Articles | Volume 13, issue 17
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5003-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5003-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
09 Sep 2016
Research article |
| 09 Sep 2016
Fate of terrigenous organic matter across the Laptev Sea from the mouth of the Lena River to the deep sea of the Arctic interior
Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Tommaso Tesi
Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Institute of Marine Sciences – National Research Council, Bologna, Italy
Joan A. Salvadó
Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Igor P. Semiletov
International Arctic Research Center, University Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA
Pacific Oceanological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
Tomsk National Research Politechnical University, Tomsk, Russia
Oleg V. Dudarev
Pacific Oceanological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
Tomsk National Research Politechnical University, Tomsk, Russia
Örjan Gustafsson
Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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We determined the aerobic and anaerobic degradation rates of land- and marine-derived organic material in East Siberian shelf sediment. Marine plankton-derived organic carbon was the main source for the oxic dissolved carbon dioxide production, whereas terrestrial organic material significantly contributed to the production of carbon dioxide under anoxic conditions. Our direct degradation rate measurements provide new constraints for the present-day Arctic marine carbon budget.
Irina I. Pipko, Svetlana P. Pugach, Igor P. Semiletov, Leif G. Anderson, Natalia E. Shakhova, Örjan Gustafsson, Irina A. Repina, Eduard A. Spivak, Alexander N. Charkin, Anatoly N. Salyuk, Kseniia P. Shcherbakova, Elena V. Panova, and Oleg V. Dudarev
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The study of the outer shelf and the continental slope waters of the Eurasian Arctic seas has revealed a general trend in the surface pCO2 distribution, which manifested as an increase in pCO2 values eastward. It has been shown that the influence of terrestrial discharge on the carbonate system of East Siberian Arctic sea surface waters is not limited to the shallow shelf and that contemporary climate change impacts the carbon cycle of the Eurasian Arctic Ocean and influences air–sea CO2 flux.
Alexander N. Charkin, Michiel Rutgers van der Loeff, Natalia E. Shakhova, Örjan Gustafsson, Oleg V. Dudarev, Maxim S. Cherepnev, Anatoly N. Salyuk, Andrey V. Koshurnikov, Eduard A. Spivak, Alexey Y. Gunar, Alexey S. Ruban, and Igor P. Semiletov
The Cryosphere, 11, 2305–2327, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2305-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2305-2017, 2017
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This study tests the hypothesis that SGD exists in the Siberian Arctic shelf seas, but its dynamics may be largely controlled by complicated geocryological conditions such as permafrost. The permafrost cements rocks, forms a confining bed, and as a result makes it difficult for the groundwater escape to the shelf surface. However, the discovery of subterranean outcrops of groundwater springs in the Buor-Khaya Gulf are clear evidence that a groundwater flow system exists in the environment.
Matt O'Regan, Jan Backman, Natalia Barrientos, Thomas M. Cronin, Laura Gemery, Nina Kirchner, Larry A. Mayer, Johan Nilsson, Riko Noormets, Christof Pearce, Igor Semiletov, Christian Stranne, and Martin Jakobsson
Clim. Past, 13, 1269–1284, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1269-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1269-2017, 2017
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Past glacial activity on the East Siberian continental margin is poorly known, partly due to the lack of geomorphological evidence. Here we present geophysical mapping and sediment coring data from the East Siberian shelf and slope revealing the presence of a glacially excavated cross-shelf trough reaching to the continental shelf edge north of the De Long Islands. The data provide direct evidence for extensive glacial activity on the Siberian shelf that predates the Last Glacial Maximum.
Kirsi Keskitalo, Tommaso Tesi, Lisa Bröder, August Andersson, Christof Pearce, Martin Sköld, Igor P. Semiletov, Oleg V. Dudarev, and Örjan Gustafsson
Clim. Past, 13, 1213–1226, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1213-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1213-2017, 2017
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In this study we investigate land-to-ocean transfer and the fate of permafrost carbon in the East Siberian Sea from the early Holocene until the present day. Our results suggest that there was a high input of terrestrial organic carbon to the East Siberian Sea during the last glacial–interglacial period caused by permafrost destabilisation. This material was mainly characterised as relict Pleistocene permafrost deposited via coastal erosion as a result of the sea level rise.
Tommaso Tesi, Marc C. Geibel, Christof Pearce, Elena Panova, Jorien E. Vonk, Emma Karlsson, Joan A. Salvado, Martin Kruså, Lisa Bröder, Christoph Humborg, Igor Semiletov, and Örjan Gustafsson
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Recent Arctic studies suggest that sea-ice decline and permafrost thawing will affect the phytoplankton in the Arctic Ocean. However, in what way the plankton composition will change as the warming proceeds remains elusive. Here we show that the carbon composition of plankton might change as a function of the enhanced terrestrial organic carbon supply and progressive sea-ice thawing.
Thomas M. Cronin, Matt O'Regan, Christof Pearce, Laura Gemery, Michael Toomey, Igor Semiletov, and Martin Jakobsson
Clim. Past, 13, 1097–1110, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1097-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1097-2017, 2017
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Global sea level rise during the last deglacial flooded the Siberian continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean. Sediment cores, radiocarbon dating, and microfossils show that the regional sea level in the Arctic rose rapidly from about 12 500 to 10 700 years ago. Regional sea level history on the Siberian shelf differs from the global deglacial sea level rise perhaps due to regional vertical adjustment resulting from the growth and decay of ice sheets.
Jorien E. Vonk, Tommaso Tesi, Lisa Bröder, Henry Holmstrand, Gustaf Hugelius, August Andersson, Oleg Dudarev, Igor Semiletov, and Örjan Gustafsson
The Cryosphere, 11, 1879–1895, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1879-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1879-2017, 2017
Martin Jakobsson, Christof Pearce, Thomas M. Cronin, Jan Backman, Leif G. Anderson, Natalia Barrientos, Göran Björk, Helen Coxall, Agatha de Boer, Larry A. Mayer, Carl-Magnus Mörth, Johan Nilsson, Jayne E. Rattray, Christian Stranne, Igor Semiletov, and Matt O'Regan
Clim. Past, 13, 991–1005, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-991-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-991-2017, 2017
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The Arctic and Pacific oceans are connected by the presently ~53 m deep Bering Strait. During the last glacial period when the sea level was lower than today, the Bering Strait was exposed. Humans and animals could then migrate between Asia and North America across the formed land bridge. From analyses of sediment cores and geophysical mapping data from Herald Canyon north of the Bering Strait, we show that the land bridge was flooded about 11 000 years ago.
