Influence of iron redox cycling on organo-mineral associations in Arctic tundra soil
Abstract not provided
Herndon, Elizabeth↗
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Experimental estimation of the bisulfite isomer quotient as a function of temperature: Implications for sulfur isotope fractionations in aqueous sulfite solutions
Bisulfite (HSO 3 - ) and sulfite (SO 3 2- ) compounds play key roles in numerous geochemical and biochemical processes extending from the atmosphere to the subseafloor biosphere. Despite decades of spectroscopic investigations, the molecular composition of HSO 3 - in solution remains uncertain and, thus, the role of bisulfite in (bio)chemical and isotope fractionation processes is unclear. We report new experimental estimates for the bisulfite isomer quotient (Qi= [(HO)SO 2 - ]/[(HS)O3-]; [] = concentration) as a function of temperature from the interpretation of Raman spectra collected from aqueous NaHSO 3 solutions contained in fused silica capsules. In pure NaHSO 3 solutions (1Na + :1HSO 3 - , stoichiometric) over [NaHSO 3 ] = 0.2–0.4 m (moles/kg H 2 O), the following relationship is obtained: ln(Q i )=[formula omitted]-1.9642(±0.1081),where T = 278–358 K (5–85 °C) (based on 50 determinations; additional significant figures are provided to avoid rounding errors). This relationship suggests that the minor isomer, (HS)O 3 - , may comprise 23–38% (±3%) of the mole fraction of HSO 3 - over 5–85 °C, respectively, which is higher in relative abundance than has generally been understood previously. We additionally provide estimates for Q i in NaHSO 3 solutions containing a total ionic strength of µ = 1.0 m (0.2 m NaHSO 3 + 0.8 m NaCl) and different pH (3.3–4.5), but do not appear to resolve any significant differences in Q i as a function of these additional variables. These new values of Q i are employed to re-assess the bulk sulfur isotope fractionations among bisulfite and other S(IV) compounds as a function of temperature, which appear to be highly dependent on the amount of (HS)O 3 - present. Our new constraints on the bisulfite isomer quotient may allow for a detailed assessment of the molecular composition and isotope mass balance of S(IV) solutions containing HSO 3 - , and may be useful in the further investigation of the mechanisms and isotope fractionations associated with a number of processes that involve bisulfite compounds. Furthermore, these may include the intracellular enzymatic transformations of sulfite and bisulfite compounds that occur as part of dissimilatory sulfate reduction, which is a major and geologically important form of anaerobic respiration.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Interactions among soil texture, pore structure, and labile carbon influence soil carbon gains
Perennial vegetation with high plant diversity, e.g., restored prairie, is known for stimulation of soil carbon (C) gains, due in part to enhanced formation of pore structure beneficial for long-term C storage. However, the prevalence of this phenomenon across soils of different types remains poorly understood. The aim of the study was to assess the associations between pore structure, soil C, and their differences in monoculture switchgrass and polyculture restored prairie vegetation across a wide range of soils dominating the Upper Midwest of the USA. Six experimental sites were sampled, representing three soil types with texture ranging from sandy to silt loams. The two vegetation systems studied at each site were (i) monoculture switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and (ii) polyculture restored prairie, also containing switchgrass as one of its species. X-ray computed micro-tomography (µCT) was employed to analyze soil pore structure. Structural equation modeling and multiple path analyses were used to assess direct and indirect effects of soil texture and pore characteristics on microbial biomass C (MBC), particulate organic matter (POM), dissolved organic C (DOC), short-term respiration (CO 2 ), and, ultimately, soil organic C (SOC). Across studied sites, prairie increased fractions of medium (50–150 µm Ø) pores by 11–45 %, SOC by 3–69 %, and MBC by 18–59 % (except for one site). The greater were the prairie-induced increases in the medium pore volumes, the greater were the prairie-induced SOC gains. Greater C losses via CO 2 and DOC contributed to slower C accumulation in the prairie soil. We surmise that the interactive feedback loop relating medium pores and soil C acts across a wide range of soil textures and is an important mechanism through which perennial vegetation with high plant diversity, such as restored prairie, promotes rapid SOC gains.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Belowground cross-trophic networks impact CH4 and CO2 emissions in degraded alpine peatlands
