Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems
Cable bacteria are long, filamentous bacteria with a unique metabolism involving centimetre-scale electron transport. They are widespread in the sediment of seasonally hypoxic systems and their metabolic activity stimulates the dissolution of iron sulfides (FeS), releasing large quantities of ferrou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231991 |
| _version_ | 1797202829274775552 |
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| author | Laurine D. W. Burdorf Sebastiaan J. van de Velde Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez Filip J. R. Meysman |
| author_facet | Laurine D. W. Burdorf Sebastiaan J. van de Velde Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez Filip J. R. Meysman |
| author_sort | Laurine D. W. Burdorf |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cable bacteria are long, filamentous bacteria with a unique metabolism involving centimetre-scale electron transport. They are widespread in the sediment of seasonally hypoxic systems and their metabolic activity stimulates the dissolution of iron sulfides (FeS), releasing large quantities of ferrous iron (Fe2+) into the pore water. Upon contact with oxygen, Fe2+ oxidation forms a layer of iron(oxyhydr)oxides (FeOx), which in its turn can oxidize free sulfide (H2S) and trap phosphorus (P) diffusing upward. The metabolism of cable bacteria could thus prevent the release of H2S from the sediment and reduce the risk of euxinia, while at the same time modulating P release over seasonal timescales. However, experimental support for this so-called ‘iron firewall hypothesis’ is scarce. Here, we collected natural sediment in a seasonally hypoxic basin in three different seasons. Undisturbed sediment cores were incubated under anoxic conditions and the effluxes of H2S, dissolved iron (dFe) and phosphate (PO4 3−) were monitored for up to 140 days. Cores with recent cable bacterial activity revealed a high stock of sedimentary FeOx, which delayed the efflux of H2S for up to 102 days. Our results demonstrate that the iron firewall mechanism could exert an important control on the prevalence of euxinia and regulate the P release in coastal oceans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:09:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9ca7c94cb9454b009310ee14878ca666 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:09:39Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9ca7c94cb9454b009310ee14878ca6662024-04-17T07:05:53ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032024-04-0111410.1098/rsos.231991Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systemsLaurine D. W. Burdorf0Sebastiaan J. van de Velde1Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez2Filip J. R. Meysman3Geobiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp , Antwerp, BelgiumGeobiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp , Antwerp, BelgiumGeobiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp , Antwerp, BelgiumGeobiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp , Antwerp, BelgiumCable bacteria are long, filamentous bacteria with a unique metabolism involving centimetre-scale electron transport. They are widespread in the sediment of seasonally hypoxic systems and their metabolic activity stimulates the dissolution of iron sulfides (FeS), releasing large quantities of ferrous iron (Fe2+) into the pore water. Upon contact with oxygen, Fe2+ oxidation forms a layer of iron(oxyhydr)oxides (FeOx), which in its turn can oxidize free sulfide (H2S) and trap phosphorus (P) diffusing upward. The metabolism of cable bacteria could thus prevent the release of H2S from the sediment and reduce the risk of euxinia, while at the same time modulating P release over seasonal timescales. However, experimental support for this so-called ‘iron firewall hypothesis’ is scarce. Here, we collected natural sediment in a seasonally hypoxic basin in three different seasons. Undisturbed sediment cores were incubated under anoxic conditions and the effluxes of H2S, dissolved iron (dFe) and phosphate (PO4 3−) were monitored for up to 140 days. Cores with recent cable bacterial activity revealed a high stock of sedimentary FeOx, which delayed the efflux of H2S for up to 102 days. Our results demonstrate that the iron firewall mechanism could exert an important control on the prevalence of euxinia and regulate the P release in coastal oceans.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231991cable bacteriairon cyclingphosphorushypoxiaeuxinia |
| spellingShingle | Laurine D. W. Burdorf Sebastiaan J. van de Velde Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez Filip J. R. Meysman Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems Royal Society Open Science cable bacteria iron cycling phosphorus hypoxia euxinia |
| title | Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems |
| title_full | Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems |
| title_fullStr | Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems |
| title_short | Cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems |
| title_sort | cable bacteria delay euxinia and modulate phosphorus release in coastal hypoxic systems |
| topic | cable bacteria iron cycling phosphorus hypoxia euxinia |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231991 |
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