Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

The South Atlantic in the Late Quaternary pp 295–322Cite as

Terrigenous Signals in Sediments of the Low Latitude Atlantic — Implications for Environmental Variations during the Late Quarternary: Part I: Organic Carbon

  • Chapter

Abstract

The established view of a marine-dominated organic signature of modern and late Quarternay deep ocean sediments is challenged by recently performed organic geochemical, petrolocical, and palynological investigations. This study reviews multidisciplinary concepts that were developed over the last decade in Bremen and have been successfully applied to modern and late Quarternary sediments from the low latitude Atlantic. Relative proportions and compositional variations of terrigenous OM are deduced from macerals (organic particles), freshwater diatoms, phytoliths, pollen grains, lignin signatures, and carbon isotopic compositions of bulk organic matter as well as from higher plant-derived long-chain n-alkanes. For their variety of depositional settings and their close location next to each other the dust-influenced central Equatorial Atlantic and the West-African continental margin are examined. To assess environmental variations during the late Quarternary, terrigenous organic records from the central Atlantic to the low latitude West-African continental margin and the Congo deep-sea fan are discussed with regard to the paleoclimatic evolution of central African dust source areas, continental run off and vegetational changes in the Congo catchment area. Additionally, the influence of degradation processes and/or selective preservation, both on short and long time scales, of non-reactive (mostly terrigenous) organic matter is investigated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bauch HA, Kassens H, Naidina OD, Kunz-Pirrung M, Thiede J (2001) Composition and flux of Holocene sediments on the Laptev Sea Shelf, Arctic Sibiria. Quat Res 55: 344–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bauer JE, Druffel ERM (1998) Ocean margins as a significant source of organic matter to the deep open ocean. Nature 392: 482–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergamaschi BA, Tsamakis E, Keil RG, Eglinton TI, Montlucon DB, Hedges Jl (1997) The effect of grain size and surface area on organic matter, lignin and carbonhydrate concentration, and molecular compostions in Peru Margin sediments. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 61: 1247–1260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird MI, Cali JA (1998) A million-year record of fire in sub-Saharan Africa. Nature 394: 767–769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird MI, Giresse P, Chivas AR (1994) Effect of forest and savanna vegetation on the carbon-isotope composition of sediments from the Sanaga River, Cameroon. Limnol Oceanogr 39: 1845–1854

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonifay D, Giresse P (1992) Middle to Late Quarternary sediment flux and post-depositional processes between the continental slope off Gabon and the Mid-Guinean margin. Mar Geol 106: 107–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen AD (1970) An allochthonous paet deposit from south Florida. Geol Soc Am Bull 81:2477–2482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeMenocal PB (1995) Plio-Pleistocene African climate. Science 270: 53–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeMenocal PB, Ruddiman WF, Pokras EM (1993) Influences of high-and low-Iatidude processes on African terrestrial climate: Pleistocene eolian records from equatorial Atlantic Ocean Drilling Program site 663. Paleoceanography 8: 209–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dittmar T, Lara RJ (2001) Molecular evidence for lignin degradation in sulfate-reducing mangrove sediments (Amazonia, Brazil). Geochim Cosmochim Acta 65: 1417–1428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Hooghiemstra H (1989) The Saharan-Sahelian boundary during the Brunhes cbron. Acta Bot Neerland 38: 405–415

    Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Agwu COC (1991) Environmental control of pollen grain distribution patterns in the Gulf of Guinea and offshore NW-Africa. Geol Rundsch 80: 567–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Weinelt M (1996) Vegetation history of the savanna corridor between the Guinean and the Congolian rain forest during the last 150,000 years. Veget Hist Archaeobot 5: 273–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Wyputta U (2002) Comparing Atmospheric Trajectories and the Distribution of Pollen in Marine Sediments along the South-Western African Coast. Quat Sci Rev 22: 157–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Marret F, Winn K (1998) Land-sea correlation by means of terrestrial and marine palynomorphs from the equatorial East Atlantic: Phasing of SE trade winds and ocean productivity. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 142: 51–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Schneider R, Schmüser A, Jahns S (1999) Marine terrestrial interaction of climate changes in west Equatorial Africa of the last 190,000 years. Palaeoecol Africa 26: 61–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Jahns S, Marret F, Ning S (2000) Vegetation change in equatorial West Africa: time-slices for the last 150 ka. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeo-ecoI 155: 95–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dupont LM, Donner B, Schneider R, Wefer G (2001) Mid-Pleistocene environmental change in tropical Africa began as early as 1.05 Ma. Geology 29: 195–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eglinton TI, Benitez-Nelson BC, Pearson A, McNichol AP, Bauer JE, Druffel ERM (1997) Variability in radiocarbon ages of individual organic compounds from marine sediments. Science 277: 796–799

