A unique subseafloor microbiosphere in the Mariana Trench driven by episodic sedimentation

Liu, Jiwen, Li, Da-Wei, He, Xinxin, Liu, Ronghua, Cheng, Haojin, Su, Chenglong, Chen, Mengna, Wang, Yonghong, Zhao, Zhongsheng, Xu, Hanyue, Cheng, Zhangyu, Wang, Zicheng, Pedentchouk, Nikolai ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2923-966X, Lea-Smith, David J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2463-406X, Todd, Jonathan D., Liu, Xiaoshou, Zhao, Meixun and Zhang, Xiao-Hua (2024) A unique subseafloor microbiosphere in the Mariana Trench driven by episodic sedimentation. Marine Life Science and Technology, 6 (1). pp. 168-181. ISSN 2096-6490

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Abstract

Hadal trenches are characterized by enhanced and infrequent high-rate episodic sedimentation events that likely introduce not only labile organic carbon and key nutrients but also new microbes that significantly alter the subseafloor microbiosphere. Currently, the role of high-rate episodic sedimentation in controlling the composition of the hadal subseafloor microbiosphere is unknown. Here, analyses of carbon isotope composition in a ~ 750 cm long sediment core from the Challenger Deep revealed noncontinuous deposition, with anomalous 14C ages likely caused by seismically driven mass transport and the funneling effect of trench geomorphology. Microbial community composition and diverse enzyme activities in the upper ~ 27 cm differed from those at lower depths, probably due to sudden sediment deposition and differences in redox condition and organic matter availability. At lower depths, microbial population numbers, and composition remained relatively constant, except at some discrete depths with altered enzyme activity and microbial phyla abundance, possibly due to additional sudden sedimentation events of different magnitude. Evidence is provided of a unique role for high-rate episodic sedimentation events in controlling the subsurface microbiosphere in Earth’s deepest ocean floor and highlight the need to perform thorough analysis over a large depth range to characterize hadal benthic populations. Such depositional processes are likely crucial in shaping deep-water geochemical environments and thereby the deep subseafloor biosphere.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding Information: This work was supported by the Laoshan laboratory (LSKJ202203206), National Natural Science Foundation of China (92051115 and 42230412), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (202172002 and 202141009), and the Shandong Province Natural Science Foundation (ZR2022YQ38). We thank all the scientists and crews for their assistance with sampling during the cruise conducted by Dongfanghong 3 of Ocean University of China. Sincere thanks go to Li Zhao, Tian Xiao, Hailong Zhang and Xiaoyan Ning for technical assistance, and Longhui Deng for providing the microbial community data from the Baltic Sea-North Sea transition. This is OUC-CAMS contribution #8. Funding Information: This work was supported by the Laoshan laboratory (LSKJ202203206), National Natural Science Foundation of China (92051115 and 42230412), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (202172002 and 202141009), and the Shandong Province Natural Science Foundation (ZR2022YQ38). We thank all the scientists and crews for their assistance with sampling during the cruise conducted by Dongfanghong 3 of Ocean University of China. Sincere thanks go to Li Zhao, Tian Xiao, Hailong Zhang and Xiaoyan Ning for technical assistance, and Longhui Deng for providing the microbial community data from the Baltic Sea-North Sea transition. This is OUC-CAMS contribution #8. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.
Uncontrolled Keywords: deep water sediment,hadal subseafloor,mariana trench,microbial community,radiocarbon,redox potential,biotechnology,oceanography,ecology, evolution, behavior and systematics,aquatic science ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1300/1305
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 26 Apr 2024 14:30
Last Modified: 26 Apr 2024 14:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/95027
DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00212-y

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