Fig. 2: Stratigraphy, decomposition-affected and decomposition-unaffected geochemical properties for peat core CEN-17.4.
From: Hydroclimatic vulnerability of peat carbon in the central Congo Basin
a, Lithology. b, I-index (I for immature), indicating the preservation of thermally labile immature organic matter9. Note that I-index values of fresh organic matter ranges from 0.2 to 0.5 (ref. 9). c, Total organic carbon (TOCEA). d, Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N). e, Carbon isotopes of total organic carbon (TOC) (δ13CTOC). f, Carbon isotopes of n-C29 alkanes from plant waxes (\({{\rm{\delta }}}^{13}{{\rm{C}}}_{n\text{-}{{\rm{C}}}_{29}}\)). g, Hydrogen isotopes of n-C29 alkanes from plant waxes (\({\rm{\delta }}{{\rm{D}}}_{n\text{-}{{\rm{C}}}_{29}}\)). Proxy indicators are classified as decomposition-affected and decomposition-unaffected (red and blue lines, respectively). Error bars based on replicate analyses represent the 1σ uncertainty. The horizontal brown band bounded by dashed lines denotes the Ghost Interval. Note that peat colour and texture in the Ghost Interval is similar to that of the peat immediately below and above. The basal 17 cm of the core, which predates peat formation, consists of very well humified peat mottled with clay representing mineral deposits of unknown age and unknown total depth.
