Articles | Volume 17, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3545-2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3545-2020
Research article
 | 
09 Jul 2020
Research article |  | 09 Jul 2020

Better molecular preservation of organic matter in an oxic than in a sulfidic depositional environment: evidence from Thalassiphora pelagica (Dinoflagellata, Eocene) cysts

Gerard J. M. Versteegh, Alexander J. P. Houben, and Karin A. F. Zonneveld

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Micro-FTIR and py-GC-MS data on Thalassiphora pelagica of ODP sample 120-748B-18H-17W,55-57. PANGAEA G. J. M. Versteegh, A. J. P. Houben, and K. A. F. Zonneveld https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.905696

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Short summary
Anoxic sediments mostly contain much more organic matter than oxic ones, and therefore organic matter in anoxic settings is often considered to be preserved better than in oxic settings. However, through the analysis of the same fossil dinoflagellate cyst species from both oxic and anoxic settings, we show that at a molecular level the preservation in the oxic sediments may be better since in the anoxic setting the cyst macromolecule has been altered by postdepositional modification.
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