Ira Leifer, Denis Chernykh, Natalia Shakhova, and Igor Semiletov
The Cryosphere, 11, 1333–1350, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1333-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1333-2017, 2017
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Vast Arctic methane deposits may alter global climate and require remote sensing (RS) to map. Sonar has great promise, but quantitative inversion based on theory is challenged by multiple bubble acoustical scattering in plumes. We demonstrate use of a real-world in situ bubble plume calibration using a bubble model to correct for differences in the calibration and seep plumes. Spatial seep sonar maps were then used to improve understanding of subsurface geologic controls.
Célia J. Sapart, Natalia Shakhova, Igor Semiletov, Joachim Jansen, Sönke Szidat, Denis Kosmach, Oleg Dudarev, Carina van der Veen, Matthias Egger, Valentine Sergienko, Anatoly Salyuk, Vladimir Tumskoy, Jean-Louis Tison, and Thomas Röckmann
Biogeosciences, 14, 2283–2292, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2283-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2283-2017, 2017
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The Arctic Ocean, especially the Siberian shelves, overlays large areas of subsea permafrost that is degrading. We show that methane with a biogenic origin is emitted from this permafrost. At locations where bubble plumes have been observed, methane can escape oxidation in the surface sediment and rapidly migrate through the very shallow water column of this region to escape to the atmosphere, generating a positive radiative feedback.
Leif G. Anderson, Göran Björk, Ola Holby, Sara Jutterström, Carl Magnus Mörth, Matt O'Regan, Christof Pearce, Igor Semiletov, Christian Stranne, Tim Stöven, Toste Tanhua, Adam Ulfsbo, and Martin Jakobsson
Ocean Sci., 13, 349–363, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-349-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-349-2017, 2017
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We use data collected in 2014 to show that the outflow of nutrient-rich water occurs much further to the west than has been reported in the past. We suggest that this is due to much less summer sea-ice coverage in the northwestern East Siberian Sea than in the past decades. Further, our data support a more complicated flow pattern in the region where the Mendeleev Ridge reaches the shelf compared to the general cyclonic circulation within the individual basins as suggested historically.
Christof Pearce, Aron Varhelyi, Stefan Wastegård, Francesco Muschitiello, Natalia Barrientos, Matt O'Regan, Thomas M. Cronin, Laura Gemery, Igor Semiletov, Jan Backman, and Martin Jakobsson
Clim. Past, 13, 303–316, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-303-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-303-2017, 2017
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The eruption of the Alaskan Aniakchak volcano of 3.6 thousand years ago was one of the largest Holocene eruptions worldwide. The resulting ash is found in several Alaskan sites and as far as Newfoundland and Greenland. In this study, we found ash from the Aniakchak eruption in a marine sediment core from the western Chukchi Sea in the Arctic Ocean. Combined with radiocarbon dates on mollusks, the volcanic age marker is used to calculate the marine radiocarbon reservoir age at that time.
Leif G. Anderson, Jörgen Ek, Ylva Ericson, Christoph Humborg, Igor Semiletov, Marcus Sundbom, and Adam Ulfsbo
Biogeosciences, 14, 1811–1823, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1811-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1811-2017, 2017
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Waters with very high pCO2, nutrients and low oxygen concentrations were observed along the continental margin of the East Siberian Sea and well out into the deep Makarov and Canada basins during the SWERUS-C3 expedition in 2014. This water had a low saturation state with respect to calcium carbonate, down to less than 0.8 for calcite and 0.5 for aragonite, and is traced in historic data to the Canada Basin and in the waters flowing out of the Arctic Ocean in the western Fram Strait.
Erik Gustafsson, Christoph Humborg, Göran Björk, Christian Stranne, Leif G. Anderson, Marc C. Geibel, Carl-Magnus Mörth, Marcus Sundbom, Igor P. Semiletov, Brett F. Thornton, and Bo G. Gustafsson
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-115, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-115, 2017
Preprint withdrawn
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In this study we quantify key carbon cycling processes on the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. A specific aim is to determine the pathways of terrestrial organic carbon (OC) supplied by rivers and coastline erosion – and particularly to what extent degradation of terrestrial OC contributes to air-sea CO2 exchange. We estimate that the shelf is a weak CO2 sink, although this sink is considerably reduced mainly by degradation of eroded OC and to a lesser extent by degradation of riverine OC.
Joan A. Salvadó, Tommaso Tesi, Marcus Sundbom, Emma Karlsson, Martin Kruså, Igor P. Semiletov, Elena Panova, and Örjan Gustafsson
Biogeosciences, 13, 6121–6138, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6121-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6121-2016, 2016
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Fluvial discharge and coastal erosion of the permafrost-dominated East Siberian Arctic delivers large quantities of terrigenous organic carbon (Terr-OC) to marine waters. We assessed its fate and composition in different marine pools with a suite of biomarkers. The dissolved organic carbon is transporting off-shelf “young” and fresh vascular plant material, while sedimentary and near-bottom particulate organic carbon preferentially carries old organic carbon released from thawing permafrost.
Robert B. Sparkes, Ayça Doğrul Selver, Örjan Gustafsson, Igor P. Semiletov, Negar Haghipour, Lukas Wacker, Timothy I. Eglinton, Helen M. Talbot, and Bart E. van Dongen
The Cryosphere, 10, 2485–2500, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2485-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2485-2016, 2016
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The permafrost in eastern Siberia contains large amounts of carbon frozen in soils and sediments. Continuing global warming is thawing the permafrost and releasing carbon to the Arctic Ocean. We used pyrolysis-GCMS, a chemical fingerprinting technique, to study the types of carbon being deposited on the continental shelf. We found large amounts of permafrost-sourced carbon being deposited up to 200 km offshore.
Juliane Bischoff, Robert B. Sparkes, Ayça Doğrul Selver, Robert G. M. Spencer, Örjan Gustafsson, Igor P. Semiletov, Oleg V. Dudarev, Dirk Wagner, Elizaveta Rivkina, Bart E. van Dongen, and Helen M. Talbot
Biogeosciences, 13, 4899–4914, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4899-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4899-2016, 2016
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The Arctic contains a large pool of carbon that is vulnerable to warming and can be released by rivers and coastal erosion. We study microbial lipids (BHPs) in permafrost and shelf sediments to trace the source, transport and fate of this carbon. BHPs in permafrost deposits are released to the shelf by rivers and coastal erosion, in contrast to other microbial lipids (GDGTs) that are transported by rivers. Several further analyses are needed to understand the complex East Siberian Shelf system.
