Biogeochemical Gradients Research Articles

RESPIRE: An in situ particle interceptor to conduct particle remineralization and microbial dynamics studies in the oceans’ Twilight Zone

AbstractSinking biogenic particles are centers of remineralization in the ocean's interior, a stratum which has large vertical biogeochemical gradients in the mesopelagic (i.e., 100–1000 m depth) realm. Due to difficulties in studying this region, our understanding of particle remineralization is based upon investigations employing biogeochemical algorithms, proxies, or shipboard incubations of deep‐water samples. Here we circumvent many of these issues by fabricating and deploying a REspiration of Sinking Particles In the subsuRface ocEan (RESPIRE) particle interceptor in the open ocean to nonintrusively intercept settling particles at fixed depths (100–300 m). After a preprogrammed particle interception phase, the RESPIRE interceptor switches to a particle incubation mode, during which remineralization rate at in situ temperature and pressure is tracked using a dissolved‐oxygen optode time series. A rotating (every 10 min) indented sphere transfers particles into a chamber that houses the dissolved‐oxygen optode, and minimizes access to particles by mesozooplankton. Deployments of typically 72 h (36 h interception: 36 h incubation) yield rates of particle remineralization primarily by attached microbes, and concurrently provide samples for geochemical analyses and microbial assays to explore the relationship between bacterial community structure, enzymatic solubilisation, and trends in particle remineralization. The interceptor has also been used to follow temporal changes in microbial dynamics associated with remineralization. RESPIRE provides more realistic conditions within which remineralization rates can be measured in the ocean's interior, and will foster new linkages between the disparate disciplines of microbial physiology and particle biogeochemistry in the ocean's Twilight Zone.

Soil Factors That Influence the Abundance and Distribution of Threatened and Endangered Species in the Okavango Delta; with Particular Emphasis on <i>Eulophia angolensis</i>

Eulophia angolensis is an endangered plant species found in the Okavango Delta. Generally, there is lack of botanical information on this species in Botswana, which is necessary for its in-situ and ex-situ conservation. The objectives of this research are to map areas where E. angolensis occurs, determine the species that co-exist with it, and establish soil factors that influence its abundance and distribution in the Okavango Delta. A survey of the area where the plant was sighted in 2004 was carried out using recorded GPS points. Soil samples were collected at 0 - 20 cm depth from the floodplain where the species occurred to determine the macronutrients: total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (N, P, and K) and soil organic carbon (SOC) contents. The researchers could not find the plant at all GPS locations where the plant was sighted in 2004, but discovered a new unrecorded site for the species. The species was very close to the water channel; approximately 40 cm away, with only one plant about 60 cm away. The mean macronutrients concentrations in the site that contained E. angolensis were total N = 2.61 ± 0.61 mg/L, P = 7.02 ± 0.8 mg/L and K = 14.41 ± 4.28 mg/L. SOC concentration was 40.1 ± 10.28 mg/L. Furthermore, there was K biogeochemical gradient within the E. angolensis habitat, with more concentrations directly around the plant. Therefore, E. angolensis needs critical amounts of N, P, K and SOC, with K, SOC and water requirement being the crucial factors. Frequent monitoring of the endangered species found in the Okavango Delta is required, and ex-situ conservation of the species in the country in the form of a botanical garden should be established for future generations.

Non-invasive imaging techniques to study O2 micro-patterns around pesticide treated lupine roots

The soil–root interface is a highly heterogeneous system, e.g. in terms of O2 and pH distribution. The destructive character of conventional methods disturbs the natural conditions of those biogeochemical gradients. Therefore, experiments aiming to control these influences and study pesticide kinetics under given O2 and pH conditions suffer from a large uncertainty of the “real” O2/pH at a certain position. Our approach with two different imaging techniques will examine the soil–root interface as well as the dissipation of the applied pesticide at a high spatial resolution.The obtained outcomes show directly that the pH has an influence on enantioselective dissipation of the acetanilide fungicide metalaxyl. In areas with high pH from an applied racemic mixture, the R-enantiomer dissipates faster than the S-enantiomer. Moreover, we found significantly reduced oxygen values in the bulk soil and vicinity of metalaxyl treated roots compared to control plant roots. The combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI) and fluorescence imaging indicated the oxygen-dependent behavior of metalaxyl at the root surface.The results presented here underline the great potential of combining different imaging methods to examine the soil–root interfaces as well as the dissipation of organic pollutants in small soil compartments.

