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Las corrientes eléctricas acoplan procesos biogeoquímicos separados espacialmente en los sedimentos marinos
Lars Peter Nielsen1, Nils Risgaard-Petersen, Henrik Fossing
1Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. biolpn@biology.au.dk
Nature
|February 26, 2010
Resumen
Las corrientes eléctricas en los sedimentos vinculan el uso de oxígeno superficial con la oxidación profunda del azufre y el carbono. Esta comunicación eléctrica microbiana revela nuevos procesos biogeoquímicos en la naturaleza.
Área de la Ciencia:
- Ecología microbiana Ecología microbiana.
- Biogeoquímica La biogeoquímica es la bioquímica.
- Ciencias ambientales Ciencias ambientales.
Sus antecedentes:
- Las bacterias pueden realizar transferencia extracelular de electrones (EET) para el ciclo de nutrientes.
- Faltaban pruebas de que el EET acoplara procesos biogeoquímicos más allá de la escala micrométrica.
Objetivo del estudio:
- Investigar si las corrientes eléctricas acoplan procesos biogeoquímicos separados espacialmente en entornos naturales.
- Para demostrar la comunicación eléctrica microbiana en capas profundas de sedimentos.
Principales métodos:
- Se estudió el sedimento defaunado bajo diferentes concentraciones de oxígeno superpuestas.
- Se midieron los cambios de sulfuro de hidrógeno y pH dentro del sedimento.
- Cálculos de balance de masas realizados para el consumo de oxígeno.
Principales resultados:
- Las corrientes eléctricas vincularon rápidamente el consumo de oxígeno superficial con la oxidación profunda de sulfuro y carbono orgánico.
- Más del 40% del consumo total de oxígeno del sedimento fue impulsado por electrones conducidos.
- Se observó un pico de pH distinto en la zona óxica, indicativo de procesos electroquímicos.
Conclusiones:
- Las corrientes eléctricas conducidas por nanocables microbianos y otros componentes acoplan procesos biogeoquímicos distantes en el sedimento.
- Esta comunicación eléctrica amplía la comprensión de la ecología microbiana y el ciclo biogeoquímico.
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