Distribution of surface sediment properties along the Portuguese western margin

DOI

Organic matter contained in surface sediments from four regions on the western Portuguese shelf, which are influenced by coastal upwelling and fluvial input, was analysed with respect to elemental organic carbon (Corg) and nitrogen (Ntotal) content and isotopic carbon and nitrogen ratios (d13Corg, d15N). Corg/Ntotal weight ratios and d13Corg values are interpreted in terms of terrigenous or marine organic matter sources, supported by CaCO3 content. Organic matter in the shelf sediments is mainly of marine origin, with increasing terrigenous components only close to rivers and estuaries. In the northern shelf region the data indicates significant terrigenous supply by the Douro River. North of the Nazaré Canyon organic matter composition implies a mainly marine origin, with a higher terrestrial influence close to the canyon head. Organic matter composition in the central shelf region, which is dominated by the Tagus Estuary and the Tagus prodelta, reveals a change from a continental-type signature within the estuary to a more marine-type signature further to the west and south of the estuary mouth. In the southern region near Cape Sines the geochemical properties clearly reflect the marine origin of sedimentary organic matter.Sedimentary d15N values are interpreted to reflect various degrees of assimilation of seasonally upwelled nitrate, in relation to the upwelling centres. In the estuarine environment, inputs of agriculturally influenced dissolved inorganic nitrogen are reflected in the sediments. No evidence for N2-fixation or denitrification is found. On the central shelf north of the Nazaré canyon, sedimentary d15N values are close to marine d15NO3- and thus indicate a complete NO3- assimilation and N-limitation of marine production. Light d15N values in distal sediments off the Douro River mouth and in samples south of C. Sines reflect high NO3- supply and a close proximity to the seasonal upwelling centres. Particularly in sediments form the Sines region, light d15N values in southern samples reflect stronger upwelling further south.

Supplement to: Alt-Epping, Ulrich; Mil-Homens, Mário; Hebbeln, Dierk; Abrantes, Fatima F; Schneider, Ralph R (2007): Provenance of organic matter and nutrient conditions on a river- and upwelling influenced shelf: A case study from the Portuguese Margin. Marine Geology, 243(1-4), 169-179

Identifier
DOI https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.726597
Related Identifier https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2007.04.016
Related Identifier https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:gbv:46-diss000111503
Metadata Access https://ws.pangaea.de/oai/provider?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=datacite4&identifier=oai:pangaea.de:doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.726597
Provenance
Creator Alt-Epping, Ulrich; Mil-Homens, Mário ORCID logo; Hebbeln, Dierk ORCID logo; Abrantes, Fatima F ORCID logo; Schneider, Ralph R ORCID logo
Publisher PANGAEA
Publication Year 2009
Rights Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
OpenAccess true
Representation
Language English
Resource Type Supplementary Publication Series of Datasets; Collection
Format application/zip
Size 4 datasets
Discipline Earth System Research
Spatial Coverage (-9.582W, 37.639S, -8.861E, 41.383N); Portuguese Margin; Shelf off Tagos & Sado rivers; North Atlantic
Temporal Coverage Begin 1992-12-03T16:35:00Z
Temporal Coverage End 2003-10-15T10:24:00Z