Fossil preservation through phosphatization and silicification in the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation (South China): a comparative synthesis

Phosphatized and silicified microfossils – preserved through replication of organic templates by authigenic calcium phosphate and silica, respectively – form through mechanistically similar mineralization processes but under notably different conditions. In order to characterize the environments and taphonomic processes associated with these preservational pathways, we compare phosphatized and silicified fossil assemblages in the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation (South China) in terms of stratigraphic and paleogeographic distribution, preservation, and biodiversity. Several differences are recognized: (1) phosphatization and silicification both occurred in sub-tidal Doushantuo sediments, but phosphatized fossils generally occur in shallower sub-tidal facies than silicified fossils; (2) although both phosphatized and silicified fossils are preserved three dimensionally, the latter are typically more compressed; and (3) whereas phosphatized assemblages are numerically dominated by multicellular acritarchs (putative metazoan eggs and embryos), silicified assemblages are dominated by prokaryotes. These differences can be explained by environmental and taphonomic distinctions. Phosphatized fossils occur in intraclastic phosphorites and phosphatic carbonates, and were likely fossilized near the suboxic/anoxic boundary in sediments under oxic bottom waters with redox and biogeochemical gradients conducive to P remineralization, phosphate burial via iron-pumping, and calcium phosphate precipitation. Reworking and winnowing of phosphatized fossils preferentially concentrated certain taxa prior to final burial. In contrast, silicified fossils typically occur in chert nodules, which formed deeper in the sediment column – in ferruginous pore waters and perhaps under ferruginous bottom waters – where bacterial sulfate reduction and pyrite formation created low-pH conditions conducive to calcite dissolution and silica precipitation. Once formed, chert nodules mostly remained in situ, but some were reworked with turbidites and olistostromes developed in slope facies. Despite these distinctions, phosphatized and silicified fossil assemblages in the Doushantuo Formation generally overlap in time and space, and representatives of all major groups (and many common genera) of Doushantuo organisms are present in both phosphorites and cherts. Consequently, although both preservational pathways have paleoenvironmental and taphonomic biases, their relative biases on taxonomic presence/absence data are minimal given sufficient sampling efforts, and paleobiologic and biostratigraphic information based on presence/absence (but not abundance) data from the Doushantuo Formation appears to be robust.

Microbial community composition and in silico predicted metabolic potential reflect biogeochemical gradients between distinct peatland types.

It is not well understood how the ecological status and microbial community composition of spruce swamp forests (SSF) relate to those found in bogs and fens. To clarify this, we investigated biogeochemical parameters and microbial community composition in a bog, a fen and two SSF using high throughput barcoded sequencing of the small ribosomal subunit (SSU) variable region V4. The results demonstrated that the microbial community of SSF is positioned between those of bogs and fens, and this was confirmed by in silico predicted metabolic potentials. This corresponds well with the position of SSF on the trophic gradient and reflects distinct responses of microbial communities to environmental variables. Species richness and microbial diversity increased significantly from bog to fen, with SSF in between, reflecting the variation in pH, nutrient availability and peat decomposability. The archaeal community, dominated by hydrogenotrophic methanogens, was more similar in SSF and the bog compared with the fen. The composition of the bacterial community of SSF was intermediate between those of bog and fen. However, the production of CO2 (an indicator of peat decomposability) did not differ between SSF and bog, suggesting the limiting effect of low pH and poor litter quality on the functioning of the bacterial community in SSF. These results help to clarify the transitional position of SSF between bogs and fens and showed the strong effect of environmental conditions on microbial community composition and functioning.

Phylogenetic and functional diversity of microbial communities associated with subsurface sediments of the Sonora Margin, Guaymas Basin.

