Negative priming effect on organic matter mineralisation in NE Atlantic slope sediments.

ABSTRACT: The priming effect (PE) is a complex phenomenon which describes a modification (acceleration or retardation) in the mineralisation rate of refractory organic matter (OM) following inputs of labile material. PEs are well-studied in terrestrial ecosystems owing to their potential importance in the evolution of soil carbon stocks but have been largely ignored in aquatic systems despite the fact that the prerequisite for their occurrence, i.e. the co-existence of labile and refractory OM, is also true for sediments. We conducted stable isotope tracer experiments in continental margin sediments from the NE Atlantic (550-950 m) to study PE occurrence and intensity in relation to labile OM input. Sediment slurries were treated with increasing quantities of the (13)C-labelled diatom Thalassiosira

SUBMITTER: Gontikaki E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3695930 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature