LI Jing-jing, XIE Shu-cheng

State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China

Abstract: Glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are membrane lipids that occur ubiquitously in a wide range of environments, such as ocean, lake, soil, peat as well as hot spring. The distribution pattern of GDGTs has led to the information that they might be indicators for certain environmental parameters, and proxies based on GDGTs are increasingly being utilized in palaeoclimatology to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental parameters. Here we reviewed the progress made over the last decade in the biogeochemical analysis of GDGTs, we first discussed the structures and biological sources of GDGTs, then discussed the proxies, such as TEX86, BIT, MBT/CBT and ACE indices, and their applications and constraints in lacustrine environments. We also reviewed the occurrence of GDGTs in eutrophic and high saline lake sediments. Finally we summarized the development of GDGTs in the lacustrine environment.

Keywords: lacustrine environment microbial membrane biomarker tetraether lipids

*Corresponding Author, E-Mail: zcn@petrochina.com.cn

Bulletin of Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry Vol. 34, No.2, 2015, page 277-284