|
|
|
 |
C:N ratio of Sediments in a sewage fed Urban Lake
Durga Madhab Mahapatra1, Chanakya H. N1,2 and Ramachandra T. V* 1-3 |
 |
1 Centre for Sustainable Technologies,
2 Centre for infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning,
3 Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences,
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India |
|
|
|
INTRODUCTION
Carbon and Nitrogen as nutrients plays a vital role in maintaining trophic levels in lake ecosystems. The dry
weight ratio of total organic carbon to total nitrogen (C/N
ratio) has been used as an indicator of the source of organic
matter (OM) in sediments. Variations of C:N ratio’s within
sediments have aided to determine temporal and spatial of
organic matter, steroid compounds and lignin phenols changes
in sources of organic matter to lakes. Nevertheless the organic
matter in the form of
13C/12
C ratio is an essential
indicator. However due to the variability in isotopic ratio of
planktonic OM adds to ambiguity in measurements [1-4] due
to a wide range inorganic
δ13C values [2]. Also as indicators
analysis involves chemical complexities. In this context, the
C/N ratio proves to be an efficient and straightforward
indicator of organic source, particularly in depositional
environments of lakes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|