Subsurface sediments of the Sonora Margin (Guaymas Basin), located in proximity of active cold seep sites were explored. The taxonomic and functional diversity of bacterial and archaeal communities were investigated from 1 to 10 meters below the seafloor. Microbial community structure and abundance and distribution of dominant populations were assessed using complementary molecular approaches (Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis, 16S rRNA libraries and quantitative PCR with an extensive primers set) and correlated to comprehensive geochemical data. Moreover the metabolic potentials and functional traits of the microbial community were also identified using the GeoChip functional gene microarray and metabolic rates. The active microbial community structure in the Sonora Margin sediments was related to deep subsurface ecosystems (Marine Benthic Groups B and D, Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotal Group, Chloroflexi and Candidate divisions) and remained relatively similar throughout the sediment section, despite defined biogeochemical gradients. However, relative abundances of bacterial and archaeal dominant lineages were significantly correlated with organic carbon quantity and origin. Consistently, metabolic pathways for the degradation and assimilation of this organic carbon as well as genetic potentials for the transformation of detrital organic matters, hydrocarbons and recalcitrant substrates were detected, suggesting that chemoorganotrophic microorganisms may dominate the microbial community of the Sonora Margin subsurface sediments.

Understanding biogeochemical gradients of sulfur, iron and carbon in an oil sands tailings pond

Oil sands tailings ponds in Alberta (Canada) are strongly stratified ecosystems structured in an upper water layer and underlying mud layers that harbour a diversity of microorganisms, contributing to hydrocarbon degradation and elemental cycling. Until now not much is known about the biogeochemistry of the ponds and their spatial structure is not well explored yet. An understanding of microbial activity and community composition is important, in particular, in order to determine potential effects on pond properties and long term development. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to identify reactive zones of iron, carbon and sulfur cycling in an active tailings pond, by comparing biogeochemical data along two depth profiles. For both profiles a zone of intense sulfur cycling was substantiated by maxima of: (a) dissolved and solid sulfides; (b) sulfate reduction rates and thiosulfate oxidation potentials; and (c) viable counts of sulfate reducers and relative abundances of functional genes. In addition, methanogenesis and microbial iron reduction were shown to be important electron accepting processes in the ponds. All processes coexisted in a zone of intense elemental cycling at a depth of 1–4m below the water–mud interface, where fresh tailings are likely to accumulate. Microbial activity and biomass decreased with depth, where tailings had higher age and density. While the upper mud layers were influenced by the presence of different archaea, the microbial communities showed an increased presence of bacterial species at depth. Insights from qPCR, 35S radiotracer technique and stable isotope analysis mirrored some differences between the profiles, regarding sulfur and carbon cycling. Despite this, both profiles showed remarkably similar patterns of microbial community composition and activity, revealing a good reproducibility of biogeochemical cycling within a few metres.

Molecular analyses of microbial abundance and diversity in the water column of anchialine caves in Mallorca, Spain

Water column samples from the island of Mallorca, Spain were collected from one site in Cova des Pas de Vallgornera (Vallgornera) and three sites (Llac Martel, Llac Negre, and Llac de les Delícies) in Coves del Drac (Drac). Vallgornera is located on the southern coast of Mallorca approximately 57 km southwest of Coves del Drac. Drac is Europe's most visited tourist cave, whereas Vallgornera is closed to the public. Water samples were analyzed for water chemistry using spectrophotometric methods, by quantitative PCR for estimated total abundance of microbial communities, and by length heterogeneity PCR for species richness and relative species abundance of Archaea, Bacteria, and microbial eukaryotes. Estimated total abundance was multiplied by relative species abundance to determine the absolute species abundance. All sites were compared to determine spatial distributions of the microbial communities and to determine water column physical and chemical gradients. Water quality and community structure data indicate that both Drac Delícies and Drac Negre have distinct biogeochemical gradients. These sites have communities that are similar to Vallgornera but distinct from Drac Martel, only a few hundred meters away. Drac Martel is accessible to the general public and had the most dissimilar microbial community of all the sites. Similarities among communities at sites in Drac and Vallgornera suggest that these two spatially separated systems are operating under similar ecological constraints.