X. Feng, Ö. Gustafsson, R. M. Holmes, J. E. Vonk, B. E. van Dongen, I. P. Semiletov, O. V. Dudarev, M. B. Yunker, R. W. Macdonald, D. B. Montluçon, and T. I. Eglinton
Biogeosciences, 12, 4841–4860, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4841-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4841-2015, 2015
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Currently very few studies have examined the distribution and fate of hydrolyzable organic carbon (OC) in Arctic sediments, whose fate remains unclear in the context of climate change. Our study focuses on the source, distribution and fate of hydrolyzable OC as compared with plant wax lipids and lignin phenols in the sedimentary particles of nine Arctic and sub-Arctic rivers. This multi-molecular approach allows for a comprehensive investigation of terrestrial OC transfer via Arctic rivers.
R. B. Sparkes, A. Doğrul Selver, J. Bischoff, H. M. Talbot, Ö. Gustafsson, I. P. Semiletov, O. V. Dudarev, and B. E. van Dongen
Biogeosciences, 12, 3753–3768, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-3753-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-3753-2015, 2015
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Siberian permafrost contains large amounts of organic carbon that may be released by climate warming. We collected and analysed samples from the East Siberian Sea, using GDGT biomarkers to trace the sourcing and deposition of organic carbon across the shelf. We show that branched GDGTs may be used to trace river erosion. Results from modelling show that organic carbon on the shelf is a complex process involving river-derived and coastal-derived material as well as marine carbon production.
E. N. Kirillova, A. Andersson, J. Han, M. Lee, and Ö. Gustafsson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 1413–1422, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-1413-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-1413-2014, 2014
I. P. Semiletov, N. E. Shakhova, I. I. Pipko, S. P. Pugach, A. N. Charkin, O. V. Dudarev, D. A. Kosmach, and S. Nishino
Biogeosciences, 10, 5977–5996, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5977-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5977-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Biogeochemistry: Organic Biogeochemistry
Distribution of alkylamines in surface waters around the Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea
Sea-ice-associated algae and zooplankton fecal pellets fuel organic particle export in the seasonally ice-covered northwestern Labrador Sea
Impact of chemical treatments on the molecular and stable carbon isotopic composition of sporomorphs
Sedimentary organic carbon dynamics in a glaciated Arctic fjord: tracing contributions of terrestrial and marine sources in the context of Atlantification over recent centuries
Technical note: Measurements of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) in seawater (Filter blanks, pore sizes, and storage)
Methanogenesis by CO2 reduction dominates lake sediments with different organic matter compositions
Contrasting seasonal patterns in particle aggregation and dissolved organic matter transformation in a sub-Arctic fjord
Methods to characterize type, relevance, and interactions of organic matter and microorganisms in fluids along the flow path of a geothermal facility
Microbial strong organic-ligand production is tightly coupled to iron in hydrothermal plumes
Ocean liming effects on dissolved organic matter dynamics
Results from a multi-laboratory ocean metaproteomic intercomparison: effects of LC-MS acquisition and data analysis procedures
Controls on the composition of hydroxylated isoprenoidal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (isoGDGTs) in cultivated ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota
Reviews and syntheses: Opportunities for robust use of peak intensities from high-resolution mass spectrometry in organic matter studies
Hydrothermal inputs drive dynamic shifts in microbial communities in Lake Magadi, Kenya Rift Valley
Elemental stoichiometry of particulate organic matter across the Atlantic Ocean
Lipid remodeling in phytoplankton exposed to multi-environmental drivers in a mesocosm experiment
Molecular-level carbon traits of fine roots: unveiling adaptation and decomposition under flooded conditions
Environmental controls on the distribution of brGDGTs and brGMGTs across the Seine River basin (NW France): implications for bacterial tetraethers as a proxy for riverine runoff
Latitudinal distribution of biomarkers across the western Arctic Ocean and the Bering Sea: an approach to assess sympagic and pelagic algal production
Sinking fate and carbon export of zooplankton fecal pellets: insights from time-series sediment trap observations in the northern South China Sea
Low cobalt inventories in the Amundsen and Ross seas driven by high demand for labile cobalt uptake among native phytoplankton communities
Potential bioavailability of representative pyrogenic organic matter compounds in comparison to natural dissolved organic matter pools
Distributions of bacteriohopanepolyols in lakes and coastal lagoons of the Azores Archipelago
Recently fixed carbon fuels microbial activity several meters below the soil surface
Environmental and hydrologic controls on sediment and organic carbon export from a subalpine catchment: insights from a time series
Climate and geology overwrite land use effects on soil organic nitrogen cycling on a continental scale
Compositions of dissolved organic matter in the ice-covered waters above the Aurora hydrothermal vent system, Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean
Organic matter characteristics of a rapidly eroding permafrost cliff in NE Siberia (Lena Delta, Laptev Sea region)
Microbial labilization and diversification of pyrogenic dissolved organic matter
Bacterial and eukaryotic intact polar lipids point to in situ production as a key source of labile organic matter in hadal surface sediment of the Atacama Trench
What can we learn from amino acids about oceanic organic matter cycling and degradation?
Bacteriohopanetetrol-x: constraining its application as a lipid biomarker for marine anammox using the water column oxygen gradient of the Benguela upwelling system
Active and passive fluxes of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the northern South China Sea
Cyanobacteria net community production in the Baltic Sea as inferred from profiling pCO2 measurements
Reviews and syntheses: Heterotrophic fixation of inorganic carbon – significant but invisible flux in environmental carbon cycling
Revised fractional abundances and warm-season temperatures substantially improve brGDGT calibrations in lake sediments
Archaeal intact polar lipids in polar waters: a comparison between the Amundsen and Scotia seas
Reproducible determination of dissolved organic matter photosensitivity
Technical note: Uncovering the influence of methodological variations on the extractability of iron-bound organic carbon
Anthropocene climate warming enhances autochthonous carbon cycling in an upland Arctic lake, Disko Island, West Greenland
Novel hydrocarbon-utilizing soil mycobacteria synthesize unique mycocerosic acids at a Sicilian everlasting fire
Alkenone isotopes show evidence of active carbon concentrating mechanisms in coccolithophores as aqueous carbon dioxide concentrations fall below 7 µmol L−1
Seasonal variability and sources of in situ brGDGT production in a permanently stratified African crater lake
Sediment release of dissolved organic matter to the oxygen minimum zone off Peru
Better molecular preservation of organic matter in an oxic than in a sulfidic depositional environment: evidence from Thalassiphora pelagica (Dinoflagellata, Eocene) cysts
Assessing branched tetraether lipids as tracers of soil organic carbon transport through the Carminowe Creek catchment (southwest England)
The nonconservative distribution pattern of organic matter in the Rajang, a tropical river with peatland in its estuary
Predominance of hexamethylated 6-methyl branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers in the Mariana Trench: source and environmental implication
High-pH and anoxic conditions during soil organic matter extraction increases its electron-exchange capacity and ability to stimulate microbial Fe(III) reduction by electron shuttling
Sterol preservation in hypersaline microbial mats
Arianna Rocchi, Mark F. Fitzsimons, Preston Akenga, Ana Sotomayor, Elisabet L. Sà, Queralt Güell-Bujons, Magda Vila, Yaiza M. Castillo, Manuel Dall'Osto, Dolors Vaqué, Charel Wohl, Rafel Simó, and Elisa Berdalet
Biogeosciences, 22, 3429–3448, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3429-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3429-2025, 2025
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During the PolarChange expedition, volatile alkylamines, important players in nitrogen cycling and cloud formation, were measured in Antarctic waters using a high-sensitivity method. Trimethylamine was the dominant alkylamine in marine particles, associated with nanophytoplankton. Dissolved dimethylamine likely originated from trimethylamine degradation, while diethylamine sources remain unclear. These findings confirm the biological origin of alkylamines in polar marine microbial food webs.
