Authors |
Eley, Y; White, J; Dawson, L; Hren, M; Pedentchouk, N |
Author Full Name |
Eley, Yvette; White, Joseph; Dawson, Lorna; Hren, Michael; Pedentchouk, Nikolai |
Title |
Variation in Hydrogen Isotope Composition Among Salt Marsh Plant Organic Compounds Highlights Biochemical Mechanisms Controlling Biosynthetic Fractionation |
Source |
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES |
Language |
English |
Document Type |
Article |
Author Keywords |
leaf wax lipids; stable isotopes; organic geochemistry; osmolytes; stress |
Keywords Plus |
NATURAL DEUTERIUM DISTRIBUTION; DELTA-D VALUES; WAX N-ALKANES; FATTY-ACID; LIPID BIOSYNTHESIS; DROUGHT STRESS; AMINO-ACIDS; WATER; NITROGEN; CARBON |
Abstract |
Hydrogen isotopes of plant-derived biomarkers can vary by >100 at a single location. Isotope fractionation associated with the movement of water in plant leaves cannot account for this variability alone. Biochemical processes therefore must play a fundamental role in controlling hydrogen isotope fractionation during secondary compound biosynthesis. Different biosynthetic pathways utilize discrete hydrogen pools and occur within distinct cell compartments. We analyzed hydrogen isotope compositions of C-16 and C-18 fatty acids and phytol from seven salt marsh plants and compared these data with (i) leaf water and n-alkane H-2, (ii) leaf carbon and nitrogen contents, and (iii) nitrogen isotopes of bulk tissue, to evaluate the relationship between biochemical processes, cellular compartmentalization, and hydrogen isotope fractionation. Interspecies variation in chloroplastic fatty acids and phytol H-2 exceeds leaf water H-2, indicating that different commitments of metabolites among species at branching points in chloroplast metabolic processes may be important determinants of lipid H-2 values. Dominant osmoregulatory strategies, in particular, show strong correlation with leaf wax n-alkane H-2. Species that preferentially produce nitrogenous compounds (dicots/shrubs) as protective solutes have H-2-enriched n-alkanes relative to species that produce mainly carbohydrates (monocots). n-Alkane H-2 values, in combination with N-15 data and elemental (C, N) composition, together provide information about biochemical environmental adaptations exhibited by different higher plant species in response to environmental stresses. Thus, while spatial and temporal integration of biomarkers may produce an isotopic record of ecosystem function, biomarkers from individual plant or microbial remains may hold additional details into biologic function and adaptation to ancient environments. |
Author Address |
[Eley, Yvette] Univ Birmingham, Sch Geog Earth & Environm Sci, Birmingham, W Midlands, England; [Eley, Yvette; Pedentchouk, Nikolai] Univ East Anglia, Sch Environm Sci, Norwich, Norfolk, England; [Eley, Yvette; Hren, Michael] Univ Connecticut, Ctr Integrat Geosci, Storrs, CT 06269 USA; [White, Joseph] Baylor Univ, Dept Biol, Waco, TX 76798 USA; [Dawson, Lorna] James Hutton Inst, Aberdeen, Scotland; [Pedentchouk, Nikolai] Russian Acad Sci, Inst Plant Physiol, Moscow, Russia |
Reprint Address |
Eley, Y (corresponding author), Univ Birmingham, Sch Geog Earth & Environm Sci, Birmingham, W Midlands, England.; Eley, Y (corresponding author), Univ East Anglia, Sch Environm Sci, Norwich, Norfolk, England.; Eley, Y (corresponding author), Univ Connecticut, Ctr Integrat Geosci, Storrs, CT 06269 USA. |
E-mail Address |
y.eley@bham.ac.uk |
ResearcherID Number |
Pedentchouk, Nikolai/C-9935-2011 |
ORCID Number |
Pedentchouk, Nikolai/0000-0002-2923-966X; Eley, Yvette/0000-0001-5434-6830 |
Funding Agency and Grant Number |
National Environmental Research CouncilNERC Natural Environment Research Council [NE/P013112/1] |
Funding Text |
The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Annette Eley, Louise Jones, and Joseph Dillon during sample collection; B. Mayes and Jasmine Ross (James Hutton Institute) for technical and analytical support during data generation; and Y. Chikaraishi (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), who provided valuable insights regarding the extraction of phytol. Yvette Eley was supported by the National Environmental Research Council [NE/P013112/1]. We also thank two anonymous referees for their comments; these greatly improved our manuscript. |
Times Cited |
2 |
Total Times Cited Count (WoS, BCI, and CSCD) |
2 |
Publisher |
AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION |
Publisher City |
WASHINGTON |
Publisher Address |
2000 FLORIDA AVE NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20009 USA |
ISSN |
2169-8953 |
29-Character Source Abbreviation |
J GEOPHYS RES-BIOGEO |
ISO Source Abbreviation |
J. Geophys. Res.-Biogeosci. |
Publication Date |
SEP |
Year Published |
2018 |
Volume |
123 |
Issue |
9 |
Beginning Page |
2645 |
Ending Page |
2660 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) |
10.1029/2018JG004403 |
Page Count |
16 |
Web of Science Category |
Environmental Sciences; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary |
Subject Category |
Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Geology |
Document Delivery Number |
GX3RP |
Unique Article Identifier |
WOS:000447644800001
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