TY - JOUR
T1 - Chemolithotrophic biosynthesis of organic carbon associated with volcanic ash in the Mariana Trough, Pacific Ocean
AU - Li, Taisi
AU - Li, Jiwei
AU - Longman, Jack
AU - Zhang, Zhe-Xuan
AU - Qu, Yuangao
AU - Chen, Shun
AU - Bai, Shijie
AU - Dasgupta, Shamik
AU - Xu, Henchao
AU - Ta, Kaiwen
AU - Liu, Shuangquan
AU - Peng, Xiaotong
N1 - Funding information: The authors wish to thank the manned submersible SHENHAIYONGSHI and all the participants on the R/V TANSUOYIHAO during the Mariana Subduction Geological Expedition in 2018 and 2019. This work was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFC2805500), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42176072, 41876050, and 41576038).
PY - 2023/3/17
Y1 - 2023/3/17
N2 - Volcanic ash is a major component of marine sediment, but its effect on the deep-sea carbon cycle remains enigmatic. Here, we analyzed mineralogical compositions and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) membrane lipids in submarine tuffs from the Mariana Trough, demonstrating a fraction of organic carbon associated with volcanic ash is produced in situ. This likely derives from chemolithotrophic communities supported by alteration of volcanic material. Tuff GDGTs are characterized by enrichment of branched GDGTs, as in chemolithotrophic communities. Scanning electron microscope, Raman spectrum and nano secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis demonstrates organic carbon exists around secondary heamatite veins in the altered mafic minerals, linking mineral alteration to chemolithotrophic biosynthesis. We estimate organic carbon production of between 0.7 − 3.7 × 1011 g if all the chemical energy produced by ash alteration was fully utilized by microorganisms. Therefore, the chemolithotrophic ecosystem maintained by ash alteration likely contributes considerably to organic carbon production in the seafloor.
AB - Volcanic ash is a major component of marine sediment, but its effect on the deep-sea carbon cycle remains enigmatic. Here, we analyzed mineralogical compositions and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) membrane lipids in submarine tuffs from the Mariana Trough, demonstrating a fraction of organic carbon associated with volcanic ash is produced in situ. This likely derives from chemolithotrophic communities supported by alteration of volcanic material. Tuff GDGTs are characterized by enrichment of branched GDGTs, as in chemolithotrophic communities. Scanning electron microscope, Raman spectrum and nano secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis demonstrates organic carbon exists around secondary heamatite veins in the altered mafic minerals, linking mineral alteration to chemolithotrophic biosynthesis. We estimate organic carbon production of between 0.7 − 3.7 × 1011 g if all the chemical energy produced by ash alteration was fully utilized by microorganisms. Therefore, the chemolithotrophic ecosystem maintained by ash alteration likely contributes considerably to organic carbon production in the seafloor.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85150700073&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s43247-023-00732-6
DO - 10.1038/s43247-023-00732-6
M3 - Article
SN - 2662-4435
VL - 4
SP - 1
EP - 10
JO - Communications Earth and Environment
JF - Communications Earth and Environment
IS - 1
M1 - 80
ER -