Belowground organisms forming complex cross-trophic ecological networks are essential for maintaining peatland carbon stability and energy flow. However, how peatland degradation affects the biodiversity and cross-trophic ecological networks of soil communities remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the degradation effects on soil prokaryotes (i.e., bacteria, archaea), fungi and nematodes in alpine peatlands on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, characterized by varying water table depths (indicating degradation levels). We found that peatland degradation, accompanied by significant shifts in soil moisture and pH (P < 0.05), reduced the taxonomic richness and phylogenetic diversity of prokaryotes, fungi, and nematodes, particularly in deeper soil layers (20–50 cm). Crucially, peatland degradation weakened potential cross-trophic interactions within bipartite networks of prokaryotes-nematodes and fungi-nematodes, resulting in less than 6.5 %–28.8 % of unchanged modules. Degradation-induced changes in soil moisture and pH were identified as primary drivers of biodiversity loss and network restructuring. Furthermore, such changes of belowground cross-trophic networks (particularly prokaryote-nematode) were significantly correlated with greenhouse gas emissions, such as decreased CO2 emissions, maintained CH4 emissions (leading to a higher CH4/CO2 ratio in deep layers), and reduced temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil respiration. These findings underscore the critical need to protect soil biodiversity and cross-trophic networks in peatlands, particularly under the threat of climate change, to preserve peatland carbon stocks and maintain ecosystem stability. Our findings highlight that belowground cross-trophic networks are pivotal to decipher soil carbon dynamics of degraded peatlands and project the fate of peatland carbon stocks under future climate change scenarios.
Cross-trophic networks↗
Depth-dependent links between microbial taxa and nitrous oxide emissions in a long-term cotton cropping system employing soil health practices
Long-term management practices can shape soil microbial communities in ways that influence nitrogen (N) dynamics and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions. We leverage a 41-year continuous cotton cropping experiment with contrasting tillage, cover cropping, and N fertilization regimes to investigate how these long-term strategies influence soil microbial communities and their associations with N 2 O fluxes during the cotton growing season. Using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, we assessed microbial composition in surface and subsurface soils and evaluated its relationship with temporal N 2 O emissions. Among the management practices, N fertilization – a known driver of N 2 O emissions – had the strongest effect on microbial community composition and was linked to a greater number of taxa correlated to N 2 O emissions, particularly in surface soils. Soil pH emerged as a key variable influencing microbial structure across depth and was negatively associated with both N 2 O emissions and microbial composition in the surface layers of fertilized soils. In total, 57 archaeal/bacterial taxa were correlated with N 2 O fluxes, but only seven were shared across depths, suggesting distinct microbial contributors in surface and subsurface soils. Several of these taxa have been previously reported to be associated with N and C cycling processes such as nitrate respiration or carbon turnover, indicating functional context to their correlation with N 2 O fluxes. Temporal shifts in the abundance of key taxa aligned with seasonal peaks in N 2 O emissions, notably in early and late August, and were most pronounced under conventional tillage, hairy vetch cover cropping, and N fertilization. While 16S-based associations cannot confirm functional gene presence or activity, these findings demonstrate that long-term fertilization and associated soil acidification are dominant drivers of microbial shifts linked to N 2 O emissions and highlight the importance of accounting for depth-specific and seasonal microbial dynamics when evaluating management impacts on greenhouse gas emissions.
16S rRNA gene sequencing↗
Gold core/ceria shell-based redox active nanozyme mimicking the biological multienzyme complex phenomenon
Catalytically active individual gold (Au) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles are well known to exhibit specific enzyme-like activities, such as natural catalase, oxidase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase enzymes. These activities have been maneuvered to design several biological applications such as immunoassays, glucose detection, radiation and free radical protection and tissue engineering. A functional nanozyme depicting multienzyme like properties that functions as a synthetic super enzyme has eluded the researchers in the nanoscience community for past decade. In current report, we have designed a functional multienzyme in the form of Gold (core)-CeO2 (shell) nanoparticles (Au@CeO2 CSNPs) exhibiting excellent peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme-like activities that are controlled simply by tuning the pH. The reaction kinetic parameters reveal that the peroxidase-like activity of this core shell nanozyme is comparable to natural HRP enzyme. Unlike peroxidase-like activity exhibited by other nanomaterials, Au@CeO2 CSNPs showed decrease in hydroxyl radical formation, suggesting that the bio catalytic reactions are performed by efficient electron transfers. A significant enzyme-like activity of this core shell nanoparticle was conserved at extreme pH (2 – 11) and temperatures (up to 90 °C), clearly suggesting the superiority over natural enzymes. Further, the utility of peroxidase-like activity of this core shell nanoparticles was extended for the detection of glucose, which showed a linear range of detection between (100 µM – 1 mM). It is hypothesized that the proximity of the redox potentials of Au+/Au and Ce (III)/Ce (IV) may result in a redox couple promoting the multienzyme activity of core shell nanoparticles. Au@CeO2 CSNPs may open new directions for development of single platform sensors in multiple biosensing applications.
