In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat.
The Ikka Fjord (SW Greenland) harbors a unique microbial habitat in the form of several hundred submarine tufa columns composed of ikaite, a special hexahydrate form of calcium carbonate that precipitates when alkaline phosphate- and carbonate-enriched spring water seeping out of the sea floor meets...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722 https://doaj.org/article/82a933b8e1914839982adaf6f8b38987 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:82a933b8e1914839982adaf6f8b38987 2023-05-15T16:28:27+02:00 In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. Erik Christian Løvbjerg Trampe Jens Erik Nybo Larsen Mikkel Andreas Glaring Peter eStougaard Michael eKühl 2016-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722 https://doaj.org/article/82a933b8e1914839982adaf6f8b38987 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722 https://doaj.org/article/82a933b8e1914839982adaf6f8b38987 Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 7 (2016) Photosynthesis Biofilm microsensor extreme environments Alkaline Ikaite Microbiology QR1-502 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722 2022-12-31T16:21:27Z The Ikka Fjord (SW Greenland) harbors a unique microbial habitat in the form of several hundred submarine tufa columns composed of ikaite, a special hexahydrate form of calcium carbonate that precipitates when alkaline phosphate- and carbonate-enriched spring water seeping out of the sea floor meets cold seawater. While several unique heterotrophic microbes have been isolated from the tufa columns, the microbial activity and the boundary conditions for microbial growth in ikaite have remained unexplored. We present the first detailed in situ characterization of the physico-chemical microenvironment and activity of oxygenic phototrophs thriving within the ikaite columns. In situ underwater microsensor measurements of pH, temperature, and irradiance in the porous ikaite crystal matrix, revealed an extreme microenvironment characterized by low temperatures, strong light attenuation, and gradients of pH changing from pH 9 at the outer column surface to above pH 10 over the first 1-2 cm of the ikaite. This outer layer of the freshly deposited ikaite matrix contained densely pigmented yellow and green zones harboring a diverse phototrophic community dominated by diatoms and cyanobacteria, respectively, as shown by amplicon sequencing. In situ O2 measurements, as well as underwater variable chlorophyll fluorescence measurements of photosynthetic activity, demonstrated high levels of oxygenic photosynthesis in this extreme gradient environment with strong irradiance-driven O2 dynamics ranging from anoxia to hyperoxic conditions in the ikaite matrix, albeit the local formation of gas bubbles buffered the day-night dynamics of O2 in the tufa columns. The microbial phototrophs in the ikaite matrix are embedded in exopolymers forming endolithic biofilms that may interact with mineral formation and cementing of ikaite crystals. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Greenland Ikka ENVELOPE(-48.100,-48.100,61.150,61.150) Frontiers in Microbiology 7 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Photosynthesis Biofilm microsensor extreme environments Alkaline Ikaite Microbiology QR1-502 |
spellingShingle |
Photosynthesis Biofilm microsensor extreme environments Alkaline Ikaite Microbiology QR1-502 Erik Christian Løvbjerg Trampe Jens Erik Nybo Larsen Mikkel Andreas Glaring Peter eStougaard Michael eKühl In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. |
topic_facet |
Photosynthesis Biofilm microsensor extreme environments Alkaline Ikaite Microbiology QR1-502 |
description |
The Ikka Fjord (SW Greenland) harbors a unique microbial habitat in the form of several hundred submarine tufa columns composed of ikaite, a special hexahydrate form of calcium carbonate that precipitates when alkaline phosphate- and carbonate-enriched spring water seeping out of the sea floor meets cold seawater. While several unique heterotrophic microbes have been isolated from the tufa columns, the microbial activity and the boundary conditions for microbial growth in ikaite have remained unexplored. We present the first detailed in situ characterization of the physico-chemical microenvironment and activity of oxygenic phototrophs thriving within the ikaite columns. In situ underwater microsensor measurements of pH, temperature, and irradiance in the porous ikaite crystal matrix, revealed an extreme microenvironment characterized by low temperatures, strong light attenuation, and gradients of pH changing from pH 9 at the outer column surface to above pH 10 over the first 1-2 cm of the ikaite. This outer layer of the freshly deposited ikaite matrix contained densely pigmented yellow and green zones harboring a diverse phototrophic community dominated by diatoms and cyanobacteria, respectively, as shown by amplicon sequencing. In situ O2 measurements, as well as underwater variable chlorophyll fluorescence measurements of photosynthetic activity, demonstrated high levels of oxygenic photosynthesis in this extreme gradient environment with strong irradiance-driven O2 dynamics ranging from anoxia to hyperoxic conditions in the ikaite matrix, albeit the local formation of gas bubbles buffered the day-night dynamics of O2 in the tufa columns. The microbial phototrophs in the ikaite matrix are embedded in exopolymers forming endolithic biofilms that may interact with mineral formation and cementing of ikaite crystals. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Erik Christian Løvbjerg Trampe Jens Erik Nybo Larsen Mikkel Andreas Glaring Peter eStougaard Michael eKühl |
author_facet |
Erik Christian Løvbjerg Trampe Jens Erik Nybo Larsen Mikkel Andreas Glaring Peter eStougaard Michael eKühl |
author_sort |
Erik Christian Løvbjerg Trampe |
title |
In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. |
title_short |
In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. |
title_full |
In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. |
title_fullStr |
In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. |
title_full_unstemmed |
In situ dynamics of O2, pH, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (Ikka Fjord, Greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. |
title_sort |
in situ dynamics of o2, ph, light and photosynthesis in ikaite tufa columns (ikka fjord, greenland) – a unique microbial habitat. |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722 https://doaj.org/article/82a933b8e1914839982adaf6f8b38987 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-48.100,-48.100,61.150,61.150) |
geographic |
Greenland Ikka |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Ikka |
genre |
Greenland |
genre_facet |
Greenland |
op_source |
Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 7 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722 https://doaj.org/article/82a933b8e1914839982adaf6f8b38987 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00722 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Microbiology |
container_volume |
7 |
_version_ |
1766018097196564480 |