Molecular organic matter in speleothems and its potential as an environmental proxy

Alison J. Blyth; Andy Baker; Matthew J. Collins; Kirsty E.H. Penkman; Mabs A. Gilmour; Jennifer S. Moss; Dominique Genty; Russell N. Drysdale

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.02.002

Molecular organic matter in speleothems and its potential as an environmental proxy

Alison J. Blyth^*, Andy Baker, Matthew J. Collins, Kirsty E.H. Penkman, Mabs A. Gilmour, Jennifer S. Moss, Dominique Genty, Russell N. Drysdale

^*Corresponding author for this work

51 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Organic matter preserved in speleothems has considerable potential to record changes in the surrounding environment, particularly in the overlying vegetation. Here, we review three types of organic matter analysis relevant to speleothems: organic fluorescence, lipid biomarker analysis, and amino acid racemisation. Organic matter luminescence provides a useful non-destructive and rapid method for assessing dissolved organic matter quantity and quality, while biomarker analysis (amino acids and lipids) has the potential to provide a more detailed signal related to specific parts of the surrounding ecosystem such as the dominant vegetation regime and bacterial activity. Amino acid analysis has yet to prove demonstrably useful in stalagmites, due to the inability to characterise the sources of proteinaceous matter. However, the small but increasing body of work on lipid biomarker analysis in stalagmites has shown that a wide variety of recognisable biomarkers are preserved over long periods of time (>100 ka), can be recovered at temporal resolutions of <10 yr, and show meaningful changes through time. This approach is therefore of considerable potential value to Quaternary science.

Original language	English
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	27
Issue number	9-10
Pages (from-to)	905-921
Number of pages	17
ISSN	0277-3791
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.02.002
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2008

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10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.02.002

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title = "Molecular organic matter in speleothems and its potential as an environmental proxy",

abstract = "Organic matter preserved in speleothems has considerable potential to record changes in the surrounding environment, particularly in the overlying vegetation. Here, we review three types of organic matter analysis relevant to speleothems: organic fluorescence, lipid biomarker analysis, and amino acid racemisation. Organic matter luminescence provides a useful non-destructive and rapid method for assessing dissolved organic matter quantity and quality, while biomarker analysis (amino acids and lipids) has the potential to provide a more detailed signal related to specific parts of the surrounding ecosystem such as the dominant vegetation regime and bacterial activity. Amino acid analysis has yet to prove demonstrably useful in stalagmites, due to the inability to characterise the sources of proteinaceous matter. However, the small but increasing body of work on lipid biomarker analysis in stalagmites has shown that a wide variety of recognisable biomarkers are preserved over long periods of time (>100 ka), can be recovered at temporal resolutions of <10 yr, and show meaningful changes through time. This approach is therefore of considerable potential value to Quaternary science.",

author = "Blyth, {Alison J.} and Andy Baker and Collins, {Matthew J.} and Penkman, {Kirsty E.H.} and Gilmour, {Mabs A.} and Moss, {Jennifer S.} and Dominique Genty and Drysdale, {Russell N.}",

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AU - Blyth, Alison J.

AU - Baker, Andy

AU - Collins, Matthew J.

AU - Penkman, Kirsty E.H.

AU - Gilmour, Mabs A.

AU - Moss, Jennifer S.

AU - Genty, Dominique

AU - Drysdale, Russell N.

PY - 2008/5/1

Y1 - 2008/5/1

N2 - Organic matter preserved in speleothems has considerable potential to record changes in the surrounding environment, particularly in the overlying vegetation. Here, we review three types of organic matter analysis relevant to speleothems: organic fluorescence, lipid biomarker analysis, and amino acid racemisation. Organic matter luminescence provides a useful non-destructive and rapid method for assessing dissolved organic matter quantity and quality, while biomarker analysis (amino acids and lipids) has the potential to provide a more detailed signal related to specific parts of the surrounding ecosystem such as the dominant vegetation regime and bacterial activity. Amino acid analysis has yet to prove demonstrably useful in stalagmites, due to the inability to characterise the sources of proteinaceous matter. However, the small but increasing body of work on lipid biomarker analysis in stalagmites has shown that a wide variety of recognisable biomarkers are preserved over long periods of time (>100 ka), can be recovered at temporal resolutions of <10 yr, and show meaningful changes through time. This approach is therefore of considerable potential value to Quaternary science.

AB - Organic matter preserved in speleothems has considerable potential to record changes in the surrounding environment, particularly in the overlying vegetation. Here, we review three types of organic matter analysis relevant to speleothems: organic fluorescence, lipid biomarker analysis, and amino acid racemisation. Organic matter luminescence provides a useful non-destructive and rapid method for assessing dissolved organic matter quantity and quality, while biomarker analysis (amino acids and lipids) has the potential to provide a more detailed signal related to specific parts of the surrounding ecosystem such as the dominant vegetation regime and bacterial activity. Amino acid analysis has yet to prove demonstrably useful in stalagmites, due to the inability to characterise the sources of proteinaceous matter. However, the small but increasing body of work on lipid biomarker analysis in stalagmites has shown that a wide variety of recognisable biomarkers are preserved over long periods of time (>100 ka), can be recovered at temporal resolutions of <10 yr, and show meaningful changes through time. This approach is therefore of considerable potential value to Quaternary science.

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Molecular organic matter in speleothems and its potential as an environmental proxy

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