Urban water interfaces

Urban water systems consist of large-scale technical systems and both natural and man-made water bodies. The technical systems are essential components of urban infrastructure for water collection, treatment, storage and distribution, as well as for wastewater and runoff collection and subsequent treatment. Urban aquatic ecosystems are typically subject to strong human influences, which impair the quality of surface and ground waters, often with far-reaching impacts on downstream aquatic ecosystems and water users. The various surface and subsurface water bodies in urban environments can be viewed as interconnected compartments that are also extensively intertwined with a range of technical compartments of the urban water system. As a result, urban water systems are characterized by fluxes of water, solutes, gases and energy between contrasting compartments of a technical, natural or hybrid nature. Referred to as urban water interfaces, boundaries between and within these compartments are often specific to urban water systems. Urban water interfaces are generally characterized by steep physical and biogeochemical gradients, which promote high reaction rates. We hypothesize that they act as key sites of processes and fluxes with notable effects on overall system behaviour. By their very nature, urban water interfaces are heterogeneous and dynamic. Therefore, they increase spatial heterogeneity in urban areas and are also expected to contribute notably to the temporal dynamics of urban water systems, which often involve non-linear interactions and feedback mechanisms. Processes at and fluxes across urban water interfaces are complex and less well understood than within well-defined, homogeneous compartments, requiring both empirical investigations and new modelling approaches at both the process and system level. We advocate an integrative conceptual framework of the urban water system that considers interfaces as a key component to improve our fundamental understanding of aquatic interface processes in urban environments, advance understanding of current and future system behaviour, and promote an integrated urban water management.

Microbial communities along biogeochemical gradients in a hydrocarbon‐contaminated aquifer

Micro-organisms are known to degrade a wide range of toxic substances. How the environment shapes microbial communities in polluted ecosystems and thus influences degradation capabilities is not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigated microbial communities in a highly complex environment: the capillary fringe and subjacent sediments in a hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer. Sixty sediment sections were analysed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) fingerprinting, cloning and sequencing of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes, complemented by chemical analyses of petroleum hydrocarbons, methane, oxygen and alternative terminal electron acceptors. Multivariate statistics revealed concentrations of contaminants and the position of the water table as significant factors shaping the microbial community composition. Micro-organisms with highest T-RFLP abundances were related to sulphate reducers belonging to the genus Desulfosporosinus, fermenting bacteria of the genera Sedimentibacter and Smithella, and aerobic hydrocarbon degraders of the genus Acidovorax. Furthermore, the acetoclastic methanogens Methanosaeta, and hydrogenotrophic methanogens Methanocella and Methanoregula were detected. Whereas sulphate and sulphate reducers prevail at the contamination source, the detection of methane, fermenting bacteria and methanogenic archaea further downstream points towards syntrophic hydrocarbon degradation.

Factors Controlling Soil Microbial Biomass and Bacterial Diversity and Community Composition in a Cold Desert Ecosystem: Role of Geographic Scale

Understanding controls over the distribution of soil bacteria is a fundamental step toward describing soil ecosystems, understanding their functional capabilities, and predicting their responses to environmental change. This study investigated the controls on the biomass, species richness, and community structure and composition of soil bacterial communities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, at local and regional scales. The goals of the study were to describe the relationships between abiotic characteristics and soil bacteria in this unique, microbially dominated environment, and to test the scale dependence of these relationships in a low complexity ecosystem. Samples were collected from dry mineral soils associated with snow patches, which are a significant source of water in this desert environment, at six sites located in the major basins of the Taylor and Wright Valleys. Samples were analyzed for a suite of characteristics including soil moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, soil organic matter, major nutrients and ions, microbial biomass, 16 S rRNA gene richness, and bacterial community structure and composition. Snow patches created local biogeochemical gradients while inter-basin comparisons encompassed landscape scale gradients enabling comparisons of microbial controls at two distinct spatial scales. At the organic carbon rich, mesic, low elevation sites Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria were prevalent, while Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were dominant at the high elevation, low moisture and biomass sites. Microbial parameters were significantly related with soil water content and edaphic characteristics including soil pH, organic matter, and sulfate. However, the magnitude and even the direction of these relationships varied across basins and the application of mixed effects models revealed evidence of significant contextual effects at local and regional scales. The results highlight the importance of the geographic scale of sampling when determining the controls on soil microbial community characteristics.

