TY  - JOUR
A1  - Nickel, Julia C.
A1  - di Primio, Rolando
A1  - Mangelsdorf, Kai
A1  - Stoddart, Daniel
A1  - Kallmeyer, Jens
T1  - Characterization of microbial activity in pockmark fields of the SW-Barents Sea
JF  - Marine geology : international journal of marine geology, geochemistry and geophysics
N2  - Multibeam bathymetry revealed the occurrence of numerous craterlike depressions, so-called pockmarks, on the sea floor of the Hammerfest Basin and the Loppa High, south-western Barents Sea. To investigate whether these pockmarks are related to ongoing gas seepage, microbial processes associated with methane metabolism were analyzed using geochemical, biogeochemical and microbiological techniques. Gravity cores were collected along transects crossing individual pockmarks, allowing a direct comparison between different locations inside (assumed activity center), on the rim, and outside of a pockmark (reference sites). Concentrations of hydrocarbons in the sediment, particularly methane, were measured as headspace (free) gas, and in the occluded and adsorbed gas fraction. Down to a depth of 2.6 m below sea floor (mbsf) sulfate reduction rates were quantified by radiotracer incubations. Concentrations of dissolved sulfate in the porewater were determined as well. Neither the sulfate profiles nor the gas measurements show any evidence of microbial activity or active fluid venting. Methane concentrations and sulfate reduction rates were extremely low or even below the detection limit. The results show that the observed sediment structures are most likely paleo-pockmarks, their formation probably occurred during the last deglaciation.
KW  - pockmark
KW  - Barents Sea
KW  - sulfate reduction
KW  - microbial activity
KW  - Loppa High
Y1  - 2012
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2012.02.002
SN  - 0025-3227
VL  - 332
IS  - 12
SP  - 152
EP  - 162
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Adhikari, Rishi Ram
A1  - Glombitza, Clemens
A1  - Nickel, Julia C.
A1  - Anderson, Chloe H.
A1  - Dunlea, Ann G.
A1  - Spivack, Arthur J.
A1  - Murray, Richard W.
A1  - Kallmeyer, Jens
T1  - Hydrogen Utilization Potential in Subsurface Sediments
JF  - Frontiers in microbiology
N2  - Subsurface microbial communities undertake many terminal electron-accepting processes, often simultaneously. Using a tritium-based assay, we measured the potential hydrogen oxidation catalyzed by hydrogenase enzymes in several subsurface sedimentary environments (Lake Van, Barents Sea, Equatorial Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico) with different predominant electron-acceptors. Hydrogenases constitute a diverse family of enzymes expressed by microorganisms that utilize molecular hydrogen as a metabolic substrate, product, or intermediate. The assay reveals the potential for utilizing molecular hydrogen and allows qualitative detection of microbial activity irrespective of the predominant electron-accepting process. Because the method only requires samples frozen immediately after recovery, the assay can be used for identifying microbial activity in subsurface ecosystems without the need to preserve live material. We measured potential hydrogen oxidation rates in all samples from multiple depths at several sites that collectively span a wide range of environmental conditions and biogeochemical zones. Potential activity normalized to total cell abundance ranges over five orders of magnitude and varies, dependent upon the predominant terminal electron acceptor. Lowest per-cell potential rates characterize the zone of nitrate reduction and highest per-cell potential rates occur in the methanogenic zone. Possible reasons for this relationship to predominant electron acceptor include (i) increasing importance of fermentation in successively deeper biogeochemical zones and (ii) adaptation of H(2)ases to successively higher concentrations of H-2 in successively deeper zones.
KW  - hydrogenase
KW  - tritium assay
KW  - deep biosphere
KW  - microbial activity
KW  - Lake Van
KW  - Barents Sea
KW  - Equatorial Pacific
KW  - Gulf of Mexico
Y1  - 2016
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00008
SN  - 1664-302X
VL  - 7
PB  - Frontiers Research Foundation
CY  - Lausanne
ER  -