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
Field-to-farm gate greenhouse gas emissions from corn stover production in the Midwestern U.S.
Measured field data were used to compare two allocation methods on life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from corn (Zea mays L.) stover production in the Midwest U.S. We used publicly-available crop yield, nitrogen fertilizer, and direct soil nitrous oxide emissions data from the USDA-ARS Resilient Economic Agricultural Practices research program. Field data were aggregated from 9 locations across 26 site-years for 3 stover harvest rates (no removal; moderate removal – 3.1 Mg ha –1 ; high removal – 7.2 Mg ha –1 ) and 2 tillage practices (conventional; reduced/no-till). Net carbon uptake by crops was computed from measured plant carbon content. Monte Carlo simulations sampled input distributions to assess variability in farm-to-gate GHG emissions. The base analysis assumed no change in soil organic carbon stocks. In all cases, net CO 2 uptake during crop growth and soil-respired CO 2 dominated system emissions. Emissions were most sensitive to co-product accounting method, with system expansion emissions ~15% lower than mass allocation. Regardless of accounting method, lowest emissions occurred for a moderate removal rate under reduced/no-till management. The absence of correlations between N fertilization rate and stover removal rate or soil N 2 O emissions in this study challenges the use of such assumptions typically employed in life cycle assessments Storage of all carbon retained on the field as SOC could reduce emissions by an additional 15%. Furthermore, our results highlight how variability in GHG emissions due to location and weather can overshadow the impact of farm management practices on field-to-farm gate emissions. Graphical abstract
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Biorefinery upgrading of herbaceous biomass to renewable hydrocarbon fuels, Part 2: Air pollutant emissions and permitting implications
The development of advanced biofuel production facilities is still at a nascent stage, and the biorefineries could face challenges in obtaining air permits required for their construction and operation because they are novel emission sources. To fill gaps in knowledge regarding potential emissions, we perform a detailed federal regulatory analysis and estimate air pollutant emissions for an advanced biorefinery that produces renewable diesel blendstock (RDB) from lignocellulosic biomass via aerobic respiration documented in Part 1 of the paper. We evaluate 12 design permutations that include two feedstocks, a uniform format blend (UFB) and corn stover; three biorefinery scales, 2,000, 5,200, and 9,100 dry metric tons per day (dmtd) of lignocellulosic biomass feed; and two lignin uses, as either a boiler fuel or for pellet production. We also evaluate 6 additional design permutations by incorporating non-emitting renewable power, which could reduce up to 63% carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) each, 21% volatile organic compounds (VOC), and 43% hazardous air pollutants (HAP) as opposed to on-site power production, for biorefineries that produce pellets, using either UFB or corn stover. Our results indicate that all 18 design permutations would be classified as a major source under the Clean Air Act's New Source Review program without additional emission controls. Compared to using lignin as a boiler fuel, diverting lignin for pellet production reduces the emissions of CO up to 88%, NOx up to 73%, sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) up to 99%, VOCs up to 72%, and HAPs up to 66%. Additionally, we explore control options that could further reduce emissions and assess whether reductions are enough to achieve minor source classification. Insights from our analysis can help biorefinery developers and regulators develop permitting strategies to mitigate investment risks.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
Using a coupled dispersion model to estimate depletion of a tritium oxide plume by a forest
Tritium processing facilities may release tritium oxide (HTO) to the atmosphere which poses potential health risks to exposed co-located workers and to offsite individuals. Most radiological consequence analyses determine HTO dose by applying Gaussian plume models to simulate the transport of HTO. Within these models, deposition velocity is used to assess the sum of all deposition processes acting on the plume. While this may account for vegetative and soil uptake or respiration processes, it may currently lack inclusion of the complex interactions within heterogeneous forested environments. In this complex morphology, dispersion patterns are significantly altered by changing flow regimes above and below the forest canopy and by the transfer of plume material across the canopy boundary. To determine the effects of a heterogeneous forest canopy on an airborne HTO plume, a Gaussian plume model coupled with an advection-diffusion plume model was applied to estimate transport in the free atmosphere above the forest and within the forest canopy and understory. During 2012, wind speed and wind direction measurements taken at 5 heights, ranging from 2-m to 28-m, on an instrumented meteorological tower located in a loblolly pine forest at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS), near Aiken, SC. From these measurements, model predictions were made over a full spectrum of meteorological conditions. Deposition and resuspension velocities were calculated based on the model-predicted flux of plume material across the top of the forest canopy. Additionally, net deposition velocity of the plume material was calculated as the difference between the deposition and resuspension velocities. The 1st and 5th percentile net deposition velocities were estimated to be 0.7 cm s-1 and 1.2 cm s-1, respectively.