Stable isotope composition of suspended particulate organic matter in twenty reservoirs from Guangdong, southern China: Implications for pelagic carbon and nitrogen cycling

We studied seasonal variations in the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) of particulate organic matter (POM) in the surface water of 20 man-made reservoirs in southern China during March, August and December 2010. These reservoirs are located from subtropical to tropical region, varied in trophic states and were influenced by several types of human activities. The geomorphometric and biogeochemical gradients in tropical/subtropical regions are complicated and poorly understood because of low variation in temperature and high variation in hydrological processes. The POM samples were collected from all the reservoirs to assess the seasonal variation patterns of δ13CPOM and δ15NPOM. Variation in δ13CPOM followed seasonal thermal and hydrological cycles. By contrast, δ15NPOM did not seasonally differ, which may have been complicated by phytoplankton assimilation of N originating in agricultural waste entering the reservoirs and of atmospheric nitrogen during the wet season as well as an increased relative contribution of animal waste in the reservoirs in the dry season. Within each sampling period, nutrient availability is more important than thermal and solar radiation inputs in the summer, and these physical drivers are more important during the dry and cold winter month in controlling δ13CPOM and δ15NPOM. On an annual basis, trophic states (total P, total N and chlorophyll a) are the primary drivers for the changes in both δ13CPOM and δ15NPOM across reservoirs. When the seasonal effect is removed using annual averages from each reservoir, we found that latitude, trophic states, pH, rainfall, water temperature, reservoir age, catchment area to reservoir area (CA:RA) ratio and together explained about 80% of the variance in both δ13CPOM and δ15NPOM. Our findings also suggest that the trend of δ15NPOM is less predictable than δ13CPOM. The consistent 15N depletion and enrichment of POM in different reservoirs point to the importance of different anthropogenic sources of nitrogen in the reservoirs.

Strong gradient of benthic biogeochemical processes along a macrotidal temperate estuary: focus on P and Si cycles

This study aims to investigate the role of spatial and temporal physical, biological and biogeochemical gradients on sediment biogeochemistry along a macrotidal and Si-rich estuary. Scanning and biogeochemical analyses were performed in the inner, mid and outer Aulne Estuary (France) at four seasons. The inner estuary shows high diagenetic activity linked to fluid mud dynamics and river loads. The highest authigenic phosphorus (Aut-P) concentrations ever found in the literature are observed in the inner estuary (18 μmol g−1 PS sediment). This is explained by a combination of favorable factors, i.e. the high organic matter and nutrient loads, the reductive conditions, the freshwater properties (low pH, OH−, sulfate and Mg2+ concentrations), the increase of particle residence time by the upward convergence of particles due to residual currents, and allochthonous riverine Aut-P. We suggest that the high Si(OH)4 concentrations (>400 μM) may even increase Aut-P precipitation through the increase of Fe–P formation in these low salinity conditions. In the mid estuary, erosion–deposition dynamics dominate in point bars and lead to the succession of poor and rich organic and authigenic phosphorus layers, recording thus the seasonality of matter loads and its seasonal translocation from the inner estuary. In the outer estuary, deposition rates are high and constant and biogeochemical properties are characteristic of marine environments. The precipitation of Aut-P from free phosphate (PO4 3−) is lower than in the inner estuary and might be limited by higher Mg2+ concentrations in saline waters. This study highlights that small macrotidal estuaries, and especially their freshwater sediments, may constitute an important phosphorus sink through the precipitation of Aut-P. This precipitation could even be enhanced in fresh or brackish environments, thus increasing long term phosphorus storage and altering benthic fluxes of PO4 3− to the pelagic ecosystem.

Mercury dynamics in groundwater across three distinct riparian zone types of the US Midwest

