Above-ambient levels of methane and higher hydrocarbons were detected in the atmosphere of the Mo... more Above-ambient levels of methane and higher hydrocarbons were detected in the atmosphere of the Mono Basin. These gases emanated from several different sources, including natural gas seeps (thermogenic and biogenic), and methanogenic activity in sediments. Seeps were distributed over nearly 33% of the lake bottom and were also present in the exposed former lakebed. They originated from one or more natural gas deposits that underlie the basin. Seeps associated with hot springs had a thermogenic character, whereas the others had the characteristics of bacterially formed gases. The radiocarbon content of methane in all seep gases was low (5-11% modern carbon), indicating an age of greater than about 20,000 years.
Schoepp-Cothenet et al. bring a welcome conceptual debate to the question of which came first in ... more Schoepp-Cothenet et al. bring a welcome conceptual debate to the question of which came first in the course of planetary biological evolution, arsenite [As(III)] oxidation or dissimilatory arsenate [As(V)] reduction. However, we disagree with their reasoning and stand by our original conclusion. 1
Physical-Chemical data from Mono Lake (Table 1): Surface water temperature, dissolved oxygen and ... more Physical-Chemical data from Mono Lake (Table 1): Surface water temperature, dissolved oxygen and salinity for August, 2007 were provided by R. Jellison. Salinity was calculated from conductivity measurements according to R. Jellison., S. MacIntyre
S U M M A R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source ro... more S U M M A R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source rock depositional environments. In order to further our understanding of how these lakes function in terms of limnological and biogeochemical processes, we have conducted an interdisciplinary study of Big Soda Lake. Annual mixolimnion productivity (ca. 500 g m-') is dominated by a winter diatom bloom (60% of annual) caused by upward transport of ammonia to the epilimnion. The remainder of productivity is attributable to chemoautotrophs (30%) and photosynthetic bacteria (10%) present at the oxic -anoxic interface from May to November. Studies of bacterial heterotrophy and particulate fluxes in the water column indicate that about 90% of annual productivity is remineralized in the mixolimnion, primarily by fermentative bacteria. However, high rates of sulphate reduction (9-29 mmol m Z yr-') occur in the monimolimnion waters, which could remineralize most (if not all) of the primary p...
Interstitial water profiles of SeO(4), SeO(3), SO(4), and Cl in anoxic sediments indicated remova... more Interstitial water profiles of SeO(4), SeO(3), SO(4), and Cl in anoxic sediments indicated removal of the seleno-oxyanions by a near-surface process unrelated to sulfate reduction. In sediment slurry experiments, a complete reductive removal of SeO(4) occurred under anaerobic conditions, was more rapid with H(2) or acetate, and was inhibited by O(2), NO(3), MnO(2), or autoclaving but not by SO(4) or FeOOH. Oxidation of acetate in sediments could be coupled to selenate but not to molybdate. Reduction of selenate to elemental selenium was determined to be the mechanism for loss from solution. Selenate reduction was inhibited by tungstate and chromate but not by molybdate. A small quantity of the elemental selenium precipitated into sediments from solution could be resolublized by oxidation with either nitrate or FeOOH, but not with MnO(2). A bacterium isolated from estuarine sediments demonstrated selenate-dependent growth on acetate, forming elemental selenium and carbon dioxide as r...
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 1988
SUMMA R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source rock d... more SUMMA R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source rock depositional environments. In order to further our understanding of how these lakes function in terms of limnological and biogeochemical processes, we have conducted an interdisciplinary study of Big Soda Lake. Annual mixolimnion productivity (ca. 500 g m-') is dominated by a winter diatom bloom (60% of
Cell suspensions of Methylococcus capsulatus mineralized methyl bromide (MeBr), as evidence by it... more Cell suspensions of Methylococcus capsulatus mineralized methyl bromide (MeBr), as evidence by its removal from the gas phase, the quantitative recovery of Br- in the spent medium, and the production of 14CO2 from [14C]MeBr. Methyl fluoride fluoride (MeF) inhibited oxidation of methane as well as that of [14C]MeBr. The rate of MeBr consumption by cells varied inversely with the supply of methane, which suggested a competitive relationship between these two substrates. However, MeBr did not support growth of the methanotroph. In soils exposed to high levels (10,000 ppm) of MeBr, methane oxidation was completely inhibited. At this concentration, MeBr removal rates were equivalent in killed and live controls, which indicated a chemical rather than biological removal reaction. At lower concentration (1,000 ppm) of MeBr, methanotrophs were active and MeBr consumption rates were 10-fold higher in live controls than in killed controls. Soils exposed to trace levels (10 ppm) of MeBr demonst...