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗
The impact of tritium phytoremediation on plant health as measured by fluorescence
Phytoremediation, using plants for soil, sediment, or water contaminant clean-up, is an established technology dependent on plant health. Tritium (3H), a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is generally found in the environment as tritiated water (HTO), is a low-level beta emitter with a half-life of 12.32 years. Chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) for monitoring risk assessment of tritium to plant health was conducted at the Tritium Irrigation Facility (TIF) located on the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, SC. Two fluorometers were evaluated in conjunction with phytoremediation at the 25 –acre TIF where tritiated groundwater is being spray–irrigated on a mixed coniferous/deciduous forested watershed as a means of reducing tritium release to a nearby stream that serves as a tributary to the Savannah River. Tritium activity in irrigated water averaged 104 + 42 pCi mL -1 during the 2003 project. Fluorescence parameters measured by the two fluorometers were well correlated with each other (p < 0.0001). Tritium in water respired from oak leaves ranged up to 1845.13 pCi ml -1 and 2138.22 pCi ml -1 in pine needles. Trees in both the test and control sites were approximately 15 years old. In this report we demonstrated that fluorescence parameters provide an effective way to estimate the impact of HTO on plant health in a noninvasive, extremely rapid, and cost-effective manner. In the current study applying fluorometry, plants within the TIF phytoremediation site exposed to the site tritiated water were not significantly impacted by the tritium phytoremediation based on CF parameters as compared to the control, a nascent non-irrigated site.
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗
Reaction pathways and Sb(III) minerals formation during the reduction of Sb(V) by Rhodoferax ferrireducens strain YZ-1
Antimony (Sb), a non-essential metalloid, can be released into the environment through various industrial ac-tivities. Sb(III) is considered more toxic than Sb(V), but Sb(III) can be immobilized through the precipitation of insoluble Sb 2 S 3 or Sb 2 O 3 . In the subsurface, Sb redox chemistry is largely controlled by microorganisms; how-ever, the exact mechanisms of Sb(V) reduction to Sb(III) are still unclear. Here, in this study, a new strain of Sb(V)-reducing bacterium, designated as strain YZ-1, that can respire Sb(V) as a terminal electron acceptor was iso-lated from Sb-contaminated soils. 16S-rRNA gene sequencing of YZ-1 revealed high similarity to a known Fe(III)-reducer, Rhodoferax ferrireducens. XRD and XAFS analyses revealed that bioreduction of Sb(V) to Sb(III) proceed through a transition from amorphous valentinite to crystalline senarmontite (allotropes of Sb 2 O 3 ). Genomic DNA sequencing found that YZ-1 possesses arsenic (As) metabolism genes, including As(V) reductase arsC. The qPCR analysis showed that arsC was highly expressed during Sb(V)-reduction by YZ-1, and thus is proposed as the potential Sb(V) reductase in YZ-1. This study provides new insight into the pathways and products of microbial Sb(V) reduction and demonstrates the potential of a newly isolated bacterium for Sb bioremediation.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Temperature-dependent microbial reactions by indigenous microbes in bentonite under Fe(III)- and sulfate-reducing conditions
Bentonite is a promising buffer material for constructing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) repositories. However, indigenous microbes in bentonite can be introduced to the repository and subsequent sealing of the repository develops anoxic conditions over time which may stimulate fermentation and anaerobic respiration, possibly affecting bentonite structure and SNF repository stability. Moreover, the microbial activity in the bentonite can be impacted by the heat generated from radionuclides decay. Therefore, to investigate the temperature effect on microbial activities in bentonite, we created microcosms with WRK bentonil (a commercial bentonite) using lactate as the electron donor, and sulfate and/or ferrihydrite (Fe(III)) as electron acceptors with incubation at 18 °C and 50 °C. Indigenous WRK microbes reduced sulfate and Fe(III) at both temperatures but with different rates and extents. Lactate was metabolized to acetate at both temperatures, but only to propionate at 18 °C during early-stage microbial fermentation. More Fe(III)-reduction at 18 °C but more sulfate-reduction at 50 °C was observed. Thermophilic and/or metabolically flexible microbes were involved in both fermentation and Fe(III)/ sulfate reduction. In conclusion, our findings illustrate the necessity of considering the influence of temperature on microbial activities when employing bentonite as an engineered buffer material in construction of SNF repository barriers.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
