How are oxygen budgets influenced by dissolved iron and growth of oxygenic phototrophs in an iron-rich spring system? Initial results from the Espan Spring in Fürth, Germany

Köhler, Inga; Martinez, Raul E.; Piatka, David; Herrmann, Achim J.; Gallo, Arianna; Gehringer, Michelle M.; Barth, Johannes A. C.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4535-2021

Articles | Volume 18, issue 15

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4535-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4535-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 18, issue 15

Research article

|

04 Aug 2021

Research article |

| 04 Aug 2021

How are oxygen budgets influenced by dissolved iron and growth of oxygenic phototrophs in an iron-rich spring system? Initial results from the Espan Spring in Fürth, Germany

Inga Köhler, Raul E. Martinez, David Piatka, Achim J. Herrmann, Arianna Gallo, Michelle M. Gehringer, and Johannes A. C. Barth

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4535-2021-supplement

Model code and software

Code PHREEQC D. L. Parkhurst and C. A. J. Appelo https://www.usgs.gov/software/phreeqc-version-3

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Short summary

We investigated how high Fe(II) levels influence the O₂ budget of a circum-neutral Fe(II)-rich spring and if a combined study of dissolved O (DO) and its isotopic composition can help assess this effect. We showed that dissolved Fe(II) can exert strong effects on the δ¹⁸O_DO even though a constant supply of atmospheric O₂ occurs. In the presence of photosynthesis, direct effects of Fe oxidation become masked. Critical Fe(II) concentrations indirectly control the DO by enhancing photosynthesis.