Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective
Thesis: Ph. D., Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2014.
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2015
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/95521 |
| _version_ | 1811094504491450368 |
|---|---|
| author | Voss, Britta Marie |
| author2 | Bernhard Peucker and Timothy I. Eglinton. |
| author_facet | Bernhard Peucker and Timothy I. Eglinton. Voss, Britta Marie |
| author_sort | Voss, Britta Marie |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Thesis: Ph. D., Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2014. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:01:22Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/95521 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:01:22Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/955212022-01-12T17:37:59Z Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective Voss, Britta Marie Bernhard Peucker and Timothy I. Eglinton. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography. Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Biogeochemical cycles British Columbia Fraser River Organic compounds British Columbia Fraser River Carbon cycle (Biogeochemistry) British Columbia Fraser River Thesis: Ph. D., Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2014. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references. The great geologic and climatic diversity of the Fraser River basin in southwestern Canada render it an excellent location for understanding biogeochemical cycling of sediments and terrigenous organic carbon in a relatively pristine, large, temperate watershed. Sediments delivered by all tributaries have the potential to reach the ocean due to a lack of main stem lakes or impoundments, a unique feature for a river of its size. This study documents the concentrations of a suite of dissolved and particulate organic and inorganic constituents, which elucidate spatial and temporal variations in chemical weathering (including carbonate weathering in certain areas) as well as organic carbon mobilization, export, and biogeochemical transformation. Radiogenic strontium isotopes are employed as a tracer of sediment provenance based on the wide variation in bedrock age and lithology in the Fraser basin. The influence of sediments derived from the headwaters is detectable at the river mouth, however more downstream sediment sources predominate, particularly during high discharge conditions. Bulk radiocarbon analyses are used to quantify terrestrial storage timescales of organic carbon and distinguish between petrogenic and biospheric organic carbon, which is critical to assessing the role of rivers in long-term atmospheric CO2 consumption. The estimated terrestrial residence time of biospheric organic carbon in the Fraser basin is 650 years, which is relatively short compared to other larger rivers (Amazon, Ganges-Brahmaputra) in which this assessment has been performed, and is likely related to the limited floodplain storage capacity and non-steady-state post-glacial erosion state of the Fraser River. A large portion of the dissolved inorganic carbon load of the Fraser River (>80%) is estimated to derive from remineralization of dissolved organic carbon, particularly during the annual spring freshet when organic carbon concentrations increase rapidly. This thesis establishes a baseline for carbon cycling in a largely unperturbed modern mid-latitude river system and establishes a framework for future process studies on the mechanisms of organic carbon turnover and organic matter-mineral associations in river systems. by Britta Marie Voss. Ph. D. 2015-02-25T16:43:23Z 2015-02-25T16:43:23Z 2014 2014 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/95521 903534431 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 276 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography. Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Biogeochemical cycles British Columbia Fraser River Organic compounds British Columbia Fraser River Carbon cycle (Biogeochemistry) British Columbia Fraser River Voss, Britta Marie Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective |
| title | Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective |
| title_full | Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective |
| title_short | Spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the Fraser River, Canada : a coupled organic-inorganic perspective |
| title_sort | spatial and temporal dynamics of biogeochemical processes in the fraser river canada a coupled organic inorganic perspective |
| topic | Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography. Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Biogeochemical cycles British Columbia Fraser River Organic compounds British Columbia Fraser River Carbon cycle (Biogeochemistry) British Columbia Fraser River |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/95521 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vossbrittamarie spatialandtemporaldynamicsofbiogeochemicalprocessesinthefraserrivercanadaacoupledorganicinorganicperspective |