PREFACE 1
ST
EDITION
Today, most branches of science have been extensively described. As to their objectives and
interrelationships they are also well distinguished from the adjoining science disciplines. In this regard,
marine geochemistry makes an exception, as does geochemistry in general, for - depending on the
scientist’s educational and professional career - this particular field of research can be understood more
or less in terms of geology, chemistry, biology, even mineralogy or oceanography. Despite some occasional
objection, we conceive our interdisciplinary approach to marine geochemistry rather as an opportunity -
even if our own origins most certainly lie in the geosciences. R. Chester (1990) emphasized the chemistry
of the water column and the relations to continental inputs in his book on “Marine Geochemistry”. For us,
however, the investigation of the marine surface sediments and the (bio)geochemical processes taking
place therein will be of major concern. We therefore see our book as a continuation of what
R.A. Berner (1980) initiated with his classical work “Early Diagenesis”, with which he had a determining
influence in pointing the way ahead. The concept and the contents we present here is addressed to
graduated students of earth science who specialize in marine geochemistry.
Before the background of a continually expanding field of research, it appears impossible for a
textbook on marine geochemistry to cope with the task of achieving completeness. Some parts of
marine geochemistry have been described in more detail elsewhere and with an emphasis placed on a
different context. These parts were permitted to be treated in brief. The classical subjects of “Marine
Geology” are therefore to be found in J.P. Kennet (1982), or with a different perspective in
R.N. Andersen (1986). No book on “Aquatic Chemistry” can hardly be better than the one written by
W. Stumm and J.J. Morgan (1996). There is furthermore the textbook written by K. Grasshoff,
K. Kremling, and M. Ehrhardt (1999) which is concerned with the analytical measurements in seawater.
“Tracers in the Sea” by W.S. Broecker and T.-H. Peng (1982) still remains an essential work of standard,
albeit a new edition is dearly awaited for. The important field of “Isotope Geochemistry” is exquisitely
represented by the books written by G. Faure (1986), Clark and Fritz (1997) and J. Hoefs (1997),
as much as “Organic Geochemistry” is represented by the book published by M.H. Engel and
S.A. Macko (1993). “Diagenetic Models and Their Implementation” are described from the perspective
of a mathematician by B.P. Boudreau (1997), owing to which we were able to confine ourselves to the
geochemist’s point of view.
Marine geochemistry is generally integrated into the broad conceptual framework of oceanography
which encompasses the study of the oceanic currents, their interactions with the atmosphere, weather
and climate; it leads from the substances dissolved in water, to the marine flora and fauna, the processes
of plate tectonics, the sediments at the bottom of the oceans, and thus to marine geology. Our notion of
marine geochemistry is that it is a part of marine geology, wherefore we began our book with a chapter
on the solid phase of marine sediments concerning its composition, development and distribution. The
first chapter written by Dieter K. Fütterer is therefore a brief summarizing introduction into marine
geology which describes all biochemically relevant aspects related to the subject. Monika Breitzke and
Ulrich Bleil are concerned in the following chapter with the physical properties of sediments and
sedimentary magnetism in a marine-geophysical context, which we deem an important contribution to
our understanding of geochemical processes in the sediment.
In the third chapter, Horst D. Schulz demonstrates that the method to quantify biogeochemical
processes and material fluxes in recent sediments affords the analysis of the pore-water fraction.
Jürgen Rullkötter subsequently gives an overview of organic material contained in sediments which
ultimately provides the energy for powering almost all (bio)geochemical reactions in that compartment.
The fifth chapter by Bo. B. Jørgensen surveys the world of microorganisms and their actions in
marine sediments. The chapters six, seven, and eight are placed in the order of the oxidative agents
ST
EDITION
Today, most branches of science have been extensively described. As to their objectives and
interrelationships they are also well distinguished from the adjoining science disciplines. In this regard,
marine geochemistry makes an exception, as does geochemistry in general, for - depending on the
scientist’s educational and professional career - this particular field of research can be understood more
or less in terms of geology, chemistry, biology, even mineralogy or oceanography. Despite some occasional
objection, we conceive our interdisciplinary approach to marine geochemistry rather as an opportunity -
even if our own origins most certainly lie in the geosciences. R. Chester (1990) emphasized the chemistry
of the water column and the relations to continental inputs in his book on “Marine Geochemistry”. For us,
however, the investigation of the marine surface sediments and the (bio)geochemical processes taking
place therein will be of major concern. We therefore see our book as a continuation of what
R.A. Berner (1980) initiated with his classical work “Early Diagenesis”, with which he had a determining
influence in pointing the way ahead. The concept and the contents we present here is addressed to
graduated students of earth science who specialize in marine geochemistry.
Before the background of a continually expanding field of research, it appears impossible for a
textbook on marine geochemistry to cope with the task of achieving completeness. Some parts of
marine geochemistry have been described in more detail elsewhere and with an emphasis placed on a
different context. These parts were permitted to be treated in brief. The classical subjects of “Marine
Geology” are therefore to be found in J.P. Kennet (1982), or with a different perspective in
R.N. Andersen (1986). No book on “Aquatic Chemistry” can hardly be better than the one written by
W. Stumm and J.J. Morgan (1996). There is furthermore the textbook written by K. Grasshoff,
K. Kremling, and M. Ehrhardt (1999) which is concerned with the analytical measurements in seawater.
“Tracers in the Sea” by W.S. Broecker and T.-H. Peng (1982) still remains an essential work of standard,
albeit a new edition is dearly awaited for. The important field of “Isotope Geochemistry” is exquisitely
represented by the books written by G. Faure (1986), Clark and Fritz (1997) and J. Hoefs (1997),
as much as “Organic Geochemistry” is represented by the book published by M.H. Engel and
S.A. Macko (1993). “Diagenetic Models and Their Implementation” are described from the perspective
of a mathematician by B.P. Boudreau (1997), owing to which we were able to confine ourselves to the
geochemist’s point of view.
Marine geochemistry is generally integrated into the broad conceptual framework of oceanography
which encompasses the study of the oceanic currents, their interactions with the atmosphere, weather
and climate; it leads from the substances dissolved in water, to the marine flora and fauna, the processes
of plate tectonics, the sediments at the bottom of the oceans, and thus to marine geology. Our notion of
marine geochemistry is that it is a part of marine geology, wherefore we began our book with a chapter
on the solid phase of marine sediments concerning its composition, development and distribution. The
first chapter written by Dieter K. Fütterer is therefore a brief summarizing introduction into marine
geology which describes all biochemically relevant aspects related to the subject. Monika Breitzke and
Ulrich Bleil are concerned in the following chapter with the physical properties of sediments and
sedimentary magnetism in a marine-geophysical context, which we deem an important contribution to
our understanding of geochemical processes in the sediment.
In the third chapter, Horst D. Schulz demonstrates that the method to quantify biogeochemical
processes and material fluxes in recent sediments affords the analysis of the pore-water fraction.
Jürgen Rullkötter subsequently gives an overview of organic material contained in sediments which
ultimately provides the energy for powering almost all (bio)geochemical reactions in that compartment.
The fifth chapter by Bo. B. Jørgensen surveys the world of microorganisms and their actions in
marine sediments. The chapters six, seven, and eight are placed in the order of the oxidative agents