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eglinton TI, Eglinton G, Dupont L, Sholkovitz ER, Montluçon D, Reddy CM (2002) Composition, Age and Provenance of Organic Matter in NW African Dust over the Atlantic Ocean. Geochem Geophys Geosys 3: doi 10.1029/2001GC000269

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson KEL, Blanchette RA, Ander P (1990) Microbial and Enzymatic Degradation of Wood and Wood Components. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Farella N, Lucotte M, Louchouam P, Roulet M (2001) Deforestation modifying terrestrial organic transport in the Rio Tapajós, Brazilian Amazon. Org Geochem 32: 1443–1458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frédoux A (1994) Pollen analysis of a deep-sea core in the Gulf of Guinea: Vegetation and climatic changes during the last 225,000 years BP. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 109: 317–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gagosian RB, Peltzer ET (1985) The importance of atmospheric input of terrestial organic material to deep-sea sediments. Organic Geochem 10: 661–669

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gagosian RB, Peltzer ET, Merrill IT (1987) Long-range transport of terrestrially derived lipids in aerosols from the South Pacific. Nature 325: 800–804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gearing JN (1988) The use of stable isotope ratios for fracting the Nearshore — Offshore exchange of organic matter. In: Jansson BO (ed) Coastal-Offshore Ecosystem Interactions. Springer, Berlin, pp 69–101

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Giresse P, Maley J, Brenac P (1994) Late Quarternary palaeoenvironments in the Lake Barombi Mbo (West Cameroon) deduced from pollen and carbon isotopes of organic matter. Palaeogeogr Plaeoclirnatol Palaeoecol 107: 65–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giresse P, Gadel F, Serve L, Barusseau JP (1998) Indicators of climate-and sediment source-variations at Site 959: Implications for the reconstruction of paleo-environments in the Gulf of Guinea trough Pleisto-cene times. In: Mascle J, Lohman GP, Moullard M (eds) Ocean Drilling Program Scientific Results 159. Ocean Drilling Program, College Station, Texas, pp 585–604

    Google Scholar 

  • Giresse P, Wiewióra A (2001) Stratigraphic condensed deposition and diagenetic evolution of green clay minerals in deep water sediments on the Ivory coast — Ghana Ridge. Mar Geol 179: 51–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goñi MA, Hedges Jl (1992) Lignin dimers: Structures, distribution, and potential geochemical application. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 56: 4025–4043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goñi MA, Ruttenberg KC, Eglinton TI (1997) Sources and contribution of terrigenous organic carbon to surface sediments in the Gulf of Mexico. Nature 389: 275–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goñi MA, Ruttenberg KC, Eglinton TI (1998) A reassessment of the sources and importance of land-derived organic matter in surface sediments of the Gulf of Mexico. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 62: 3055–3075

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goñi MA, Yunker MB, MacDonald RW, Eglinton TI (2000) Distribution and sources of organic biomarkers in arctic sediments from the Mackenzie River and Beaufort Shelf. Mar Chem 71: 23–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gough MA, Fauzi R, Mantoura C, Preston M (1993) Terrestrial plant biopolymers in marine sediments. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57: 945–964

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton SE, Hedges Jl (1988) The comparative geochemistries of lignins and carbohydrates in an anoxic fjord. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 52: 129–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges Jl, Parker PL (1976) Land-derived organic matter in the surface sediments from the Gulf of Mexico. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 40: 1019–1029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges JI, Keil RG (1995) Sedimentary organic matter preservation: An assessment and speculative synthesis. Mar Chem 49: 81–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges JI, Keil RG, Benner R (1997) What happens to terrestrial organic matter in the ocean? Org Geochem 27: 195–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges Jl, Mann DC (1979a) The characterization of plant tissues by their lignin oxidation products. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 43: 1803–1807

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges Jl, Mann DC (1979b) The lignin geochemistry ofmarine sediments from the southern Washington coast. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 43: 1809–1818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges JL, Clark WA, Quay PD, Richey JE, Devol AH, Santos U (1986) Composition and fluxes of particulate organic material in the Amazon River. Limnol Oceanogr 31: 717–738

