Abstract
The abundances and distributions of terrestrial higher plant lipids have been investigated in two cores from the Equatorial North Atlantic. Two distinct populations of n-alkanes (C23-C35) have been recognised, a predominant higher plant distribution and a subordinate distribution of unknown, possibly bacterial, origin. The abundance, flux and distribution of the predominantly higher plant component is shown to be linked to palaeoclimatic change. The utilization of the higher plant n-alkane distribution is proposed as a potential palaeoclimatic tool reflecting the temperature and/or the aridity of the continental dust source region. The abundance of presumed higher plant n-alkanols has been found to covary with higher plant n-alkanes.
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Poynter, J.G., Farrimond, P., Robinson, N., Eglinton, G. (1989). Aeolian-Derived Higher Plant Lipids in the Marine Sedimentary Record: Links with Palaeoclimate. In: Leinen, M., Sarnthein, M. (eds) Paleoclimatology and Paleometeorology: Modern and Past Patterns of Global Atmospheric Transport. NATO ASI Series, vol 282. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0995-3_18
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0995-3_18
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