Co-variation of nitrogen isotopes and redox states through glacial–interglacial cycles in the Black Sea

In all aquatic environments, nitrogen cycling within the water column is strongly influenced by oxygen. We hypothesize that the nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) of organic matter deposited in the sediments is a proxy for the redox state of the water column at the time of deposition. We tested the hypothesis by measuring the bulk sedimentary δ15N values in a drill core from the Black Sea, a basin that alternates between oxic, less saline...