The shoreline of Pahoa Island in hypersaline Mono Lake in California is characterized by numerous... more The shoreline of Pahoa Island in hypersaline Mono Lake in California is characterized by numerous volcanogenic hot springs that display a wide range of temperatures between 30 and 85 degrees C. A variety of distinctive photosynthetic microbial mats are evident in these hot springs and their spatial distribution appears to be a function of water temperature. The suboxic hydrothermal waters
Above-ambient levels of methane and higher hydrocarbons were detected in the atmosphere of the Mo... more Above-ambient levels of methane and higher hydrocarbons were detected in the atmosphere of the Mono Basin. These gases emanated from several different sources, including natural gas seeps (thermogenic and biogenic), and methanogenic activity in sediments. Seeps were distributed over nearly 33% of the lake bottom and were also present in the exposed former lakebed. They originated from one or more natural gas deposits that underlie the basin. Seeps associated with hot springs had a thermogenic character, whereas the others had the characteristics of bacterially formed gases. The radiocarbon content of methane in all seep gases was low (5-11% modern carbon), indicating an age of greater than about 20,000 years.
Schoepp-Cothenet et al. bring a welcome conceptual debate to the question of which came first in ... more Schoepp-Cothenet et al. bring a welcome conceptual debate to the question of which came first in the course of planetary biological evolution, arsenite [As(III)] oxidation or dissimilatory arsenate [As(V)] reduction. However, we disagree with their reasoning and stand by our original conclusion. 1
Physical-Chemical data from Mono Lake (Table 1): Surface water temperature, dissolved oxygen and ... more Physical-Chemical data from Mono Lake (Table 1): Surface water temperature, dissolved oxygen and salinity for August, 2007 were provided by R. Jellison. Salinity was calculated from conductivity measurements according to R. Jellison., S. MacIntyre
S U M M A R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source ro... more S U M M A R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source rock depositional environments. In order to further our understanding of how these lakes function in terms of limnological and biogeochemical processes, we have conducted an interdisciplinary study of Big Soda Lake. Annual mixolimnion productivity (ca. 500 g m-') is dominated by a winter diatom bloom (60% of annual) caused by upward transport of ammonia to the epilimnion. The remainder of productivity is attributable to chemoautotrophs (30%) and photosynthetic bacteria (10%) present at the oxic -anoxic interface from May to November. Studies of bacterial heterotrophy and particulate fluxes in the water column indicate that about 90% of annual productivity is remineralized in the mixolimnion, primarily by fermentative bacteria. However, high rates of sulphate reduction (9-29 mmol m Z yr-') occur in the monimolimnion waters, which could remineralize most (if not all) of the primary p...
Interstitial water profiles of SeO(4), SeO(3), SO(4), and Cl in anoxic sediments indicated remova... more Interstitial water profiles of SeO(4), SeO(3), SO(4), and Cl in anoxic sediments indicated removal of the seleno-oxyanions by a near-surface process unrelated to sulfate reduction. In sediment slurry experiments, a complete reductive removal of SeO(4) occurred under anaerobic conditions, was more rapid with H(2) or acetate, and was inhibited by O(2), NO(3), MnO(2), or autoclaving but not by SO(4) or FeOOH. Oxidation of acetate in sediments could be coupled to selenate but not to molybdate. Reduction of selenate to elemental selenium was determined to be the mechanism for loss from solution. Selenate reduction was inhibited by tungstate and chromate but not by molybdate. A small quantity of the elemental selenium precipitated into sediments from solution could be resolublized by oxidation with either nitrate or FeOOH, but not with MnO(2). A bacterium isolated from estuarine sediments demonstrated selenate-dependent growth on acetate, forming elemental selenium and carbon dioxide as r...
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 1988
SUMMA R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source rock d... more SUMMA R Y : Meromictic, alkaline lakes represent modern-day analogues of lacustrine source rock depositional environments. In order to further our understanding of how these lakes function in terms of limnological and biogeochemical processes, we have conducted an interdisciplinary study of Big Soda Lake. Annual mixolimnion productivity (ca. 500 g m-') is dominated by a winter diatom bloom (60% of
Cell suspensions of Methylococcus capsulatus mineralized methyl bromide (MeBr), as evidence by it... more Cell suspensions of Methylococcus capsulatus mineralized methyl bromide (MeBr), as evidence by its removal from the gas phase, the quantitative recovery of Br- in the spent medium, and the production of 14CO2 from [14C]MeBr. Methyl fluoride fluoride (MeF) inhibited oxidation of methane as well as that of [14C]MeBr. The rate of MeBr consumption by cells varied inversely with the supply of methane, which suggested a competitive relationship between these two substrates. However, MeBr did not support growth of the methanotroph. In soils exposed to high levels (10,000 ppm) of MeBr, methane oxidation was completely inhibited. At this concentration, MeBr removal rates were equivalent in killed and live controls, which indicated a chemical rather than biological removal reaction. At lower concentration (1,000 ppm) of MeBr, methanotrophs were active and MeBr consumption rates were 10-fold higher in live controls than in killed controls. Soils exposed to trace levels (10 ppm) of MeBr demonst...
The shoreline of Pahoa Island in hypersaline Mono Lake in California is characterized by numerous... more The shoreline of Pahoa Island in hypersaline Mono Lake in California is characterized by numerous volcanogenic hot springs that display a wide range of temperatures between 30 and 85 degrees C. A variety of distinctive photosynthetic microbial mats are evident in these hot springs and their spatial distribution appears to be a function of water temperature. The suboxic hydrothermal waters
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