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holtvoeth J, Wagner T, Schubert CJ, Horsfield B, Mann U (2001) Late Quarternary supply of terrigenous organic matter to the Congo Deep-Sea Fan (ODP Site 1075): Implications for equatorial African paleo-climate. Geo-Mar Lett 21: 23–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holtvoeth J, Wagner T, Schubert C (2003) Organic matter in river-influenced continental margin sediments: The land-ocean and climate linkage at the Late Quaternary Congo fan (ODP Site 1075). Geochem Geophys Geosyst, in press

    Google Scholar 

  • Hooghiemstra H (1989) Variations of the NW African trade wind regime during the last 140,000 years: Changes in pollen flux evidenced by marine sediment records. In: Leinen M and Sarnthein M (eds) Paleo-climatology and Paleometeorology: Modem and past patterns of global atmospheric transport. NATO ASI Series C 282: 733–770

    Google Scholar 

  • Hooghiemstra H, Agwu COC, Beug HJ (1986) Pollen and spore distribution in recent marine sediments: A record of NW-African seasonal wind patterns and vegetation belts. “Meteor” Forschungs-Ergebnisse C40, pp 87–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Hooghiemstra H, Stalling H, Agwu COC, Dupont LM (1992) Vegetational and climatic changes at the northern fringe of the Sahara 250,000-5000 years BP: Evidence from 4 marine pollen records located between Portugal and the Canary Islands. Rev Palaeobot Palynol 74:1–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Y, Dupont L, Sarnthein M, Hayes JM, Eglinton G (2000) Mapping of C4 plant input from North-West Africa into North-East Atlantic sediments. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64: 3505–3513

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishiwatari R, Uzaki M (1987) Diagenetic changes of lignin compounds in a more than 0.6 million-year-old lacustrine sediment (Lake Biwa, Japan). Geochim Cosmochim Acta 51: 321–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ittekkot V (1988) Global trends in the nature of organic matter in river suspensions. Nature 332: 436–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahns S (1996) Vegetation history and climatic changes in West Equatorial Africa during the Late Pliocene and Holocene, based on a marine pollen diagram from the Congo fan. Veg Hist Archaeobot 5: 207–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahns S, Hüls M, Sarnthein M (1998) Vegetation and climate history of west equatorial Africa based on a marine pollen record off Liberia (site GIK 16776) covering the last 400,000 years. Rev Palaeobot Palynol 102: 277–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Keil RG, Tsamakis E, Giddings JC, Hedges JI (1998) Biochemical distributions (amino acids, neutral sugars, and lignin phenols) among size-classes of modem marine sediments from the Washington coast. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 62: 1347–1364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knies J, Stein R (1998) New aspects of organic carbon deposition and its paleoceanographic implications along the northern Barents Sea margin during the last 30,000 years. Paleoceanography 13: 384–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutzbach JE (1987) The changing pulse of the monsoon. In: Fein JS, Stephens P (eds) Monsoons. J Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp 247–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Lézine A-M (1991) West African paleoclimates during the last climatic cycle inferred from an Atlantic deep-sea pollen record. Quat Res 35: 456–463

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Littke R, Lückge A, Welte DH (1997) Quantification of organic matter degradation by microbial sulfate reduction for Quaternary sediments from the Northern Arabian Sea. Geowissenschaften 84: 312–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lobbes JM, Fitznar HP, Kattner G (2000) Biogeochemical characteristics of dissolved and particulate organic matter in Russian rivers entering the Arctic Ocean. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64: 2973–2983

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Louchouam P, Lucotte M, Canuel R, Gagné JP, Richard LF (1997) Sources and early diagenesis of lignin and bulk organic matter in the sediments of the Lower St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay Fjord. Mar Chem 58: 3–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Louchouam P, Lucotte M, Farella N (1999) Historical and geographical variations of sources and transport of terrigenous organic matter within a large-scale coastal environment. Org Geochem 30: 675–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig W (2001) The age of river carbon. Nature 409: 466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig W, Amiotte-Suchet P, Munhoven G, Probst JL (1998) Atmospheric CO2 consumption by continental erosion: Present-day controls and implications for the Last Glacial Maximum. Glob Planet Change 16/17: 107–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig W, Probst JL, Kempe S (1996) Predicting the oceanic input of organic carbon by continental erosion. Glob Biogeochem Cycl 10: 23–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCabe A (1984) Depositional environments of coal and coal-bearingstrata. In: Rahmani RA, Flores RM (eds) Sedimentology of coal and coal-bearing sequences. Spec Pub Int Ass Sedimentol 7: 13–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Miltner A, Emeis KC (2000) Origin and transport of terrestrial organic matter from the Oder lagoon to the Arkona Basin, Southern Baltic Sea. Org Geochem 31: 57–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitra S, Bianchi TS, Guo L, Santschi PH (2000) Terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter in the Chesapeake Bay and the Middle Atlantic Bight. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64: 3547–3557