Shao-Min Chen, Thibaud Dezutter, David Cote, Catherine Lalande, Evan Edinger, and Owen A. Sherwood
Biogeosciences, 22, 2517–2540, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2517-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2517-2025, 2025
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The origins and composition of sinking organic matter are still understudied for the oceans, especially in ice-covered areas. We use amino acid stable isotopes combined with particle flux and plankton taxonomy to investigate the sources and composition of exported organic matter from a sediment-trap-derived time series of sinking particles in the northwestern Labrador Sea. We found that sea-ice algae and fecal pellets may be important contributors to the sinking fluxes of carbon and nitrogen.
Yannick F. Bats, Klaas G. J. Nierop, Alice Stuart-Lee, Joost Frieling, Linda van Roij, Gert-Jan Reichart, and Appy Sluijs
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1678, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1678, 2025
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In this study we analyzed the molecular and stable carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of pollen and spores (sporomorphs) that underwent chemical treatments that simulate diagenesis during fossilization. We show that the successive removal of sugars and lipids results in 13C depletion of the residual sporomorph, leaving it rich aromatic compounds. This residual aromatic-rich structure likely represents diagenetically resistant sporopollenin, implying diagenesis results in 13C depletion of pollen.
Dahae Kim, Jung-Hyun Kim, Youngkyu Ahn, Matthias Forwick, and Seung-Il Nam
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-957, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-957, 2025
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The Arctic is warming rapidly, altering carbon storage in Svalbard’s Kongsfjorden. Our study analyzed sediment cores to track organic carbon shifts over time. We found that increasing Atlantic Water inflow enhanced marine carbon while reducing land-derived inputs. These findings suggest that Atlantification is reshaping carbon sequestration in Arctic fjords, with broader implications for the Arctic carbon cycle.
Junhyeong Seo, Heejun Han, Intae Kim, and Guebuem Kim
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-501, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-501, 2025
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This study examines methodological uncertainties in FDOM (fluorescent dissolved organic matter) measurements due to filter blanks, pore sizes, and storage conditions. Results show that pre-cleaning filters and optimizing storage improve measurement reliability. These finding minimize procedural errors and provide clear guidelines for FDOM analysis, emphasizing the need for method standardization in marine biogeochemical research.
Guangyi Su, Julie Tolu, Clemens Glombitza, Jakob Zopfi, Moritz F. Lehmann, Mark A. Lever, and Carsten J. Schubert
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-437, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-437, 2025
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In Lake Geneva, we studied how different types of organic matter affect methane production. Despite varying sources—like algae and land-based materials, both deep and delta areas are significant methane sources and methane was mainly produced through CO2 reduction. Surprisingly, the origin of organic matter didn’t strongly influence methane production rates or pathways. Our findings highlight the need to better understand microbial processes to predict methane emissions from lakes.
Maria G. Digernes, Yasemin V. Bodur, Martí Amargant-Arumí, Oliver Müller, Jeffrey A. Hawkes, Stephen G. Kohler, Ulrike Dietrich, Marit Reigstad, and Maria L. Paulsen
Biogeosciences, 22, 601–623, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-601-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-601-2025, 2025
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Dissolved (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) are in constant exchange but are usually studied as distinct entities. We investigated the dynamics between POM and DOM in a sub-Arctic fjord across different seasons by conducting bi-monthly aggregation–dissolution experiments. During the productive period, POM concentrations increased in the experiment, and DOM molecules became more recalcitrant. During the winter period, POM concentrations decreased, and DOM molecules became more labile.
Alessio Leins, Danaé Bregnard, Andrea Vieth-Hillebrand, Stefanie Poetz, Florian Eichinger, Guillaume Cailleau, Pilar Junier, and Simona Regenspurg
Biogeosciences, 21, 5457–5479, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5457-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5457-2024, 2024
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Organic matter and microbial fluid analysis are rarely considered in the geothermal industry and research. However, they can have a significant impact on the efficiency of geothermal energy production. We found a high diversity of organic compound compositions in our samples and were able to differentiate them with respect to different sources (e.g. artificial and biogenic). Furthermore, the microbial diversity undergoes significant changes within the flow path of a geothermal power plant.
Colleen L. Hoffman, Patrick J. Monreal, Justine B. Albers, Alastair J. M. Lough, Alyson E. Santoro, Travis Mellett, Kristen N. Buck, Alessandro Tagliabue, Maeve C. Lohan, Joseph A. Resing, and Randelle M. Bundy
Biogeosciences, 21, 5233–5246, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5233-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5233-2024, 2024
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Hydrothermally derived iron can be transported kilometers away from deep-sea vents, representing a significant flux of vital micronutrients to the ocean. However, the mechanisms that support the stabilization of dissolved iron remain elusive. Using electrochemical, spectrometry, and genomic methods, we demonstrated that strong ligands exert an important control on iron in plumes, and high-affinity iron-binding siderophores were identified in several hydrothermal plume samples for the first time.
Chiara Santinelli, Silvia Valsecchi, Simona Retelletti Brogi, Giancarlo Bachi, Giovanni Checcucci, Mirco Guerrazzi, Elisa Camatti, Stefano Caserini, Arianna Azzellino, and Daniela Basso
Biogeosciences, 21, 5131–5141, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5131-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5131-2024, 2024
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Ocean liming is a technique proposed to mitigate ocean acidification. Every action we take has an impact on the environment and the effects on the invisible world are often overlooked. With this study, we show that lime addition impacts the dynamics of dissolved organic matter, one of the largest reservoirs of carbon on Earth, representing the main source of energy for marine microbes. Further studies to assess the impacts on marine ecosystems are therefore crucial before taking any action.
