Identification and distribution of sulfate reducing bacteria and sulphur-oxidising bacteria in northern South China Sea

Fatty acids are one of the major components in modern marine sediments. It is well known that the saturated short-chain FAs were typically to be from vascular plants, algae, bacteria, and other sources, while the saturated long-chain FAs are the major components found in leaf waxes, suberin, and cutin in terrestrial higher plants. So the lipid biomarkers of fatty acids in Site 4B from Shenhu Area, northern South China Sea were investigated in Recent research supported from the 973 Program (2009CB219506), and the resources of branched fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were mainly discussed. The results reveal that i/a15:0, i/a17:0, 16:1ω5, 18:1ω9 and 10me16:0 are derived from sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), while 16:1ω7t/c and 18:1ω7 are originated from sulphur-oxidising bacteria (SOB). The biomakers of methanotrophs such as 16:1ω6/8 and 18:1ω6/8 were not detected in the sediments which coincide with more positive carbon isotope values of the fatty acids in the sediments. The stable relationship between SRB and SOB below 97cm in the sediments reflects the relative stable oxidative and reductive depositional environment which may be connected with the sulphur cycle in the sediments, that is carried out as sulfate is reduced to sulfide, and then sulfide is oxidized to sulfate and elemental sulfur, at last elemental sulfur is disproportionated to sulfide and sulfate. The frequently changed relationship of SRB and SOB above 97cm in the sediments indicates intensely changing oxidative and reductive sedimental environment, that may related with diapir structure around Site 4B, which also brings about hydrocarbon seepage leading to increasing biomass at 97cm.