Cooling and dietary crude protein affected milk production on heat-stressed dairy cows
Environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, exert dramatic effects on the production, health, and well-being of lactating dairy cows. Heat-stressed cows undergo a series of homeorhetic adaptations that alters cellular homeostasis and nutrient utilization. As such, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of cooling and dietary crude protein (CP) content on fermentability of rumen inoculum, milk production, and health of heat-stressed cows. It was hypothesized that cooled but not heat-stressed cows would support productivity in response to an increase in dietary CP content. Thirty-six multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (9 cows/treatment). Treatments consisted of cooling (CO) or moderate long-term heat stress (HS) and diets containing low CP content (LCP; 12.5% CP) or moderate CP content (MCP; 16.1% CP) of dry matter. The CO treatment provided heat abatement with sprinklers and fans that came on at > 20.0°C, whereas the HS treatment did not provide sprinklers and fans. Cows were housed in pens in a freestall barn, and treatments were imposed for 21 d during July and August. Compared with the HS treatment, CO decreased afternoon rectal and vaginal temperatures (0.60 and 0.70°C) and afternoon respiration rate (27.6 breaths/min). Treatment interactions showed that compared with the LCP treatment, MCP increased milk fat yield (23%) in CO but not in HS cows. Compared with the LCP treatment, MCP decreased milk protein percent (0.14 units) in CO but increased milk protein percent (0.09 units) in HS cows. Rumen inoculum collected on d 21 showed a ~3-fold increase in total gas production in vitro in CO compared with the HS treatment. Relative to the LCP treatment, MCP increased plasma glucose and insulin and decreased total free fatty acids concentrations. In summary, under the conditions of this study CO but not HS cows responded to a CP stimulus by increasing productivity.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
A Bayesian statistical approach to inferring particle dynamics from in-situ pump POC and chloropigment data from the Mediterranean Sea
Concentrations of chloropigments and particulate organic carbon (POC) in large-volume in-situ pump samples from the Mediterranean Sea were used to estimate rate constants of processes that control the fate of particles, and specifically chloropigments, in the water column. In this paper we introduce a Bayesian statistical inversion method that combines the data with a new box model and has the capacity to infer rate constants for POC respiration/dissolution, chlorophyll and pheopigment degradation, and particle aggregation and disaggregation. We use first-order kinetics to model disaggregation, and use both first-order and second-order kinetics to model aggregation. Using these methods, the estimated small-particle (1–70 μm) POC respiration rate constant was 2.44 -1.00 +1.69 yr -1 (0.41 yr). The estimated disaggregation and second-order aggregation rate constants were 85.6 -36.4 +63.4 yr -1 (1.17×10 -2 yr) and 2.78 -1.17 +2.01 μM -1 yr -1 , respectively. Using the optimal rate constants and the corresponding particle concentrations, disaggregation is ~4.2 times faster than the small-size POC dissolution rate, which indicates that disaggregation is a dominant processes at the time of sampling. More importantly, by comparing our results with those of previous studies, we conclude that sampling methods have less influence than tracers themselves on inferring particle dynamic rate constants. We previously introduced a somewhat similar approach to modeling SV sediment trap data, but large volume pumps are a much more common sample collection method in oceanographic surveys than SV sediment traps, and thus our new model should have a wider applicability.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Methane and nitrous oxide porewater concentrations and surface fluxes of a regulated river
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rivers are a critical missing component of current global GHG models. Their exclusion is mainly due to a lack of in-situ measurements and a poor understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of GHG production and emissions, which prevents optimal model parametrization. We combined simultaneous observations of porewater concentrations along different beach positions and depths, and surface fluxes of methane and nitrous oxide at a plot scale in a large regulated river during three water stages: rising, falling, and low. Our goal was to gain insights into the interactions between hydrological exchanges and GHG emissions and elucidate possible hypotheses that could guide future research on the mechanisms of GHG production, consumption, and transport in the hyporheic zone (HZ). Results indicate that the site functioned as a net source of methane. Surface fluxes of methane during river water stages at three beach positions (shallow intermediate and deep) correlated with porewater