Geochemistry of episodic sedimentation in Bizerte Lagoon, northern Tunisia

• Published in: Lakes & Reservoirs : Science, Policy and Management for Sustainable Use Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 273 - 282
• Main Authors: Garali, Amor B., Ouakad, Mohamed, Gueddari, Moncef
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2010
• Subjects: Bizerte Lagoon; core; Geochemistry; sediment; TOC; total nitrogen; MED, Tunisia, Bizerte Lagoon; Tunisia
• ISSN: 1320-5331; 1440-1770
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1770.2010.00433.x

The decrease of the contents of TOC in sediment cores in the Bizerte Lagoon is synchronous with that of carbonates. This is attributed to a dilution phenomenon of the organic fraction by the carbonate component of the sediment in the lagoon. This phenomenon also can be explained by the effect of early diagenesis, resulting in the existence of more condensed products, or by removal of more labile organic fraction and/or by reorganization mechanisms leading to the solubilization of organic matter towards deep levels. It appears that the mechanisms controlling the geochemical sedimentation in the lagoon are similar to those observed today, with some occasional characteristics reflecting the impact of episodic phenomenon related to other factors and processes, especially a continental influence on the sediments, rather than marine influences.