title: Extended hopanoids in peat environments.
abstract: Detailed results are presented for the distributions of triterpenoid alkanes, acids and alcohols of the hopane family in ten samples of peat from three environments, and of contributing organisms in the case of Lyne of Skene, Scotland.  Extended hopanoids of the beta alpha and alpha beta configuration appear at the very earliest stage of diagenesis.  Such environments appear to be characterised by particular distributions of C32 hopanoid acids and alcohols, and a high preponderance of the C31 alpha beta hopane.
authors.affiliation: Organic Geochemistry Unit, University of Bristol, Great Britain.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Quirk
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wardroper
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Wheatley
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Maxwell
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D000473:Alkanes; D001419:Bacteria; D019068:Bryopsida; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D008011:Lichens; D012606:Scotland; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014315:Triterpenes
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000473:Alkanes; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D014315:Triterpenes; C025206:hopane