Mak A. Saito, Jaclyn K. Saunders, Matthew R. McIlvin, Erin M. Bertrand, John A. Breier, Margaret Mars Brisbin, Sophie M. Colston, Jaimee R. Compton, Tim J. Griffin, W. Judson Hervey, Robert L. Hettich, Pratik D. Jagtap, Michael Janech, Rod Johnson, Rick Keil, Hugo Kleikamp, Dagmar Leary, Lennart Martens, J. Scott P. McCain, Eli Moore, Subina Mehta, Dawn M. Moran, Jaqui Neibauer, Benjamin A. Neely, Michael V. Jakuba, Jim Johnson, Megan Duffy, Gerhard J. Herndl, Richard Giannone, Ryan Mueller, Brook L. Nunn, Martin Pabst, Samantha Peters, Andrew Rajczewski, Elden Rowland, Brian Searle, Tim Van Den Bossche, Gary J. Vora, Jacob R. Waldbauer, Haiyan Zheng, and Zihao Zhao
Biogeosciences, 21, 4889–4908, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4889-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4889-2024, 2024
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The ability to assess the functional capabilities of microbes in the environment is of increasing interest. Metaproteomics, the ability to measure proteins across microbial populations, has been increasing in capability and popularity in recent years. Here, an international team of scientists conducted an intercomparison study using samples collected from the North Atlantic Ocean and observed consistency in the peptides and proteins identified, their functions, and their taxonomic origins.
Devika Varma, Laura Villanueva, Nicole J. Bale, Pierre Offre, Gert-Jan Reichart, and Stefan Schouten
Biogeosciences, 21, 4875–4888, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4875-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4875-2024, 2024
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Archaeal hydroxylated tetraether lipids are increasingly used as temperature indicators in marine settings, but the factors influencing their distribution are still unclear. Analyzing membrane lipids of two thaumarchaeotal strains showed that the growth phase of the cultures does not affect the lipid distribution, but growth temperature profoundly affects the degree of cyclization of these lipids. Also, the abundance of these lipids is species-specific and is not influenced by temperature.
William Kew, Allison Myers-Pigg, Christine H. Chang, Sean M. Colby, Josie Eder, Malak M. Tfaily, Jeffrey Hawkes, Rosalie K. Chu, and James C. Stegen
Biogeosciences, 21, 4665–4679, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4665-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4665-2024, 2024
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Natural organic matter (NOM) is often studied via Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS), which identifies organic molecules as mass spectra peaks. The intensity of peaks is data that is often discarded due to technical concerns. We review the theory behind these concerns and show they are supported empirically. However, simulations show that ecological analyses of NOM data that include FTMS peak intensities are often valid. This opens a path for robust use of FTMS peak intensities for NOM.
Evan R. Collins, Troy M. Ferland, Isla S. Castañeda, R. Bernhart Owen, Tim K. Lowenstein, Andrew S. Cohen, Robin W. Renaut, Molly D. O'Beirne, and Josef P. Werne
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3006, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3006, 2024
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Archaeal molecular fossils (tetraethers) have been used around the globe to track changes in climate. Little is known about archaeal response to environmental change in soda lakes, especially lakes influenced by hydrothermal inputs. For the first time in Lake Magadi, we show tetraethers tracking abrupt changes in methane and non-methane producers due to hydrothermal inputs to the lake. This study provides insight into the role of hydrothermal water sources and methane production in soda lakes.
Adam J. Fagan, Tatsuro Tanioka, Alyse A. Larkin, Jenna A. Lee, Nathan S. Garcia, and Adam C. Martiny
Biogeosciences, 21, 4239–4250, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4239-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4239-2024, 2024
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Climate change is anticipated to influence the biological pump by altering phytoplankton nutrient distribution. In our research, we collected measurements of particulate matter concentrations during two oceanographic field studies. We observed systematic variations in organic matter concentrations and ratios across the Atlantic Ocean. From statistical modeling, we determined that these variations are associated with differences in the availability of essential nutrients for phytoplankton growth.
Sebastian I. Cantarero, Edgart Flores, Harry Allbrook, Paulina Aguayo, Cristian A. Vargas, John E. Tamanaha, J. Bentley C. Scholz, Lennart T. Bach, Carolin R. Löscher, Ulf Riebesell, Balaji Rajagopalan, Nadia Dildar, and Julio Sepúlveda
Biogeosciences, 21, 3927–3958, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3927-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3927-2024, 2024
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Our study explores lipid remodeling in response to environmental stress, specifically how cell membrane chemistry changes. We focus on intact polar lipids in a phytoplankton community exposed to diverse stressors in a mesocosm experiment. The observed remodeling indicates acyl chain recycling for energy storage in intact polar lipids during stress, reallocating resources based on varying growth conditions. This understanding is essential to grasp the system's impact on cellular pools.
Mengke Wang, Peng Zhang, Huishan Li, Guisen Deng, Deliang Kong, Sifang Kong, and Junjian Wang
Biogeosciences, 21, 2691–2704, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2691-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2691-2024, 2024
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We developed and applied complementary analyses to characterize molecular-level carbon traits for water-grown and soil-grown fine roots. The adaptive strategy of developing more labile carbon in water-grown roots accelerated root decomposition and counteracted the decelerated effects of anoxia on decomposition, highlighting an indirect effect of environmental change on belowground carbon cycling.
Zhe-Xuan Zhang, Edith Parlanti, Christelle Anquetil, Jérôme Morelle, Anniet M. Laverman, Alexandre Thibault, Elisa Bou, and Arnaud Huguet
Biogeosciences, 21, 2227–2252, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2227-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2227-2024, 2024
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Bacterial tetraethers have important implications for palaeoclimate reconstruction. However, fundamental understanding of how these lipids are transformed from land to sea and which environmental factors influence their distributions is lacking. Here, we investigate the sources of brGDGTs and brGMGTs and the factors controlling their distributions in a large dataset (n=237). We propose a novel proxy (RIX) to trace riverine runoff, which is applicable in modern systems and in paleorecord.
Youcheng Bai, Marie-Alexandrine Sicre, Jian Ren, Vincent Klein, Haiyan Jin, and Jianfang Chen
Biogeosciences, 21, 689–709, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-689-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-689-2024, 2024
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Algal biomarkers were used to assess sea ice and pelagic algal production across the western Arctic Ocean with changing sea-ice conditions. They show three distinct areas along with a marked latitudinal gradient of sea ice over pelagic algal production in surface sediments that are reflected by the H-Print index. Our data also show that efficient grazing consumption accounted for the dramatic decrease of diatom-derived biomarkers in sediments compared to that of particulate matter.
Hanxiao Wang, Zhifei Liu, Jiaying Li, Baozhi Lin, Yulong Zhao, Xiaodong Zhang, Junyuan Cao, Jingwen Zhang, Hongzhe Song, and Wenzhuo Wang
Biogeosciences, 20, 5109–5123, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5109-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5109-2023, 2023
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The sinking of zooplankton fecal pellets is a key process in the marine biological carbon pump. This study presents carbon export of four shapes of fecal pellets from two time-series sediment traps in the South China Sea. The results show that the sinking fate of fecal pellets is regulated by marine primary productivity, deep-dwelling zooplankton community, and deep-sea currents in the tropical marginal sea, thus providing a new perspective for exploring the carbon cycle in the world ocean.
