CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIAL BIOMASS IN MARINE SEDIMENTS BENEATH THE ROSS ICE SHEET, ANTARCTICA BY PHOSPHOLIPIDS ANALYSIS AND 16S RRNA GENE SEQUENCING
Abstract
As concerns regarding climate change increase, so does the importance of understanding the biogeochemical cycling of elements such as carbon. In the marine sediments of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, the in situ microbial community plays a significant role in the decomposition, mineralization and recycling of both organic and inorganic carbon. In this study, viable biomass for the top 155 cm below seafloor of sediment cores in the Ross Sea were estimated based on microbial phospholipid concentrations and Acridine Orange direct cell counts (AODC). Results for the biomass estimates suggest that both methods are able to accurately estimate viable biomass. Structural and isotopic analyses of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and phospholipid ether lipids (PELs), as well as isotopic analyses of carbon sources within sediment porewaters were used to identify changes in microbial metabolic pathways. The δ13C values of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in porewaters ranged from -2.52‰ to -3.72‰ while corresponding δ13C values for sedimentary organic carbon (OC) varied from -26.25‰ to -23.12‰ in the surface and 155cm porewaters, respectively. The δ13C values of PLFAs are slightly lighter than the δ13C values of the organic carbon, ranging between -29‰ to -35‰ throughout the sediment core. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was preformed to classify the microbial species present at various depths. 16S sequences revealed that members of this microbial community include α, δ, ɛ, and γ proteobacteria, acitobacteria, acidobacteria, and flavobacteria, all of which have been previously sequenced from other Antarctic continental shelf sediments. Archaea represent 1 to 3% of the microbial community which is similar to comparable studies. Amongst the sequenced organisms, many have been reported to utilize organic carbon sources such as amino acids, oligosaccharides, and lactose. These heterotropic organisms compliment the constant lipid isotope values and suggest that heterotrophic organisms dominate these sediments, with the implication that primary productivity is derived from above. Integrating structural analyses and δ13C values of phospholipids, porewater chemistry, δ13CDIC and δ13CDIC values with 16S rRNA gene sequences provides a more comprehensive understanding of the biogeochemical influences of microbial carbon cycling that occur beneath marine sediments of Antarctica and elsewhere.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFM.B42A..07C
- Keywords:
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- 0400 BIOGEOSCIENCES