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller PJ, Schneider RR, Ruhland G (1994) Late Quaternary PCO2 variations in the Angola current: evidence from organic carbon δ13C and alkenone temperatures. In: Zahn R, Pedersen TF, Kaminski MA, Labeyrie L (eds) Carbon Cycling in the Glacial Ocean: Con-strains on the Ocean’s Role in Global Change. NATO ASI Series I 17, Springer, Berlin, pp 343–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson BC, Goñi MA, Hedges JI, Blanchette RA (1995) Soft-rot fungal degradation of lignin in 2700 year old archeological woods. Holzforschung 49: 1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onstad GD, Canfield DE, Quay PD, Hedges JI (2000) Sources of particulate organic matter in rivers from the continental USA: Lignin phenol and stable carbon isotope composition. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64: 3539–3546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orem WH, Colman SM, Lerch HE (1997) Lignin phenols in sediments of Lake Baikal, Siberia: Application to paleoenvironmental studies. Org Geochem 27: 153–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pokras EM, Mix AC (1985) Eolian evidence for spatial variability of Late Quarternary climates in tropical Africa. Quat Res 24: 137–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pokras EM, Ruddiman WF (1989) Evolution of south Saharan/Sahelian aridity based on freshwater diatoms (genus Melosira) and opal pytholiths: Sites 657–661. In: Ruddiman WF, Samthein M, Baldauf J, Backmann J, Bloemendal J, Curry W, Farrimond P, Faugeres JC, Janecek TR, Katsura Y, Manivit H, Mazzullo J, Mienert J, Pokras EM, Raymo ME, Schultheiss PJ, Steinn R, Tauxe L, Valet JP, Weaver P, Yasuda H (eds) Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program. Scientific Results 108: 143–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Prahl FG, Ertel JR, Goñi MA, Sparrow MA, Eversmeyer B (1994) Terrestrial organic carbon contributions to sediments of the Washington margin. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 58: 3053–3048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prahl FG, Muelhausen LA (1989) Lipid biomarkers as geochemical tools for paleoceanographic study. In: Berger WH, Smetacek VS, Wefer G (eds) Productivity of the Ocean: Present and Past. J Wiley & Sons, Chinchester, pp 271–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Rath S, Wagner T, Henrich S (1999) Pleistozäne Schwankungen im Staubeintrag und in der Karbonaterhaltung im äquatorialen Atlantik (ODP Site 663) zwischen 480 und 390 Ka: Hinweise aus Korngrößenanalysen. Z Geol Paläontol Teil I (H 7–10): 1–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratmeyer V, Fischer G, Wefer G (1999) Lithogenic particle fluxes and grain size distributions in the deep ocean off northwest Africa: Implications for seasonal changes of aeolian dust input and downward transport. Deep-Sea Res 46: 1289–1337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raymo ME, Oppo DW, Curry W (1997) The mid-Pleisto-cene climate transition: A deep-sea carbon isotopic perspectiv. Paleoceanography 12: 546–559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raymond PA, Bauer JE (2001) Riverine export of aged terrestrial organic matter to the North Atlantic Ocean. Nature 409: 497–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero O, Lange CB, Swap RJ, Wefer G (1999) Eolian-transported freshwater diatoms and phytoliths across the equatorial Atlantic record temporal changes in Saharan dust transport patters. J Geophys Res 104: 3211–3222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruddiman WF, Janecek TR (1989) Pliocene-Pleistocene biogenic and terrigenous fluxes at equatorial Atlantic Sites 662, 663 and 664. In: Ruddiman WF, Sarnthein M, Baldauf J, Backmann J, Bloemendal J, Cuny W, Farrimond P, Faugeres JC, Janecek TR, Katsura Y, Manivit H, Mazzullo J, Mienert J, Pokras EM, Raymo ME, Schultheiss PJ, Steinn R, Tauxe L, Valet JP, Weaver P, Yasuda H (eds) Proceedings of the ODP, Scientific Results 108. Ocean Drilling Program, College Station, Texas, pp 221–240

