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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands
Published on: January 31, 2025
Efficient preservation of old methane-derived organic carbon in deep-sea surface sediments
Rui Bao1,2, Yangli Che3,4, Mingzhi Liu3,4
1Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Innovation Center for Ocean Carbon Neutrality, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China. baorui@ouc.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Methane released from the subseafloor is significantly attenuated during upward migration, yet the preservation of methane-derived organic carbon (OC) in global deep-sea sediments remains poorly understood. Here, we measured carbon isotopes coupled with temperature-ramped analyses on various methane seepage sediments. Our results reveal a correlation between the radiocarbon (14C) content in deep-sea surface sediments and sulfate-methane transition depth. Notably, our findings suggest that a substantial amount of 14C-depleted OC may originate from deep-seated methane and is efficiently preserved in surface seepage sediments. We propose that the efficient OC preservation is related to microbial-mediated aggregate formation at the seawater-sediment interface, where physical occlusion within coarse-grained matrices reduces oxygen availability and enhances OC stability. We estimate that at least 6 Tg C of methane-derived OC are preserved annually in surface sediments of the global continental slopes. This process may play a non-negligible role in OC preservation in sediments, reducing methane emission into the atmosphere.
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