Although the intense biogeochemical gradients present in riparian zones have the potential to affect mercury (Hg) cycling, Hg dynamics in riparian zones has received relatively little attention in the literature. Our study investigated groundwater filtered total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) dynamics in three riparian zones with contrasting hydrogeomorphic (HGM) characteristics (till, alluvium, outwash) in the US Midwest. Despite high Hg deposition rates (>16 μg m(-2)) in the region, median THg (<1.05 ng L(-1)) and MeHg (<0.05 ng L(-1)) concentrations were low at the study sites. Methylmercury concentrations were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated to THg (R = 0.82), temperature (R = 0.55), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (R = 0.62). THg also correlated with groundwater DOC (R = 0.59). The proportion of MeHg in THg (%MeHg) was significantly correlated to temperature (R = 0.58) and MeHg (R = 0.50). Results suggest that HGM characteristics, the presence of tile drains, and the propensity for overbank flooding at a riparian site determined the extent to which stream water Hg concentrations influenced riparian groundwater Hg levels or vice versa. Differences in hydrogeomorphic characteristics between sites did not translate however in significant differences in groundwater MeHg or %MeHg. Overall, widespread Hg contamination in the most common riparian hydrogeomorphic types of the US Midwest is unlikely to be a major concern. However, for frequently flooded riparian zones located downstream from a potentially large source of Hg (e.g., concentrated urban development), Hg concentrations are likely to be higher than at other sites.

Can resource costs of polyploidy provide an advantage to sex?

The predominance of sexual reproduction despite its costs indicates that sex provides substantial benefits, which are usually thought to derive from the direct genetic consequences of recombination and syngamy. While genetic benefits of sex are certainly important, sexual and asexual individuals, lineages, or populations may also differ in physiological and life history traits that could influence outcomes of competition between sexuals and asexuals across environmental gradients. Here, we address possible phenotypic costs of a very common correlate of asexuality, polyploidy. We suggest that polyploidy could confer resource costs related to the dietary phosphorus demands of nucleic acid production; such costs could facilitate the persistence of sex in situations where asexual taxa are of higher ploidy level and phosphorus availability limits important traits like growth and reproduction. We outline predictions regarding the distribution of diploid sexual and polyploid asexual taxa across biogeochemical gradients and provide suggestions for study systems and empirical approaches for testing elements of our hypothesis.

Modeling the dissolved CO2 system in the redox environment of the Baltic Sea

Generation and depletion of total alkalinity (AT) were added to a Baltic Sea numerical model. The vertical distribution of generation and depletion of total alkalinity were described and attributed to different processes in the Eastern Gotland basin at the Gotland deep station (BY15) during the 1995‐2004 period. At this site, the mean annual generation (28.2 µmol kg−1 yr−1) and depletion (−25.8 µmol kg−1 yr−1) were almost balanced, though the transient rates were much faster (+125/−340 µmol kg−1 yr−1). The mean volume‐integrated AT content increased up to 50 µmol kg−1 when generation and depletion were added to the model. The AT changes were coupled to oxidation‐reduction (redox) reactions and the model budget indicates that internal generation and depletions is as important as lateral transports, including riverine input, at this site. Model predictive capability in marine environments with strong biogeochemical gradients was improved by coupling within the dissolved CO2, and the biogeochemical, systems. This enables evaluation of eutrophication, acidification, and climate change simultaneously, and is important specifically in regions with permanent or periodic anoxia.

Microbial community structure and activity linked to contrasting biogeochemical gradients in bog and fen environments of the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatland.

The abundances, compositions, and activities of microbial communities were investigated at bog and fen sites in the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatland of northwestern Minnesota. These sites contrast in the reactivity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the presence or absence of groundwater inputs. Microbial community composition was characterized using pyrosequencing and clone library construction of phylogenetic marker genes. Microbial distribution patterns were linked to pH, concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, C/N ratios, optical properties of DOM, and activities of laccase and peroxidase enzymes. Both bacterial and archaeal richness and rRNA gene abundance were >2 times higher on average in the fen than in the bog, in agreement with a higher pH, labile DOM content, and enhanced enzyme activities in the fen. Fungi were equivalent to an average of 1.4% of total prokaryotes in gene abundance assayed by quantitative PCR. Results revealed statistically distinct spatial patterns between bacterial and fungal communities. Fungal distribution did not covary with pH and DOM optical properties and was vertically stratified, with a prevalence of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota near the surface and much higher representation of Zygomycota in the subsurface. In contrast, bacterial community composition largely varied between environments, with the bog dominated by Acidobacteria (61% of total sequences), while the Firmicutes (52%) dominated in the fen. Acetoclastic Methanosarcinales showed a much higher relative abundance in the bog, in contrast to the dominance of diverse hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the fen. This is the first quantitative and compositional analysis of three microbial domains in peatlands and demonstrates that the microbial abundance, diversity, and activity parallel with the pronounced differences in environmental variables between bog and fen sites.

