Bacteria are the primary agents of the early diagenesis of organic matter (OM) in marine
sediments. The reasons for their predominant roles are straightforward:(1) they occur …

The organic carbon cycle on Earth is divided into two parts (Fig. 4.1; Tissot and Welte 1984).
The biological cycle starts with photosynthesis of organic matter from atmospheric carbon …

Major changes in the concentration and composition of organic matter occur in the upper
layers of aquatic sediments [see chapters by Hedges and Prahl (Chapter 11), Macko, Engel …

Early diagenesis is the combination of biological, chemical, and physical processes which
change the quantity and composition of the organic matter in the upper several hundred …

Abstract Analysis of lipid biomarker compounds associated with surface sediment (0–0.5 or
0–1.0 cm) deposited monthly in Cape Lookout Bight (CLB), North Carolina, USA revealed …

The supply of organic material is a key factor determining the structure and activity of benthic
microbial communities. The overwhelming portion of the organic matter entering the …

An understanding of the interaction between microbes and organic matter can help
elucidate the diagenesis of organic materials in sediments. Vibrio harveyi, a marine, aerobic …

Complete mineralization of organic matter results from a multitude of complex bacterial
activities which must involve more than one species of bacteria. The diverse bacterial …

We report here the results of a quantitative study designed to (i) evaluate the rates of early
diagenesis of unbound fatty acids in an organic-rich, coastal marine sediment and (ii) …

A significant fraction of the products of organic matter diagenesis is water soluble. Some
products react directly to precipitate sedimentary minerals: carbonates, sulphides and …