Articles | Volume 22, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-5991-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-5991-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
23 Oct 2025
Research article |
| 23 Oct 2025
| 23 Oct 2025
Influence of carbon source and iron oxide minerals on methane production and magnetic mineral formation in salt marsh sediments
Kaleigh R. Block
School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, USA
Amy Arbetman
Biology Department, Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Sarah P. Slotznick
Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
Thomas E. Hanson
School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, USA
George W. Luther III
School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, USA
School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, USA
Related authors
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Aubin Thibault de Chanvalon, George W. Luther, Emily R. Estes, Jennifer Necker, Bradley M. Tebo, Jianzhong Su, and Wei-Jun Cai
Biogeosciences, 20, 3053–3071, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3053-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3053-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The intensity of the oceanic trap of CO2 released by anthropogenic activities depends on the alkalinity brought by continental weathering. Between ocean and continent, coastal water and estuaries can limit or favour the alkalinity transfer. This study investigate new interactions between dissolved metals and alkalinity in the oxygen-depleted zone of estuaries.
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Short summary
Although thermodynamic considerations and modeling studies predict low methane emissions from salt marshes, significant methane emissions can be observed. We investigate the roles of methylated carbon sources and interspecies electron transfer through conductive iron minerals in promoting methane production by salt marsh microbial communities. We find that a methylated carbon substrate in conjunction with conductive or semi-conductive iron minerals yields the highest rates of methane production.
Although thermodynamic considerations and modeling studies predict low methane emissions from...
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