenols in bottom sediments and subsea permafrost from the Buor-Khaya Bay

• Main Authors: Alexander Ulyantsev (10340783), Svetlana Bratskaya (1699336), Nikolay Belyaev (10340786)
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Carbon; Organic Geochemistry; Lithology; Laptev Sea; Khaya; Buor-Khaya; laptev; permafrost
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.17632/7dfh5v7k8b.1

Current set contains data on the molecular composition of lignin derived phenols and organic carbon content in bottom sediments and subsea permafrost rocks from five sediment cores obtained in the Buor-Khaya Bay (Laptev Sea). The substantially irregular distribution of lignin concentration and lignin-based molecular proxies revealed in the investigated samples reflect drastic environmental and depositional changes in the study area of the Laptev Sea. The increased OC content (2–5%) at some horizons and the highest concentrations (up to 23%) are related to the presence of vegetable residues such as wood and moss. Riverine flux and coastal thermoabrasion are considerable in lignin supply. Vanillyl and syringyl phenols dominate the lignin pool. Gymnosperm wood accounts for a significant fraction of the lignin. Concentration of lignin in sediments varies in five orders of magnitude. Strong share of lignin consists of biochemically unaltered compounds. Distribution of specific lignin phenols and related ratios coupled with lithology and grain size revealed that fluvial processes have been leading here. The substantial lignin stock revealed in this study represents an important portion of the terrestrial OC pool in subsea permafrost. The presence of biochemically intact OM in the gradually thawing subsea cryolithozone warrants further investigation.