Novel biomarker and stable isotopic approaches for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of saline and stratified ecosystems : the modern Coorong Lagoon and Devonian reefs of the Canning Basin

Abstract

An integrated elemental, biomarker and stable isotope approach was used to explore environmental and ecological changes, particularly of salinity and water-column stratification, in (i) a modern estuarine ecosystem recently impacted by human water management practices and drought; and (ii) a marine palaeoenvironment associated with the Late Devonian extinctions. A pyrolysis method was developed to investigate methyltrimethyltridecylchroman (MTTC) sources and a proxy for reconstruction of freshwater incursion into marine palaeoenvironments based on these biomarkers was introduced.