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rühlemann C, Frank M, Hale, W, Mangini A, Mulitza S, Müller PJ, Wefer G (1996) Late Quarternary productivity changes in the western equatorial Atlantic from 230Th-normalized carbonate and organic carbon accumulation rates. Mar Geol 135: 127–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarnthein M, Pflaumann U, Ross R Tiedemann R, Winn K (1992) Transfer functions to reconstruct ocean paleoproductivity: A comparison. In: Summerhayes CP, Prell WL, Emeis KC (eds) Upwelling Systems Evolution Since the Early Miocene. Geol Soc Spec Pub 64: 411–427

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarnthein M, Thiede J, Pflaumann U, Erlenkeuser H, Fütterer D, Koopmann B, Lange H, Seibold E (1982) Atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns off Northwest Africa during the past 25 million years. In: von Rad U, Hinz K, Samthein M, Seibold E (eds) Geology of the Northwest African Continental Margin. Springer, Berlin, pp 545–604

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarnthein M, Winn K, Jung SJA, Duplessy JC, Labeyrie L, Erlenkeuser H, Ganssen G (1994) Changes in east Atlantic deepwater circulation over the last 30,000 years: Eight time slice reconstructions. Paleoceanography 9: 209–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schefuß E (2002) Paleo-environmental effects of the Mid-Pleistocene transition in the tropical Atlantic. Geologica Ultraiectina 223-Mededelingen van de Faculteit Aardwetenschappen Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht, 183 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlünz B, Schneider RR (2000) Transport of terrestrial organic carbon to the oceans by rivers: Re-estimating flux-and burial-rates. Int J Earth Sci 88: 599–606

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlünz B, Schneider RR, Müller PJ, Showers WJ, Wefer G (1999) Terrestrial organic carbon accumulation on the Amazon Deep-Sea Fan during the last glacial sealevel lowstand. Chem Geol 159: 263–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider RR, Müller PJ, Kroon D, Price B, Alexander I (1997a) Monsoon related variations in Zaire (Congo) sediment load and influence of fluvial silicate supply on marine productivity in the east equatorial Atlantic during the last 200,000 years. Paleoceano-graphy 12: 463–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider RR, Müller PJ, Schlünz B, Segl M, Showers WJ, Wefer G (1997b) Late Quarternary Western Atlantic paleoceanography and terrigenous sedimentation on the Amazon Fan: A view from δ18O and δ13C of planktonic foraminifera and bulk organic matter δ13C. In: Flood R, Piper D, Klaus A, Peterson LC (eds) Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program. Scientific Results 155: 319–333

    Google Scholar 

  • Schubert CJ, Stein R (1996) Deposition of organic carbon in Arctic Ocean sediments: Terrigenous supply vs marine productivity. Org Geochem 24: 421–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schubert CJ, Villanueva J, Calvert SE, Cowie GL, von Rad U, Schulz H, Berner U, Erlenkeuser H (1998) Stable phytoplankton community structure in the Arabian Sea over the past 200,000 years. Nature 394: 563–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stach E, Mackowsky MT, Teichmüller M, Taylor GH, Chandra D, Teichmüller R (1982) Stach’s Textbook of Coal Petrology. Bornträger, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein R (1991) Accumulation of Organic Carbon in Marine Sediments. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences 34: 1–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein R, Fahl K (2000) Holocene Accumulation of Organic Carbon atthe Laptev Sea Continental Margin (Arctic Ocean): Sources, pathways, and sinks. Geo Mar Lett 20: 27–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein R, ten Haven HL, Littke R, Rullkötter J, Welte DH (1989) Accumulation of marine and terrigenous organic carbon at upwelling Site 658 and nonupwelling Sites 657 and 659: Implications for the reconstruction of paleoenvironments in the eastern subtropical Atlantic through late Cenozoic times. In: Ruddiman WF, Sarnthein M, Baldauf J, Backmann J, Bloemendal J, Curry W, Farrimond P, Faugeres JC, Janecek TR, Katsura Y, Manivit H, Mazzullo J, Mienert J, Pokras EM, Raymo ME, Schultheiss PJ, Steinn R, Tauxe L, Valet JP, Weaver P, Yasuda H (eds) Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program. Scientific Results 108: 361–386

    Google Scholar 

  • Street-Perrott FA, Perrott RA (1990) Abrupt climate fluctuations in the tropics: The influence of Atlantic Ocean circulation. Nature 343: 607–612