concentrations of methane. However, fluxes were significantly higher in the intermediate position during low water stage, suggesting that low residence time increased methane emissions. Vertical profiles of methane peaked at different depths, indicating an influence of the magnitude and direction of the hyporheic mixing during the different river water stages on methane production and consumption. The site acted as either a sink or a source of nitrous oxide depending on the elevation of the water column. Nitrous oxide porewater concentrations peaked at the upper layers of the sediment throughout the different water stages. River hydrological stages significantly influenced porewater concentrations and fluxes of GHG, probably by influencing heterotrophic respiration (production and consumption processes) and transport to and from the HZ. Our results highlight the importance of including dynamic hydrological exchanges when studying and modeling GHG production and consumption in the HZ of large rivers.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Effect of warming on the degradation and production of low-molecular-weight labile organic carbon in an Arctic tundra soil
The fate of soil organic carbon (SOC) stored in the Arctic permafrost is a key concern as temperatures continue to rise in the northern hemisphere. Studies and conceptual models suggest that SOC degradation is affected by the composition of SOC, but it is unclear exactly what portions of SOC are vulnerable to rapid breakdown and what mechanisms may be controlling SOC degradation upon permafrost thaw. Here, we examine the dynamic consumption and production of labile SOC in an anoxic incubation experiment using soil samples from the active layer at the Barrow Environmental Observatory, Barrow, Alaska, USA. Free-reducing sugars, alcohols, and low-molecular-weight (LMW) organic acids were analyzed during incubation at either –2 or 8 °C for up to 240 days. Results show that simple sugar and alcohol SOC largely account for the initial rapid release of CO 2 and CH 4 through anaerobic fermentation, whereas the fermentation products, acetate and formate, are subsequently utilized as primary substrates for methanogenesis. Iron(III) reduction is correlated to acetate production and methanogenesis, suggesting its important role as an electron acceptor in tundra SOC respiration. These observations are further supported in a glucose addition experiment, in which rapid CO 2 and CH 4 production occurred concurrently with rapid production and consumption of labile organics such as acetate. However, addition of tannic acid, as a more complex organic substrate, showed little influence on the overall production of CO 2 and CH 4 and organic acids. Together our study shows that LMW labile organics in SOC control the initial rapid release of green-house gases upon warming. We thus present a conceptual framework for the labile SOC transformations and their relations to fermentation, iron reduction and methanogenesis, thereby providing the basis for improved model prediction of climate feedbacks in the Arctic.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Assessing fungal contributions to cellulose degradation in soil by using high-throughput stable isotope probing
Soils represent one of the largest and most active pools of C in the biosphere, and soil respiration represents a major component of global C flux. Fungi are essential to soil carbon cycling due to their propensity for decomposing organic polymers such as cellulose. We performed high throughput sequencing enabled stable isotope probing (HTS-SIP) with 13 C-cellulose to characterize the dynamics of fungi and bacteria during cellulose degradation in an agricultural soil. Here, a total of 1900 fungal taxa were observed and 190 of these assimilated 13 C-cellulose during a 30-day incubation. A majority of 13 C-labeled fungi belonged to Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota. However, most 13 C-labeled fungi could not be annotated at the species (71%, n = 134), or genus (49%, n = 93) level. Mucoromycota were 13 C-labeled early, and by day 3 the most abundant 13 C-labeled organism belonged to Mortierella. In contrast, 13 C-labeled Ascomycota increased in diversity through day 14 and their relative abundance comprised more than 40% of fungal ITS sequences by day 30. These results show that: i) the majority of fungal taxa that assimilated 13 C from 13 C-cellulose are uncultivated and poorly characterized, ii) the beta-diversity of 13 C-labeled fungi changed significantly over time during cellulose degradation, iii) a relatively small number of the 13 C-labeled taxa dominated the community response to cellulose, and iv) fungi incorporated cellulose into DNA more rapidly and in greater numbers than did bacteria. Furthermore, these results show that fungi in a tilled agricultural field respond rapidly to new cellulose inputs, exhibiting complex temporal dynamics that likely drive carbon flow into diverse taxa within the soil community.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