Articles of Significant Interest in This Issue

Abstract

Geothermal systems emit significant quantities of mercury into the environment. Gionfriddo et al. (e00176-20) present a new conceptual model, supported by metagenomics and detailed geochemistry, of the environmental factors controlling the fate of mercury in warm springs. This model accounts for changes in mercury form, microbial interactions with mercury, and the mobility of toxic mercury. It also yields new insights into biogeochemical links among the mercury, sulfur, and iron cycles, providing a framework for studying natural geothermal mercury sources globally.