Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur, and free oxygen in a microbial mat

Details Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur, and free oxygen in a microbial mat Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur, and free oxygen in a microbial mat

Aug 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993gecoa..57.3971c&link_type=abstract

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 57, Issue 16, pp.3971-3984

Computer Science

18

Scientific paper

Complete budgets for carbon and oxygen have been constructed for cyanobacterial mats dominated by Microcoleus chthonoplastes from the evaporating ponds of a salt works located in Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Included in the budget are measured rates of O 2 production, sulfate reduction, and elemental exchange across the mat/brine interface, day and night, at various temperatures and times of the year. We infer from this data the various sinks for O 2 , as well as the sources of carbon for primary production. To summarize, although seasonal variability exists, a major percentage of the O 2 produced during the day did not diffuse out of the mat but was used within the mat to oxidize both organic carbon and the sulfide produced by sulfate reduction. At night, most of the O 2 that diffused into the mat was used to oxidize sulfide, with O 2 respiration of minor importance. During the day, the internal mat processes of sulfate reduction and O 2 respiration generated as much or more inorganic carbon (DIC) for primary production as diffusion into the mat. Also, oxygenic photosynthesis was the most important process of carbon fixation, although anoxygenic photosynthesis may have been important at low light levels during some times of the year. At night, the DIC lost from the mat was mostly from sulfate reduction. Elemental fluxes across the mat/brine interface indicated that carbon with an oxidation state of greater than zero was taken up by the mat during the day and liberated from the mat at night. Overall, carbon with an average oxidation state of near zero accumulated in the mat. Both carbon fixation and carbon oxidation rates varied with temperature by a similar amount. These mats are thus closely coupled systems where rapid rates of photosynthesis both require and fuel rapid rates of heterotrophic carbon oxidation.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur, and free oxygen in a microbial mat does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur, and free oxygen in a microbial mat, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur, and free oxygen in a microbial mat will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1491909