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor GH, Teichmüller M, Davis A, Dissel CFK, Littke R, Robert P (1998) Organic Petrology. Stuttgart, Schweitzerbart, 707 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiedemann R, Sarnthein M, Shackleton NJ (1994) Astronomic timescale for the pliocene Atlantic δ18O and dust flux records of Ocean Drilling Program site 959, Paleoceanography 9: 619–638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tyson RV (1995) Sedimentary organic matter: Organic facies and palynofacies. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • van Iperen JM, van Weering TEC, Jansen JHF, van Bennekom AJ (1987) Diatoms insurface sediments of the Zaire deep-sea fan (SE Atlantic Ocean) and their relation to overlying water masses. Neth J Sea Res 21: 203–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verardo DJ, McIntyre A (1994) Production and destruction: Control of biogenous sedimentation in the tropical Atlantic 0–300,000 years BP. Paleoceanography 9: 63–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verardo DJ, Ruddiman WF (1996) Late Pleistocene charcoal in tropical Atlantic deep-sea sediments: Climatic and geochemical significance. Geology 24: 855–857

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner T (1998) Pliocene-Pleistocene carbonate and organic carbon fluxes off Ivory Coast/Ghana (ODP Site 959): Paleoenvironmental implications for the eastern Equatorial Atlantic. In: Mascle J, Lohman GP, Moullard M (eds) Ocean Drilling Program Scientific Results 159. Ocean Drilling Program, College Station, Texas, pp 557–574

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner T (1999) Petrology of organic matter in modem and Late Quarternary deposits of the Equatorial Atlantic: Climatic and oceanographic links. Int J Coal Geo 139: 155–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner T (2000) Control of organic carbon accumulation in the late Quarternary Equatorial Atlantic (ODP Sites 664, 663): Productivity versus terrigenous supply. Paleoceanography 15: 181–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner T, Hölemann JA (1995) Deposition of organic matter in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea during the past 2.7 million years. Quat Res 44: 255–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner T, Dupont LM (1999) Terrestrial organic matter in marine sediments: Analytical approaches and eolian-marine records from the central Equatorial Atlantic. In: Fischer G, Wefer G (eds) The Use of Proxies in Paleoceanography: Examples from the South Atlantic. Springer, Berlin, pp 547–574

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner T, Pfefferkorn HW (1997) Tropical peat occurrences in the Orinoco Delta: Preliminary assessment and comparison to Carboniferous coal deposits. Proceedings of the XIII International Congress on the Carboniferous and Permian 2: 161–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh JJ (1989) How much shelf production reaches the Deep-Sea? In: Berger WH, Smetacek VS, Wefer G (eds) Productivity of the Ocean: Present and Past. J Wiley & Sons, Chinchester, pp 175–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Westerhausen L, Poynter J, Eglinton G, Erlenkeuser H, Sarnthein M (1993) Marine and terrigenous origin of organic matter in modem sediments of the equatorial East Atlantic: The δ13C and molecular record. Deep-Sea Res 40: 1087–1121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zabel M, Bickert T, Dittert L, Haese RR (1999) The significance of sedimentary Al/Ti ratio as indicator for reconstructions of the terrestrial input to the Equatorial Atlantic. Paleoceanography 14: 789–799

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao M, Dupont LM, Eglinton G., Teece M (2003) n-Alkane and pollen reconstruction of terrestrial climate and vegetation for NW Africa over the last 160 kyr. Org Geochem 34: 131–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA

    T. Wagnerl

  2. Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, Klagenfurter Strasse, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    T. Wagnerl, M. Zabel, L. Dupont & J. Holtvoeth

  3. AWAG, Limnological Research Center, Seestrasse 79, 6047, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland

    C.J. Schubert

Authors
  1. T. Wagnerl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Zabel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. Dupont
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Holtvoeth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C.J. Schubert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. DFG Research Center Ocean Margins, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Gerold Wefer , Stefan Mulitza  & Volker Ratmeyer ,  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Wagnerl, T., Zabel, M., Dupont, L., Holtvoeth, J., Schubert, C. (2003). Terrigenous Signals in Sediments of the Low Latitude Atlantic — Implications for Environmental Variations during the Late Quarternary: Part I: Organic Carbon. In: Wefer, G., Mulitza, S., Ratmeyer, V. (eds) The South Atlantic in the Late Quaternary. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18917-3_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18917-3_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-62354-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-18917-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation