Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin
Abstract As bottom water warms, destabilisation of gas hydrates may increase the extent of methane-rich sediments. The authors present an assessment of organic carbon processing by the benthic community in methane-rich sediments, including one of the first investigations of inorganic C fixation in a...
Published in: | Antarctic Science |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102018000548 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102018000548 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102018000548 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102018000548 2024-03-03T08:39:27+00:00 Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin Woulds, Clare Bell, James B. Glover, Adrian G. Bouillon, Steven Brown, Louise S. 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102018000548 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102018000548 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 31, issue 2, page 59-68 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography journal-article 2019 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102018000548 2024-02-08T08:36:05Z Abstract As bottom water warms, destabilisation of gas hydrates may increase the extent of methane-rich sediments. The authors present an assessment of organic carbon processing by the benthic community in methane-rich sediments, including one of the first investigations of inorganic C fixation in a non-hydrothermal vent setting. This topic was previously poorly studied, and there is much need to fill the gaps in knowledge of such ecosystems. The authors hypothesized that benthic C fixation would occur, and that a high biomass macrofaunal community would play a substantial role in organic C cycling. Experiments were conducted at a 257 m deep site off South Georgia. Sediment cores were amended with 13 C and 15 N labelled algal detritus, or 13 C labelled bicarbonate solution. In the bicarbonate experiment, labelling of bacteria-specific phospholipid fatty acids provided direct evidence of benthic C fixation, with transfer of fixed C to macrofauna and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In the algae experiment, macrofauna played an active role in organic carbon cycling. Compared to similar experiments, low temperature supressed the rates of community respiration and macrofaunal C uptake. While benthic C fixation occurred, the biological processing of organic carbon was dominantly controlled by low temperature and high photic zone productivity. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarctic Science Cambridge University Press Antarctic Science 31 2 59 68 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
spellingShingle |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography Woulds, Clare Bell, James B. Glover, Adrian G. Bouillon, Steven Brown, Louise S. Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin |
topic_facet |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
description |
Abstract As bottom water warms, destabilisation of gas hydrates may increase the extent of methane-rich sediments. The authors present an assessment of organic carbon processing by the benthic community in methane-rich sediments, including one of the first investigations of inorganic C fixation in a non-hydrothermal vent setting. This topic was previously poorly studied, and there is much need to fill the gaps in knowledge of such ecosystems. The authors hypothesized that benthic C fixation would occur, and that a high biomass macrofaunal community would play a substantial role in organic C cycling. Experiments were conducted at a 257 m deep site off South Georgia. Sediment cores were amended with 13 C and 15 N labelled algal detritus, or 13 C labelled bicarbonate solution. In the bicarbonate experiment, labelling of bacteria-specific phospholipid fatty acids provided direct evidence of benthic C fixation, with transfer of fixed C to macrofauna and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In the algae experiment, macrofauna played an active role in organic carbon cycling. Compared to similar experiments, low temperature supressed the rates of community respiration and macrofaunal C uptake. While benthic C fixation occurred, the biological processing of organic carbon was dominantly controlled by low temperature and high photic zone productivity. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Woulds, Clare Bell, James B. Glover, Adrian G. Bouillon, Steven Brown, Louise S. |
author_facet |
Woulds, Clare Bell, James B. Glover, Adrian G. Bouillon, Steven Brown, Louise S. |
author_sort |
Woulds, Clare |
title |
Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin |
title_short |
Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin |
title_full |
Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin |
title_fullStr |
Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin |
title_full_unstemmed |
Carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic C fixation in methane-rich sediments on the South Georgia margin |
title_sort |
carbon processing by the benthic ecosystem and benthic c fixation in methane-rich sediments on the south georgia margin |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102018000548 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102018000548 |
genre |
Antarctic Science |
genre_facet |
Antarctic Science |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 31, issue 2, page 59-68 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102018000548 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
31 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
59 |
op_container_end_page |
68 |
_version_ |
1792495005472915456 |