The effect of nitrogen enrichment on C1 - cycling microorganisms and methane flux in salt marsh sediments
Methane [CH4] flux from ecosystems is driven by C1-cycling microorganisms-the methanogens and the methylotrophs. Little is understood about what regulates these communities, complicating predictions about how global change drivers such as nitrogen enrichment will affect methane cycling. Using a nitr...
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| Otros Autores: | , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | http://ri.agro.uba.ar/files/download/articulo/2012Irvine.pdf LINK AL EDITOR |
| Aporte de: | Registro referencial: Solicitar el recurso aquí |
| Sumario: | Methane [CH4] flux from ecosystems is driven by C1-cycling microorganisms-the methanogens and the methylotrophs. Little is understood about what regulates these communities, complicating predictions about how global change drivers such as nitrogen enrichment will affect methane cycling. Using a nitrogen addition gradient experiment in three Southern California salt marshes, we show that sediment CH4 flux increased linearly with increasing nitrogen addition [1.23 ug CH4 m-2 day-1 for each gNm-2year-1 applied] after 7 months of fertilization. To test the reason behind this increased CH4 flux, we conducted a microcosm experiment altering both nitrogen and carbon availability under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Methanogenesis appeared to be both nitrogen and carbon [acetate] limited. N and C each increased methanogenesis by 18 percent, and together by 44 percent. In contrast, methanotrophy was stimulated by carbon [methane] addition [830 percent], but was unchanged by nitrogen addition. Sequence analysis of the sediment methylotroph community with the methanol dehydrogenase gene [mxaF] revealed three distinct clades that fall outside of known lineages. However, in agreement with the microcosm results, methylotroph abundance [assayed by qPCR] and composition [assayed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis] did not vary across the experimental nitrogen gradient in the field. Together, these results suggest that nitrogen enrichment to salt marsh sediments increases methane flux by stimulating the methanogen community. |
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| ISSN: | 1664-302X |