A Novel Field Apparatus for Conducting Linked Geochemical-Microbiological Experiments in Shallow Sediments

Collecting in-situ experimental data for microbially mediated geochemical reactions is complex because it is difficult to assess the impact of the heterogeneity of natural systems. Specifically it is often difficult to constrain the degree of interaction between the pore water collected for geochemical analysis and a sampled microbial population. The newly developed apparatus, called a Native Organism Geochemical Experimentation Enclosure (NOGEE), provides the means to measure changes in well defined geochemical solutions that have been in direct contact with a known in-situ microbial population. The sampling apparatus is similar to a drive-point well. A short screened chamber (~60 ml) at the tip houses a polycarbonate sponge, which serves as a substrate for colonization by native microorganisms when it is open to the surrounding sediment. Following a colonization period dependent on season and temperature, the sponge chamber is closed to the surrounding environment by lowering an inner pipe and amended test solutions are introduced from the surface via tubing. An advantage to this method over laboratory microcosms is that the in-situ setting provides a natural, intrinsic control over environmental variables and minimizes disturbance to the system. To date, NOGEE's have been used to evaluate kinetic controls on sulfate reduction. Experimental results showed changing rates of sulfate reduction coincident with changes in microbial population and demonstrate the utility of using NOGEEs to quantify linkages between geochemistry and microbiology in complex natural environments.