Yiming Zhang

China University of Geosciences · Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology

Wetlands represent about one-third of the global soil organic carbon storage and are the largest natural source of atmospheric methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Understanding the factors that influence the carbon dynamics in wetlands, and their influence on methane emission, is therefore important. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a major form o...

Wetlands play a crucial role in the carbon cycle as they are the largest natural source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Changes in wetland hydrology can alter the rate of greenhouse gas release from wetlands and have the potential to alter Earth’s carbon budget. However, the microbial dynamics underpinning these observations are poorly constra...

Leaf wax n-alkanes in peat deposits are important proxies for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. The n- alkane compositions of Sphagnum species, which are important peat forming plants, are commonly dominated by the C23 and C25 homologs. However, questions remain about the stability of Sphagnum-derived n-alkanes to early diagenetic alterations. In...

Epidermal leaf waxes of terrestrial higher plants have been widely utilized for the reconstructions of paleoenvironment and paleoclimate in peat deposits. In this study, specimens of four plant species growing in both peatland and non-peatland habitats were retrieved to compare their molecular, carbon (δ13C) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotopic compositions...

Long-chain (C21-C33) n-alkan-2-ones are biomarkers ubiquitous in peat deposits. However, their paleoenvironmental significance lacks constraints. Here we evaluate the influence pH exerts on the occurrence of long-chain n-alkan-2-ones in Chinese peats. A comparison of the distribution in a collection (n= 65) of modern peat samples with different pH...

Long-chain n-alkane-2-ones occur widely in lacustrine and peat depositional settings; however, their paleobotanical and paleoclimate implications are less understood, compared with their n-alkyl counterparts (n-alkanes, n-fatty acids). In this study, we have performed a molecular stratigraphic investigation of changes in the plant contributions and...

Long chain n-alkanes preserved in peat deposits have been widely used to reconstruct paleoenvironmental and paleoecological changes. However, our knowledge of how the leaf wax molecular and isotopic compositions of peat sequences might respond to changes in plant communities is limited. This study investigates the n-alkane molecular, carbon and hyd...

The mineral-bound organic matter (OM) in soils is of great importance for the global carbon cycle. Long-standing debate exists regarding the mechanisms of soil organic matter (SOM) preservation and, especially, the role of organo-clay mineral associations. Investigation of such associations is rarely undertaken in peat soils. In this study, we exam...

Sphagnum species are important peat-forming plants in wetlands the world over. Their n-alkane distributions are typically characterized by a predominance of mid-chain (C23 and C25) alkanes, a property that has been employed in paleoclimatic reconstruction based on peat sequences. However, knowledge of the fate of Sphagnum-derived n-alkanes during t...