{"id":7703,"date":"2016-06-14T20:50:31","date_gmt":"2016-06-14T20:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/?post_type=publication&#038;p=7691"},"modified":"2016-10-14T19:06:43","modified_gmt":"2016-10-14T19:06:43","slug":"radiolyis-and-life-in-deep-subseafloor-sediment-of-the-south-pacific-gyre","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/publication\/radiolyis-and-life-in-deep-subseafloor-sediment-of-the-south-pacific-gyre\/","title":{"rendered":"Radiolyis and life in deep subseafloor sediment of the South Pacific Gyre"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The nature of the energy yielding mechanisms in the lowenergy organic-poor sedimentary environment underlying the South Pacific Gyre (SPG) is not fully constrained. We used the approach of Wang et al. (2008) to quantify rates of organic-fuelled metabolic activities at most IODP Expedition 329 Sites (U1365 through U1370). At Site U1366 and U1370 net rates of oxygen-reducing organic oxidation averaged 1.77E<sup>-2<\/sup> and 1.64E<sup>-3<\/sup> fmol O<sub>2<\/sub> cell<sup>-1<\/sup> yr<sup>-1<\/sup>, respectively, representing a tremendously low cellular metabolism. At Site U1370, we observe net oxygen reduction throughout the entire sediment column. At Site U1366, statistically significant net oxygen reduction is not detected at depths greater than 11 meters below seafloor. Despite these low rates of organic oxidation, most cell counts are above the minimum detection limit throughout the entire sequence at both sites. Hydrogen from natural radioactive splitting of water has been hypothesized to be a significant electron donor in organic-poor sediment of the SPG. Becauses water radiolysis produces H<sub>2<\/sub> and &#8211; O<sub>2<\/sub> simultaneously, oxidation of this H<sub>2<\/sub> does not contribute to net O<sub>2<\/sub> reduction in the sediment. Our calculation of radiolytic H<sub>2<\/sub> production, based on radioactive element content and sediment physical properties, indicate that on average 5.63E<sup>-1<\/sup> and 9.79E<sup>-2<\/sup> fmol H<sub>2<\/sub> yr<sup>-1<\/sup> cell<sup>-1<\/sup> is available throughout the sequence at Sites U1366 and U1370, respectively. Despite these relatively high production rates, dissolved H<sub>2<\/sub> abundances are below detection at both sites. These results suggest that H<sub>2<\/sub> from in situ water radiolysis fuels the predominant energy-yielding pathway for microbes in SPG sediment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","tags":[],"publication_type":[22],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication\/7703"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/publication"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7703"},{"taxonomy":"publication_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication_type?post=7703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}