Abstract
We examined the isotopic compositions of fatty acids, sterols, and hydrocarbons isolated from three coastal macrophytes ( Zostera marina, Spartina alterniflora, and Juncus roemerianus ) in order to investigate the relative contribution of these vascular plants as sources of organic matter in coastal sediments such as Cape Lookout Bight, North Carolina. On average, lipid biomarker compounds extracted from the plants were depleted in 13 C by 3–5‰ relative to δ 13 C total organic carbon (TOC). However, individual compounds within each lipid class varied by up to 5.6‰. Trends in the isotopic compositions of lipids were consistent with δ 13 C TOC ; compounds obtained from Z. marina were the most enriched in 13 C and those from J. roemerianus were the most depleted. The range in isotopic abundances and molecular compositions of the sediments was greater than that obtained from the plants, indicating that additional, presently unidentified sources of organic matter contribute to the Cape Lookout Bight sediments. Similarity between the signatures for suspended particulate matter and the sediments indicates that much of the sedimentary organic matter is derived from algal and bacterial sources. Bacterial sources of organic matter are likely greater during summer/early fall, and incorporation of 13 C‐enriched bacterial biomass may contribute to observed seasonal shifts in δ 13 C TOC in the surficial sediments.