10.1594/PANGAEA.935586Gensel, JuliaJuliaGensel0000-0002-8948-2231Humphries, MarcMarcHumphries0000-0002-4047-1451Zabel, MatthiasMatthiasZabel0000-0003-4681-1821Sebag, DavidDavidSebag0000-0002-6446-6921Hahn, AnnetteAnnetteHahn0000-0002-3647-473XSchefuß, EnnoEnnoSchefuß0000-0002-5960-930XPANGAEA2021d13CdDn-alkanesorganic matterplant waxesRock-EvalSouth AfricawetlandEvent labelLatitude of eventLongitude of eventDEPTH, sediment/rockSample typeSample commentSpeciesn-Alkane C16n-Alkane C17n-Alkane C18n-Alkane C19n-Alkane C20n-Alkane C21n-Alkane C22n-Alkane C23n-Alkane C24n-Alkane C25n-Alkane C26n-Alkane C27n-Alkane C28n-Alkane C29n-Alkane C30n-Alkane C31n-Alkane C32n-Alkane C33n-Alkane C34n-Alkane C35n-Alkane C23, δ13Cn-Alkane C23, δ13C, standard deviationn-Alkane C25, δ13Cn-Alkane C25, δ13C, standard deviationn-Alkane C27, δ13Cn-Alkane C27, δ13C, standard deviationn-Alkane C29, δ13Cn-Alkane C29, δ13C, standard deviationn-Alkane C31, δ13Cn-Alkane C31, δ13C, standard deviationn-Alkane C33, δ13Cn-Alkane C33, δ13C, standard deviationn-Alkane C35, δ13Cn-Alkane C35, δ13C, standard deviationn-Alkane C25, δDn-Alkane C25, δD, standard deviationn-Alkane C27, δDn-Alkane C27, δD, standard deviationn-Alkane C29, δDn-Alkane C29, δD, standard deviationn-Alkane C31, δDn-Alkane C31, δD, standard deviationn-Alkane C33, δDn-Alkane C33, δD, standard deviationn-Alkane C35, δDn-Alkane C35, δD, standard deviationCarbon, organic, totalNitrogen, totalδ13C, bulk carbonateCarbon/Nitrogen ratioHydrogen indexI-indexR-IndexTracing Human and Climate impacts in South Africa (TRACES)Dataset10.5194/bg-19-2881-20222231 data pointstext/tab-separated-valuesCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 InternationalSurface sediments (n=41) reflecting modern times (uppermost 10 cm) were collected during a November/December 2018 field campaign along the course of the Mkhuze River and a transect into Lake St. Lucia (KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa). In addition, plant species (n=10) were collected based on previous reports of dominant vegetation communities and local occurrences. All samples were extracted soon after with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol (9:1), purified, and fractionated. The apolar fraction was finally analyzed for its n-alkane concentrations and corresponding compound-specific carbon and hydrogen isotope compositions. Sub-samples of the surface sediments were also analyzed for (i) organic matter content (total organic carbon) and composition (d13C, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) after decalcification, and (ii) for thermal indices (Hydrogen Index, R-index, I-index) using Rock-Eval analyses. The study's objective was to evaluate the most extensive freshwater wetland system in South Africa regarding its current condition and functioning by identifying the origin and transport pathways of sedimentary organic matter.32.0175532.561083-27.9457-27.5839166Mkuze RiverFederal Ministry of Education and Researchhttps://doi.org/10.13039/50110000234703F0798ATracing Human and Climate impacts in South Africa