The vast majority of theses in this collection are open access and freely available. There are a small number of theses that have access restricted to the WWU campus. For off-campus access to a thesis labeled "Campus Only Access," please log in here with your WWU universal ID, or talk to your librarian about requesting the restricted thesis through interlibrary loan.

Date of Award

Fall 2023

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department or Program Affiliation

Geology

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geology

First Advisor

Ponton, Camilo

Second Advisor

Grossman, Eric E.

Third Advisor

Foreman, Brady

Abstract

Understanding sediment sources and fluxes throughout coastal zones is essential to evaluate shoreline stability, ecosystem health, and the potential for carbon storage. In Bellingham Bay, WA, like many developed coastal settings, urban areas have replaced forested cover and altered sediment fluxes, yet little is known of their offshore impacts. I analyzed n-alkanes, found in plant leaf waxes preserved in marine sediments of Bellingham Bay to characterize sediment sources and reconstruct changes in the relative contributions of eelgrass beds to sedimentary organic matter since pre-industrial times using a linear mixing model. Eight 2-meter-long cores were analyzed in order to determine how sediment sources have changed spatially throughout Bellingham Bay. Terrestrial plants contributed the majority of the organic matter to marine sediments in Bellingham Bay. n-Alkane biomarkers show a clear increase in terrestrial sources since pre-industrial times to modern day. The relative contribution of eelgrass to sedimentary organic matter peaked at 28% at a depth of 80 cm, which roughly correlates with the year 1712, and has been in steady decline since. This research has been conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal Habitats in Puget Sound Project, which is examining the impacts of sediment transport on local marine environments. Results from my study show how eelgrass biomarker relative abundances corelate with long-term changes in carbon storage.

Type

Text

Keywords

eelgrass, n-alkane, biomarker, Bellingham Bay, urbanization, plant waxes, sediment sources

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

1401639193

Subject – LCSH

Biochemical markers--Washington (State)--Bellingham Bay; Eelgrass--Washington (State)--Bellingham Bay; Urbanization--Washington (State)--Bellingham Bay; Marine sediments--Washington (State)--Bellingham Bay

Geographic Coverage

Bellingham Bay (Wash.)

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Download

Included in

Geology Commons

Share

COinS