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Linking geology and microbiology: inactive pockmarks affect sediment microbial community structure
Thomas H A Haverkamp1, Øyvind Hammer2, Kjetill S Jakobsen3
1Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Plos One
|January 30, 2014
Summary
Inactive pockmarks harbor distinct deep sediment microbial communities, differing from surface communities and surrounding seafloor. These differences are linked to variations in carbon content within the sediment.
Area of Science:
- Marine Geology
- Microbial Ecology
- Geochemistry
Background:
- Pockmarks are seabed depressions, some active with seeps, others inactive.
- Active pockmarks host specialized microbes; inactive ones have different macrofauna.
- Microbial communities in inactive pockmarks remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the microbial community composition in inactive pockmarks.
- To determine if inactive pockmarks exhibit unique microbial patterns compared to surrounding sediments.
- To analyze the influence of geological features on sediment microbial ecology.
Main Methods:
- Studied microbial communities in three inactive pockmarks and two control sites in the Oslofjord.
- Collected sediment cores at two depth intervals.
- Utilized high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3 region.
Main Results:
- Surface sediment microbial communities in pockmarks were similar to surrounding areas.
- Deeper (40 cm) pockmark communities showed significantly different structures compared to controls.
- Elevated total carbon and non-particulate organic carbon were found in deeper pockmark sediments.
Conclusions:
- Surface microbial communities are influenced by water column conditions.
- Deeper sediment microbial communities in inactive pockmarks are shaped by local geochemical factors.
- Inactive pockmarks represent distinct microhabitats influencing deep sediment microbial ecology.
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