Rebecca J. Chmiel, Riss M. Kell, Deepa Rao, Dawn M. Moran, Giacomo R. DiTullio, and Mak A. Saito
Biogeosciences, 20, 3997–4027, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3997-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3997-2023, 2023
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Cobalt is an important micronutrient for plankton, yet it is often scarce throughout the oceans. A 2017/2018 expedition to coastal Antarctica, including regions of the Amundsen Sea and the Ross Sea, discovered lower concentrations of cobalt compared to two past expeditions in 2005 and 2006, particularly for the type of cobalt preferred as a nutrient by phytoplankton. This loss may be due to changing inputs of other nutrients, causing higher uptake of cobalt by plankton over the last decade.
Emily B. Graham, Hyun-Seob Song, Samantha Grieger, Vanessa A. Garayburu-Caruso, James C. Stegen, Kevin D. Bladon, and Allison N. Myers-Pigg
Biogeosciences, 20, 3449–3457, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3449-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3449-2023, 2023
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Intensifying wildfires are increasing pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) production and its impact on water quality. Recent work indicates that PyOM may have a greater impact on aquatic biogeochemistry than previously assumed, driven by higher bioavailability. We provide a full assessment of the potential bioavailability of PyOM across its chemical spectrum. We indicate that PyOM can be actively transformed within the river corridor and, therefore, may be a growing source of riverine C emissions.
Nora Richter, Ellen C. Hopmans, Danica Mitrović, Pedro M. Raposeiro, Vítor Gonçalves, Ana C. Costa, Linda A. Amaral-Zettler, Laura Villanueva, and Darci Rush
Biogeosciences, 20, 2065–2098, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2065-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2065-2023, 2023
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Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) are a diverse class of lipids produced by bacteria across a wide range of environments. This study characterizes the diversity of BHPs in lakes and coastal lagoons in the Azores Archipelago, as well as a co-culture enriched for methanotrophs. We highlight the potential of BHPs as taxonomic markers for bacteria associated with certain ecological niches, which can be preserved in sedimentary records.
Andrea Scheibe, Carlos A. Sierra, and Marie Spohn
Biogeosciences, 20, 827–838, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-827-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-827-2023, 2023
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We explored carbon cycling in soils in three climate zones in Chile down to a depth of 6 m, using carbon isotopes. Our results show that microbial activity several meters below the soil surface is mostly fueled by recently fixed carbon and that strong decomposition of soil organic matter only occurs in the upper decimeters of the soils. The study shows that different layers of the critical zone are tightly connected and that processes in the deep soil depend on recently fixed carbon.
Melissa Sophia Schwab, Hannah Gies, Chantal Valérie Freymond, Maarten Lupker, Negar Haghipour, and Timothy Ian Eglinton
Biogeosciences, 19, 5591–5616, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5591-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5591-2022, 2022
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The majority of river studies focus on headwater or floodplain systems, while often neglecting intermediate river segments. Our study on the subalpine Sihl River bridges the gap between streams and lowlands and demonstrates that moderately steep river segments are areas of significant instream alterations, modulating the export of organic carbon over short distances.
Lisa Noll, Shasha Zhang, Qing Zheng, Yuntao Hu, Florian Hofhansl, and Wolfgang Wanek
Biogeosciences, 19, 5419–5433, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5419-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5419-2022, 2022
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Cleavage of proteins to smaller nitrogen compounds allows microorganisms and plants to exploit the largest nitrogen reservoir in soils and is considered the bottleneck in soil organic nitrogen cycling. Results from soils covering a European transect show that protein turnover is constrained by soil geochemistry, shifts in climate and associated alterations in soil weathering and should be considered as a driver of soil nitrogen availability with repercussions on carbon cycle processes.
Muhammed Fatih Sert, Helge Niemann, Eoghan P. Reeves, Mats A. Granskog, Kevin P. Hand, Timo Kekäläinen, Janne Jänis, Pamela E. Rossel, Bénédicte Ferré, Anna Silyakova, and Friederike Gründger
Biogeosciences, 19, 2101–2120, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2101-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2101-2022, 2022
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We investigate organic matter composition in the Arctic Ocean water column. We collected seawater samples from sea ice to deep waters at six vertical profiles near an active hydrothermal vent and its plume. In comparison to seawater, we found that the organic matter in waters directly affected by the hydrothermal plume had different chemical composition. We suggest that hydrothermal processes may influence the organic matter distribution in the deep ocean.
Charlotte Haugk, Loeka L. Jongejans, Kai Mangelsdorf, Matthias Fuchs, Olga Ogneva, Juri Palmtag, Gesine Mollenhauer, Paul J. Mann, P. Paul Overduin, Guido Grosse, Tina Sanders, Robyn E. Tuerena, Lutz Schirrmeister, Sebastian Wetterich, Alexander Kizyakov, Cornelia Karger, and Jens Strauss
Biogeosciences, 19, 2079–2094, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2079-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2079-2022, 2022
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Buried animal and plant remains (carbon) from the last ice age were freeze-locked in permafrost. At an extremely fast eroding permafrost cliff in the Lena Delta (Siberia), we found this formerly frozen carbon well preserved. Our results show that ongoing degradation releases substantial amounts of this carbon, making it available for future carbon emissions. This mobilisation at the studied cliff and also similarly eroding sites bear the potential to affect rivers and oceans negatively.
Aleksandar I. Goranov, Andrew S. Wozniak, Kyle W. Bostick, Andrew R. Zimmerman, Siddhartha Mitra, and Patrick G. Hatcher
Biogeosciences, 19, 1491–1514, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1491-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1491-2022, 2022
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Wildfire-derived molecules are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, but their biological fate remains understudied. We have evaluated the compositional changes that occur to wildfire-derived molecules after incubation with soil microbes. We observe a significant degradation but also a production of numerous new labile molecules. Our results indicate that wildfire-derived molecules can be broken down and the carbon and nitrogen therein can be incorporated into microbial food webs.
Edgart Flores, Sebastian I. Cantarero, Paula Ruiz-Fernández, Nadia Dildar, Matthias Zabel, Osvaldo Ulloa, and Julio Sepúlveda
Biogeosciences, 19, 1395–1420, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1395-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1395-2022, 2022
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In this study, we investigate the chemical diversity and abundance of microbial lipids as markers of organic matter sources in the deepest points of the Atacama Trench sediments and compare them to similar lipid stocks in shallower surface sediments and in the overlying water column. We evaluate possible organic matter provenance and some potential chemical adaptations of the in situ microbial community to the extreme conditions of high hydrostatic pressure in hadal realm.
