TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Xinxin A1 - Huang, Xianyu A1 - Sachse, Dirk A1 - Hu, Yu A1 - Xue, Jiantao A1 - Meyers, Philip A. T1 - Comparisons of lipid molecular and carbon isotopic compositions in two particle-size fractions from surface peat and their implications for lipid preservation JF - Environmental earth sciences N2 - Knowledge of the possible impacts of early diagenesis on lipid biomarkers in geologic settings is important for robust applications of lipid proxies for paleoclimate reconstructions. In this study, molecular distributions and carbon isotopic compositions of lipids were compared in two particle-size fractions (<0.3 mm and >0.3 mm) of twelve surface peat samples collected from Dajiuhu peatland, central China. The average chain length (ACL) values of long-chain n-alkanes, n-fatty alcohols, n-fatty acids and n-alkan-2-ones show no significant differences between the finer and coarser fractions. In contrast, the carbon preference index values of long-chain n-alkanes, n-fatty alcohols and n-alkan-2-ones have relatively smaller values in the finer fractions than in the coarser ones. Stanols were also more abundant in the finer fractions. In addition, the delta C-13 values of odd-numbered n-alkanes (C-23-C-33) were generally less negative in the finer fractions. Our results indicate that (1) the finer fractions probably experienced stronger degradation than the coarser fractions; (2) the less negative delta(CC)-C-13 values of odd-numbered n-alkanes (C-23-C-33) in the finer fractions were largely a result of greater heterotrophic reworking during degradation; (3) ACL values of long-chain n-alkyl lipids (n-alkanes, n-fatty alcohols and n-fatty acids, n-alkan-2-ones) appear to be reliable proxies to trace lipid sources and their associated paleoenvironmental signals in peat deposits. KW - Peat KW - Lipids KW - Compound-specific carbon isotope KW - Particle-size fractions KW - Decomposition Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5960-3 SN - 1866-6280 SN - 1866-6299 VL - 75 SP - 375 EP - 385 PB - Springer CY - New York ER -