Global pattern of carbon stable isotopes of suspended particulate organic matter in lakes

Carbon stable isotopes (δ13C) of particulate organic matter (POM) are useful indicators for tracking the sources of organic matter, CO2 concentrations, primary productivity and the trophic base in lakes. Here we provide a synthesis of literature data from 228 lakes around the world to assess the distribution pattern of δ13CPOM along latitudinal, morphometric and biogeochemical gradients, and the feasibility of utilizing δ13CPOM as an indicator for lake metabolism. Results from this analysis revealed a large variation in δ13CPOM among lakes with a range from −46.2 to −13.0‰ and a median of −29.7‰. The δ13CPOM generally decreased from low to high latitude along with the decreases in total phosphorus (TP), pH, lake size and the increases in partial pressure of CO2. The combination of these factors may play a significant role in shaping the pattern of δ13CPOM distribution. A multiple regression model using matching data (n = 92 lakes) indicated that latitude, lake size and TP concentration were the important factors determining δ13CPOM, although only 25% of the variance in δ13CPOM was explained by the model. Compared to the average δ13C value (−27‰) of terrestrial plants, 165 lakes (72%) in this analysis were isotopically depleted in δ13CPOM, with a mean of −31.5‰, which is indicative of an allochthonous contribution of terrestrial organic matter. This finding is consistent with the view that the majority of lakes in the world receive a terrestrial subsidy of carbon and are sources of CO2 to the atmosphere.

Basin‐scale patterns in the abundance of SAR11 subclades, marine Actinobacteria (OM1), members of the Roseobacter clade and OCS116 in the South Atlantic

Bacterioplankton are major biogeochemical agents responsible for mediating the flux of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and subsequent cycling of nutrients in the oceans. Most information about the composition of bacterioplankton communities has come from studies along well-defined biogeochemical gradients in the northern hemisphere. This study extends observations of spatial and temporal dynamics for SAR11, Actinobacteria and OCS116 in the North Atlantic by demonstrating distinct spatial variability in the abundance and distribution of these and other lineages across the South Atlantic gyre and in the Benguela upwelling system. We identified shifts in SAR11, Actinobacteria, OCS116, SAR86, SAR116 and members of the Roseobacter clade along basin-scale gradients in nutrients, chlorophyll and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Distinct SAR11 subclades dominated the western and eastern regions of the gyre, and Actinobacteria, OCS116 and members of the Roseobacter lineages were most abundant at the deep chlorophyll maxima. SAR86 and SAR116 accounted for a significant fraction of coastal and open ocean communities, respectively, and members of the gamma sulfur oxidizer (GSO) clade persisted in the Benguela upwelling system. These data suggest that distinct communities are partitioned along basin-scale biogeochemical gradients, that SAR11 community structure varies across the gyre and that Actinobacteria, OCS116, and members of the Roseobacter clade are closely associated with phytoplankton in the gyre.

Biomarkers Reveal Diverse Microbial Communities in Black Smoker Sulfides from Turtle Pits (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Recent) and Yaman Kasy (Russia, Silurian)

The steep biogeochemical gradients near deep sea hydrothermal vents provide various niches for microbial life. Here we present biosignatures of such organisms enclosed in a modern and an ancient hydrothermal sulfide deposit (Turtle Pits, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Recent; Yaman Kasy, Russia, Silurian). In the modern sulfide we found high amounts of specific bacterial and archaeal biomarkers with δ13C values between −8 and −37‰ VPDB. Our data indicate the presence of thermophilic members of the autotrophic Aquificales using the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle as well as of methanogenic and chemolithoheterotrophic Archaea. In the ancient sample, most potential biomarkers of thermophiles were obscured by compounds derived from allochthonous organic matter (OM), except for an acyclic C40 biphytane and its C39 breakdown product. Both samples contained high amounts of unresolved complex mixtures (UCM) of hydrocarbons. Apparently, OM in the sulfides had to withstand high thermal stress, indicated by highly mature hopanes, steranes, and cheilanthanes with up to 41 carbon atoms.