Abstract Organic carbon in marine sediments is a critical component of the global carbon cycle, and its degradation influences a wide range of phenomena, including the magnitude of carbon sequestration over geologic timescales, the recycling of inorganic carbon and nutrients, the dissolution and precipitation of carbonates, the production of methane and the nature of the seafloor biosphere. Although much has been learned about the factors that promote and hinder rates of organic carbon degradation in natural systems, the controls on the distribution of organic carbon in modern and ancient sediments are still not fully understood. In this review, we summarize how recent findings are changing entrenched perspectives on organic matter degradation in marine sediments: a shift from a structurally-based chemical reactivity viewpoint towards an emerging acceptance of the role of the ecosystem in organic matter degradation rates. That is, organic carbon has a range of reactivities determined by not only the nature of the organic compounds, but by the biological, geochemical, and physical attributes of its environment. This shift in mindset has gradually come about due to a greater diversity of sample sites, the molecular revolution in biology, discoveries concerning the extent and limits of life, advances in quantitative modeling, investigations of ocean carbon cycling under a variety of extreme paleo-conditions (e.g. greenhouse environments, euxinic/anoxic oceans), the application of novel analytical techniques and interdisciplinary efforts. Adopting this view across scientific disciplines will enable additional progress in understanding how marine sediments influence the global carbon cycle.

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海洋沉积物中有机碳的归宿——来自最近数据和分析的新见解

摘要 海洋沉积物中的有机碳是全球碳循环的重要组成部分，其降解影响范围广泛的现象，包括地质时间尺度上的固碳量、无机碳和养分的再循环、碳酸盐的溶解和沉淀。 ，甲烷的产生和海底生物圈的性质。尽管已经对自然系统中促进和阻碍有机碳降解速率的因素有了很多了解，但对现代和古代沉积物中有机碳分布的控制仍未完全了解。在这篇综述中，我们总结了最近的发现如何改变关于海洋沉积物中有机物降解的根深蒂固的观点：从基于结构的化学反应性观点转向生态系统在有机物质降解率中的作用的新接受。也就是说，有机碳具有一系列反应性，不仅取决于有机化合物的性质，还取决于其环境的生物、地球化学和物理属性。由于样本地点的多样性、生物学的分子革命、关于生命范围和极限的发现、定量建模的进步、各种极端古条件下海洋碳循环的研究，这种思维方式的转变逐渐发生。 （例如温室环境、富氧/缺氧海洋）、新型分析技术的应用和跨学科的努力。