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While much is known about how the growth environment influences many aspects of floral morphology and physiology, little is known about how the growth setting influences floral lipid composition. We explored variations in paraffin wax composition in Cannabis sp., a cash crop grown both indoors and outdoors across the United States today. Given an increased focus on regulation of this crop, there are additional incentives to certify the setting of Cannabis cultivation. To understand the impacts of the growth environment, we studied distributions, concentrations, and carbon isotope ratios of n-alkanes isolated from Cannabis sp. inflorescences to assess if variations within these lipid parameters were related to known growth settings of specimens seized by federal agents. We found that Cannabis plants cultivated under open-field settings had increased inflorescence paraffin wax abundances and greater production of lower molecular weight n-alkanes relative to plants grown in enclosed environments. Further, the carbon isotope ratios of n-C29 from Cannabis plants grown in enclosed environments had relatively lower carbon isotope (δ(13)C) values compared to plants from open-field environments. While this set of observations on seized plant specimens cannot address the particular driver behind these observations, we posit that (a) variations in irradiance and/or photoperiod may influence the distribution and concentration of inflorescence lipids, and (b) the δ(13)C value of source CO2 and lipid concentration regulates the δ(13)C values of inflorescence n-C29 and bulk Cannabis plant materials. Nonetheless, by using a cultivation model based on δ(13)C values of n-C29, the model correctly identified the growth environment 90% of time. We suggest that these lipid markers may be used to trace cultivation methods of Cannabis sp. now and become a more powerful marker in the future, once the mechanism(s) behind these patterns is uncovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which both water source and atmospheric humidity affect δ2 H values of terrestrial plant leaf waxes will affect the interpretations of δ2 H variation of leaf waxes as a proxy for hydrological conditions. To elucidate the effects of these parameters, we conducted a long-term experiment in which we grew two tree species, P opulus fremontii and B etula occidentalis, hydroponically under combinations of six isotopically distinct waters and two different atmospheric humidities. We observed that leaf n-alkane δ2 H values of both species were linearly related to source water δ2 H values, but with slope differences associated with differing humidities. When a modified version of the Craig- Gordon model incorporating plant factors was used to predict the δ2 H values of leaf water, all modelled leaf water values fit the same linear relationship with n-alkane δ2 H values. These observations suggested a relatively constant biosynthetic fractionation factor between leaf water and n-alkanes. However, our calculations indicated a small difference in the biosynthetic fractionation factor between the two species, consistent with small differences calculated for species in other studies. At present, it remains unclear if these apparent interspecies differences in biosynthetic fractionation reflect species-specific biochemistry or a common biosynthetic fractionation factor with insufficient model parameterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early Cretaceous rift basins of the incipient South Atlantic have been the focus of intense hydrocarbon exploration and production activities and host some large oil accumulations in sections predating an interval of major salt deposition, particularly in the central segment of the South Atlantic. Understanding the timing (and associated uncertainties) of source rock and reservoir deposition and their relationship with rift evolution is critical for successful exploration. However, there are still many unresolved issues and data gaps regarding the precise age and duration of salt deposition. Better chronological constraints are particularly needed to determine the timing of deposition of Pre-Salt reservoirs and the primary evaporites, as well as the secondary phase of halokinensis that resulted in variable reservoir sealing potential. To help address this gap, stable carbon isotope (δ13C) records from bulk organic matter and insoluble kerogen were generated for the Early Cretaceous salt and Pre-Salt intervals from two exploration wells offshore of Gabon. The bulk organic δ13C stratigraphies for the two wells were then integrated with palynological and ostracod biostratigraphy and placed within a sequence stratigraphic and regional tectonic framework, providing new constraints on the timing of rift lake evolution and salt deposition. The good correlation between the offshore Gabon δ13C record with other published sections calibrated to the current Geologic Time Scale as well as other regional sections from NE Brazil, supports the reliability of our new Gabon δ13C record. Several δ13C excursions are identified in the Pre-Salt sequence and are correlated with the Valanginian Weissert event and Early Aptian δ13C event(s). Salt deposition on the Gabon margin is interpreted to have occurred during an interval straddling the Early-Late Aptian boundary (∼118.4–116.8 Ma). These findings are comparable with other published estimates for salt deposition from northeast Brazil but differ from published estimates from the Campos-Santos basins; the latter are critically discussed. This study provides an important stratigraphic dataset for offshore Gabon and contributes to the ongoing debate regarding the timing of rifting and salt deposition in the Early Cretaceous of the South Atlantic passive margin system. • Early Cretaceous stratigraphic framework, offshore Gabon, constraining the timing of margin evolution and salt deposition • Multi-disciplinary dataset including stable isotopes, palynological and ostracod biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. • Valanginian Weissert event and Early Aptian d13C event(s) identified in the Pre-Salt sequence. • Salt deposition on the Gabon margin is interpreted to have occurred during the Early-Late Aptian (∼118.4 to 116.8 Ma). • Other published estimates for the timing of salt deposition in the South Atlantic are critically assessed and evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]