Anaerobic oxidation of methane mediated by a syntrophic microbial consortium above marine gas hydrate (Cascadia continental margin, NE-Pacific) *Boetius A, Elvert M, Nauhaus K, Ravenschlag K, Schubert C, Treude T, Witte U Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany *Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany Rickert, D GEOMAR Research Center for Marine Geosciences, Kiel, Germany MUMM Methane in Gas Hydrate Bearing Sediments – Turnover Rates and Microorganisms
Cascadia subduction zone: Hydrate Ridge 780 m water depth
gas hydrate GEOMAR
Beggiatoa mat GEOMAR
Calyptogena field GEOMAR
Carbonate structure GEOMAR/ALVIN
CH 4 + SO 4 2- HCO HS - + H 2 O Where does all the sulfide come from?... anaerobic oxidation of methane!
Boetius et al. 2000, NATURE 407,p A marine microbial consortium apparently mediating anaerobic oxidation of methane Methane: 13 C:-50 to -70‰ Archaeal Lipids: 13 C: <-100‰ (Archeol, Hydroxyarcheol, Crocetan, PMI) SRB Lipids/Alcohols: 13 C: <-70‰ (iso- /antiso- C 15 /C 17 fatty acids) >90% of total microbial biomass (>10^10 cells/ccm)
Boetius et al. 2000, NATURE 407,p A marine microbial consortium apparently mediating anaerobic oxidation of methane Archaea Probe BA2H SRB Probe DSS658 5 µm
AOM rates FROM: K.U. Hinrichs & A. Boetius (2001, in press) The anaerobic oxidation of methane: New insights in microbial ecology and biogeochemistry a Jørgensen (1983) b Suess et al. (1999) total sinks 688 Tg CH4
sulfate reduction rates integrated SRR (mmol/m 2 /d; 0-10 cm):
number of SRB/archaea-aggregates integrated total cell numbers (cells/cm -2 ; 0-10 cm): 2.1* * *10 10
aggregate size spectrum Average Size 3.2±1 m Archaea = 100 cells SRB = 200 cells 5 m
Calcification? CH 4 + SO 4 2- HCO HS - + H 2 O 10 m 1 m
outlook
aggregate size spectrum 5 m A. Gieseke, MPI
mineral precipitates T. Neu., UFZ Magdeburg
mineral precipitates T. Neu., UFZ Magdeburg
Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane Reference Calyptogena field. Beggiatoa mat
Project MUMM