delta N-15 Values in Crassostrea virginica Shells Provides Early Direct Evidence for Nitrogen Loading to Chesapeake Bay

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dc.contributor.authorBlack, H. D.
dc.contributor.authorAndrus, C. F. T.
dc.contributor.authorLambert, W. J.
dc.contributor.authorRick, T. C.
dc.contributor.authorGillikin, D. P.
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Alabama Tuscaloosa
dc.contributor.otherState University System of Florida
dc.contributor.otherFlorida International University
dc.contributor.otherSmithsonian Institution
dc.contributor.otherSmithsonian National Museum of Natural History
dc.contributor.otherUnion College
dc.coverage.spatialChesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)
dc.coverage.spatialMaryland
dc.date.accessioned2019-01-18T22:41:11Z
dc.date.available2019-01-18T22:41:11Z
dc.date.issued2017-03-10
dc.description.abstractCrassostrea virginica is one of the most common estuarine bivalves in the United States' east coast and is frequently found in archaeological sites and sub-fossil deposits. Although there have been several sclerochronological studies on stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in the shells of this species, less is known about delta N-15 values within their shells, which could be a useful paleoenvironmental proxy to assess estuarine nitrogen dynamics. Modern C. virginica samples were collected in Chesapeake Bay for comparison with archaeological shells from nearby sites ranging in age from similar to 100 to 3,200 years old. Left valves were sampled by milling the hinge area and the resulting powder was analyzed for % N and delta N-15 values. Comparison of delta N-15 values between C. virginica shells shows relatively constant values from similar to 1250 BC to similar to 1800 AD. After similar to 1800 AD, there are rapid increases in N-15 enrichment in the shells, which continue to increase in value up to the modern shell values. The increase in delta N-15 values is evidence of early anthropogenic impact in Chesapeake Bay. These results corroborate the observation that coastal nitrogen pollution occurred earlier than the 19th century and support the use of oyster shell delta N-15 values as a useful environmental proxy.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationBlack, H. D., Andrus, C. F. T., Lambert, W. J., Rick, T. C., Gillikin, D. P. (2018): δ15N Values in Crassostrea Virginica Shells Provides Earliest Direct Evidence for Nitrogen Loading to Chesapeake Bay. Scientific Reports. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep44241
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/srep44241
dc.identifier.orcidhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4075-8380
dc.identifier.orcidhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4892-7804
dc.identifier.orcidhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8254-5885
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/5306
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherNature Portfolio
dc.subjectAMERICAN OYSTER
dc.subjectSTABLE-ISOTOPES
dc.subjectORGANIC-MATTER
dc.subjectEUTROPHICATION
dc.subjectCARBON
dc.subjectPOLLUTION
dc.subjectTRENDS
dc.subjectANOXIA
dc.subjectINPUTS
dc.subjectOXYGEN
dc.subjectMultidisciplinary Sciences
dc.subjectScience & Technology - Other Topics
dc.titledelta N-15 Values in Crassostrea virginica Shells Provides Early Direct Evidence for Nitrogen Loading to Chesapeake Bayen_US
dc.typetext
dc.typeArticle
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