Birgit Gaye, Niko Lahajnar, Natalie Harms, Sophie Anna Luise Paul, Tim Rixen, and Kay-Christian Emeis
Biogeosciences, 19, 807–830, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-807-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-807-2022, 2022
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Amino acids were analyzed in a large number of samples of particulate and dissolved organic matter from coastal regions and the open ocean. A statistical analysis produced two new biogeochemical indicators. An indicator of sinking particle and sediment degradation (SDI) traces the degradation of organic matter from the surface waters into the sediments. A second indicator shows the residence time of suspended matter in the ocean (RTI).
Zoë R. van Kemenade, Laura Villanueva, Ellen C. Hopmans, Peter Kraal, Harry J. Witte, Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté, and Darci Rush
Biogeosciences, 19, 201–221, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-201-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-201-2022, 2022
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Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is an important nitrogen-removal process in the ocean. We assess the distribution of bacteriohopanetetrol-x (BHT-x), used to trace past anammox, along a redox gradient in the water column of the Benguela upwelling system. BHT-x / BHT ratios of >0.18 correspond to the presence of living anammox bacteria and oxygen levels <50 μmol L−1. This allows for a more robust application of BHT-x to trace past marine anammox and deoxygenation in dynamic marine systems.
Jia-Jang Hung, Ching-Han Tung, Zong-Ying Lin, Yuh-ling Lee Chen, Shao-Hung Peng, Yen-Huei Lin, and Li-Shan Tsai
Biogeosciences, 18, 5141–5162, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5141-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5141-2021, 2021
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We report measured active and passive fluxes and their controlling mechanisms in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). The total fluxes were higher than most reports in open oceans, indicating the significance of NSCS in atmospheric CO2 uptake and in storing that CO2 in the ocean’s interior. Winter cooling and extreme events enhanced nutrient availability and elevated fluxes. Global warming may have profound impacts on reducing ocean’s uptake and storage of CO2 in subtropical–tropical oceans.
Jens Daniel Müller, Bernd Schneider, Ulf Gräwe, Peer Fietzek, Marcus Bo Wallin, Anna Rutgersson, Norbert Wasmund, Siegfried Krüger, and Gregor Rehder
Biogeosciences, 18, 4889–4917, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4889-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4889-2021, 2021
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Based on profiling pCO2 measurements from a field campaign, we quantify the biomass production of a cyanobacteria bloom in the Baltic Sea, the export of which would foster deep water deoxygenation. We further demonstrate how this biomass production can be accurately reconstructed from long-term surface measurements made on cargo vessels in combination with modelled temperature profiles. This approach enables a better understanding of a severe concern for the Baltic’s good environmental status.
Alexander Braun, Marina Spona-Friedl, Maria Avramov, Martin Elsner, Federico Baltar, Thomas Reinthaler, Gerhard J. Herndl, and Christian Griebler
Biogeosciences, 18, 3689–3700, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3689-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3689-2021, 2021
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It is known that CO2 fixation by photoautotrophic organisms is the major sink from the atmosphere. While biologists are aware that CO2 fixation also occurs in heterotrophic organisms, this route of inorganic carbon, and its quantitative role, is hardly recognized in biogeochemistry. We demonstrate that a considerable amount of CO2 is fixed annually through anaplerotic reactions in heterotrophic organisms, and a significant quantity of inorganic carbon is temporally sequestered in biomass.
Jonathan H. Raberg, David J. Harning, Sarah E. Crump, Greg de Wet, Aria Blumm, Sebastian Kopf, Áslaug Geirsdóttir, Gifford H. Miller, and Julio Sepúlveda
Biogeosciences, 18, 3579–3603, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3579-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3579-2021, 2021
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BrGDGT lipids are a proxy for temperature in lake sediments, but other parameters like pH can influence them, and seasonality can affect the temperatures they record. We find a warm-season bias at 43 new high-latitude sites. We also present a new method that deconvolves the effects of temperature, pH, and conductivity and generate global calibrations for these variables. Our study provides new paleoclimate tools, insight into brGDGTs at the biochemical level, and a new method for future study.
Charlotte L. Spencer-Jones, Erin L. McClymont, Nicole J. Bale, Ellen C. Hopmans, Stefan Schouten, Juliane Müller, E. Povl Abrahamsen, Claire Allen, Torsten Bickert, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Elaine Mawbey, Victoria Peck, Aleksandra Svalova, and James A. Smith
Biogeosciences, 18, 3485–3504, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3485-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3485-2021, 2021
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Long-term ocean temperature records are needed to fully understand the impact of West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse. Glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are powerful tools for reconstructing ocean temperature but can be difficult to apply to the Southern Ocean. Our results show active GDGT synthesis in relatively warm depths of the ocean. This research improves the application of GDGT palaeoceanographic proxies in the Southern Ocean.
Alec W. Armstrong, Leanne Powers, and Michael Gonsior
Biogeosciences, 18, 3367–3390, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3367-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3367-2021, 2021
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Living things decay into organic matter, which can dissolve into water (like tea brewing). Tea receives its color by absorbing light. Similarly, this material absorbs light, which can then cause chemical reactions that change it. By measuring changes in these optical properties, we found that materials from some places are more sensitive to light than others. Comparing sensitivity to light helps us understand where these materials come from and what happens as they move through water.
Ben J. Fisher, Johan C. Faust, Oliver W. Moore, Caroline L. Peacock, and Christian März
Biogeosciences, 18, 3409–3419, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3409-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3409-2021, 2021
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Organic carbon can be protected from microbial degradation in marine sediments through association with iron minerals on 1000-year timescales. Despite the importance of this carbon sink, our spatial and temporal understanding of iron-bound organic carbon interactions globally is poor. Here we show that caution must be applied when comparing quantification of iron-bound organic carbon extracted by different methods as the extraction strength and method specificity can be highly variable.
Mark A. Stevenson, Suzanne McGowan, Emma J. Pearson, George E. A. Swann, Melanie J. Leng, Vivienne J. Jones, Joseph J. Bailey, Xianyu Huang, and Erika Whiteford
Biogeosciences, 18, 2465–2485, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2465-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2465-2021, 2021
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We link detailed stable isotope and biomarker analyses from the catchments of three Arctic upland lakes on Disko Island (West Greenland) to a recent dated sediment core to understand how carbon cycling has changed over the past ~500 years. We find that the carbon deposited in sediments in these upland lakes is predominately sourced from in-lake production due to the catchment's limited terrestrial vegetation and elevation and that recent increases in algal production link with climate change.
