Sources and preservation of organic matter in soils of the wetlands in the Liaohe (Liao River) Delta, North China

Total organic carbon, total nitrogen, δ13Corg, δ15N, and aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons of fifty-five soil samples collected from the coastal wetlands of the Liaohe Delta were measured, in order to determine the sources and possible preservation of organic matter (OM). The δ15N and δ13Corg values in the samples ranged from 3.0‰ to 9.4‰ and from −30.4‰ to −20.3‰, respectively, implying that the OM in the soils is predominantly derived from C3 plant. The long-chain n-alkanes had a strong odd-over-even carbon number predominance, suggesting a significant contribution from waxes of higher plants. The ubiquitous presence of unresolved complex mixture, alkylated polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons and typical biomarkers of petroleum hydrocarbons (pristane, phytane, hopanes and steranes) indicates that there is a contribution of petroleum hydrocarbons to the organic carbon pool in the wetland soils. P. australis-vegetated wetlands have strong potentials for the preservation of organic carbon in the wetlands.

► The main origin of the soil OM in the study area was from natural sources. ► The soils in several sites were heavily contaminated by lacustrine-derived crude oil. ► P. australis-covered soils have a strong ability for preservation of OM.