Nadine T. Smit, Laura Villanueva, Darci Rush, Fausto Grassa, Caitlyn R. Witkowski, Mira Holzheimer, Adriaan J. Minnaard, Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté, and Stefan Schouten
Biogeosciences, 18, 1463–1479, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1463-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1463-2021, 2021
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Soils from an everlasting fire (gas seep) in Sicily, Italy, reveal high relative abundances of novel uncultivated mycobacteria and unique 13C-depleted mycocerosic acids (multi-methyl branched fatty acids) close to the main gas seep. Our results imply that mycocerosic acids in combination with their depleted δ13C values offer a new biomarker tool to study the role of soil mycobacteria as hydrocarbon consumers in the modern and past global carbon cycle.
Marcus P. S. Badger
Biogeosciences, 18, 1149–1160, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1149-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1149-2021, 2021
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Reconstructing ancient atmospheric CO2 is an important aim of palaeoclimate science in order to understand the Earth's climate system. One method, the alkenone proxy based on molecular fossils of coccolithophores, has been recently shown to be ineffective at low-to-moderate CO2 levels. In this paper I show that this is likely due to changes in the biogeochemistry of the coccolithophores when there is low carbon availability, but for much of the Cenozoic the alkenone proxy should have utility.
Loes G. J. van Bree, Francien Peterse, Allix J. Baxter, Wannes De Crop, Sigrid van Grinsven, Laura Villanueva, Dirk Verschuren, and Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté
Biogeosciences, 17, 5443–5463, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5443-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5443-2020, 2020
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Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are used as a paleothermometer based on their temperature dependence in global soils, but aquatic production complicates their use in lakes. BrGDGTs in the water column of Lake Chala, East Africa, respond to oxygen conditions and mixing. Changes in their signal can be linked to bacterial community composition rather than membrane adaptation to changing conditions. Their integrated signal in the sediment reflects mean air temperature.
Alexandra N. Loginova, Andrew W. Dale, Frédéric A. C. Le Moigne, Sören Thomsen, Stefan Sommer, David Clemens, Klaus Wallmann, and Anja Engel
Biogeosciences, 17, 4663–4679, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4663-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4663-2020, 2020
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We measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen (DON) and matter (DOM) optical properties in pore waters and near-bottom waters of the eastern tropical South Pacific off Peru. The difference between diffusion-driven and net fluxes of DOC and DON and qualitative changes in DOM optical properties suggested active microbial utilisation of the released DOM at the sediment–water interface. Our results suggest that the sediment release of DOM contributes to microbial processes in the area.
Gerard J. M. Versteegh, Alexander J. P. Houben, and Karin A. F. Zonneveld
Biogeosciences, 17, 3545–3561, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3545-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3545-2020, 2020
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Anoxic sediments mostly contain much more organic matter than oxic ones, and therefore organic matter in anoxic settings is often considered to be preserved better than in oxic settings. However, through the analysis of the same fossil dinoflagellate cyst species from both oxic and anoxic settings, we show that at a molecular level the preservation in the oxic sediments may be better since in the anoxic setting the cyst macromolecule has been altered by postdepositional modification.
Jingjing Guo, Miriam Glendell, Jeroen Meersmans, Frédérique Kirkels, Jack J. Middelburg, and Francien Peterse
Biogeosciences, 17, 3183–3201, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3183-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3183-2020, 2020
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The fluxes of soil organic carbon (OC) transport from land to sea are poorly constrained, mostly due to the lack of a specific tracer for soil OC. Here we evaluate the use of specific molecules derived from soil bacteria as a tracer for soil OC in a small river catchment. We find that the initial soil signal is lost upon entering the aquatic environment. However, the local environmental history of the catchment is reflected by these molecules in the lake sediments that act as their sink.
Zhuo-Yi Zhu, Joanne Oakes, Bradley Eyre, Youyou Hao, Edwin Sien Aun Sia, Shan Jiang, Moritz Müller, and Jing Zhang
Biogeosciences, 17, 2473–2485, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2473-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2473-2020, 2020
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Samples were collected in August 2016 in the Rajang River and its estuary, with tropical forest in the river basin and peatland in the estuary. Organic matter composition was influenced by transportation in the river basin, whereas peatland added clear biodegraded parts to the fluvial organic matter, which implies modification of the initial lability and/or starting points in the subsequent degradation and alternation processes after the organic matter enters the sea.
Wenjie Xiao, Yasong Wang, Yongsheng Liu, Xi Zhang, Linlin Shi, and Yunping Xu
Biogeosciences, 17, 2135–2148, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2135-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2135-2020, 2020
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The hadal zone (6–11 km depth) is the least explored habitat on Earth. We studied microbial branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) in the Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench. One unique feature is the strong predominance of 6-methyl brGDGT, which likely reflects an adaption of brGDGT-producing bacteria to alkaline seawater and low temperature. BrGDGTs, with elemental and isotopic data, suggest an autochthonous product for brGDGT. A new approach is proposed for brGDGT sourcing.
Yuge Bai, Edisson Subdiaga, Stefan B. Haderlein, Heike Knicker, and Andreas Kappler
Biogeosciences, 17, 683–698, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-683-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-683-2020, 2020
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Biogeochemical processes of SOM are key for greenhouse gas emission and water quality. We extracted SOM by water or by NaOH–HCl under oxic–anoxic conditions. Chemical and anoxic extractions lead to higher SOM electron exchange capacities, resulting in stimulation of microbial Fe(III) reduction. Therefore, aqueous pH-neutral SOM extracts should be used to reflect environmental SOM redox processes, and artifacts of chemical extractions need to be considered when evaluating SOM redox processes.
Yan Shen, Volker Thiel, Pablo Suarez-Gonzalez, Sebastiaan W. Rampen, and Joachim Reitner
Biogeosciences, 17, 649–666, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-649-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-649-2020, 2020
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Today, sterols are widespread in plants, animals, and fungi but are almost absent in the oldest rocks. Microbial mats, representing the earliest complex ecosystems on Earth, were omnipresent in Precambrian marine environments and may have degraded the sterols at that time. Here we analyze the distribution of sterols through a microbial mat. This provides insight into how variations in biological and nonbiological factors affect the preservation of sterols in modern and ancient microbial mats.
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Short summary
Thawing permafrost may release large amounts of terrestrial organic carbon (TerrOC) to the Arctic Ocean. We assessed its fate in the marine environment with a suite of biomarkers. Across the Laptev Sea their concentrations in surface sediments decreased significantly and showed a trend to qualitatively more degraded TerrOC with increasing water depth. We infer that the degree of degradation of TerrOC is a function of the time spent under oxic conditions during protracted cross-shelf transport.
Thawing permafrost may release large amounts of terrestrial organic carbon (TerrOC) to the...
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