The surface sediments collected from the southern Mariana Trench at water depths between ca.4900 m and 7068 m were studied using lipid biomarker analyses to reveal the origin and distribution of organic matters. For a...The surface sediments collected from the southern Mariana Trench at water depths between ca.4900 m and 7068 m were studied using lipid biomarker analyses to reveal the origin and distribution of organic matters. For all samples, an unresolved complex mixture(UCM) was present in the hydrocarbon fractions, wherein resistant component tricyclic terpanes were detected but C_(27)-C _(29) regular steranes and hopanes indicative of a higher molecular weight range of petroleum were almost absent.This biomarker distribution patterns suggested that the UCM and tricyclic terpanes may be introduced by contamination of diesel fuels or shipping activities and oil seepage elsewhere. The well-developed faults and strike-slip faults in the Mariana subduction zone may serve as passages for the petroleum hydrocarbons. In addition, the relative high contents of even n-alkanes and low Carbon Preference Indices indicated that the n-alkanes were mainly derived from bacteria or algae. For GDGTs, the predominance of GDGT-0 and crenarchaeol, together with low GDGT-0/Crenarchaeol ratios(ranging from0.86 to 1.64), suggests that the GDGTs in samples from the southern Mariana Trench were mainly derived from planktic Thaumarchaeota. However, the high GDGT-0/crenarchaeol ratio(10.5) in sample BC07 suggests that the GDGTs probably were introduced by methanogens in a more anoxic environment. Furthermore, the n-alkanes C_(19)-C_(22) and the n-fatty acids C_(20:0)-C_(22:0) were depleted in^(13)C by 3‰ compared to n-alkanes C_(16)-C_(18) and the n-fatty acids C_(14:0)-C_(18:0), respectively, which was interpreted to result from the preferential reaction of fatty acid fragments with carbon "lighter" terminal carboxyl groups during carbon chain elongation from the precursors to products. The abundance of total alkanes, carboxylic acids, alcohols and total lipids were generally increased along the down-going seaward plate, suggesting the lateral organic matter inputs play an important role in organic matter accumulation in hadal trenches. The extremely high contents of biomarkers in sample BC11 were most likely related to trench topography and current dynamics, since the lower steepness caused by graben texture and proximity to the trench axis may result in higher sedimentation rate. This paper, for the first time, showed the biomarker patterns in surface sediments of the Mariana Trench and shed light on biogeochemistry of the hardly reached trench environment.展开更多
Methane(CH4)is a powerful greenhouse gas and its largest reservoir on Earth is held in marine sediments.CH4 in marine sediments is mainly stored in gas-hydrate reservoirs and deep sedimentary strata along continental ...Methane(CH4)is a powerful greenhouse gas and its largest reservoir on Earth is held in marine sediments.CH4 in marine sediments is mainly stored in gas-hydrate reservoirs and deep sedimentary strata along continental margins,where large amounts of deep-sourced CH4 ascend to different degrees toward the seafloor.However,the amount of deep-sourced CH4 and its role in subseafloor carbon and sulfur cycling remains poorly constrained.We analyzed sulfate(SO_(4)^(2-))profiles of 157 sites along with previous published 85 sites to determine the regional distribution and amount of SO_(4)^(2-) reduction for an area of 1.23×10^(5) km^(2) of the northern South China Sea.Then we compared these obtained results with estimates based on sedimentation rates from the same area.Significantly higher regional SO_(4)^(2-) flux estimates based on SO_(4)^(2-) profiles(4.26×10^(-3)Tmol a^(-1)),compared to lower estimates based on sedimentation rates(1.23×10^(-3)Tmol a^(-1)),reflect abundant ascending deep-sourced CH4.The difference of the regional SO_(4)^(2-) flux estimates(3.03×10^(-3)Tmol a^(-1))represents the amount of SO_(4)^(2-) reduced by CH_(4) through the anaerobic oxidation of CH_(4)(AOM).Deep-sourced CH_(4) contributes 71%to total SO_(4)^(2-) consumption in the study area,largely exceeding SO_(4)^(2-) consumption by organoclastic sulfate reduction.Our findings substantiate that deep-sourced CH4 governs subseafloor carbon and sulfur cycling to a previously underrated extent,fueling extensive chemosynthesis-based ecosystems along continental slope and rise.展开更多
基金supported by Qingdao National Labo-ratory for Marine Science and Technology (Grant Nos.QNLM2016ORP0210 and QNLM2016ORP0208) the NSFC (GrantNos. 41473080, 41606091, and 41703077)+2 种基金the Strategic PriorityResearch Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.XDB06030102)the Shanghai Sailing Program (No.17YF1407800)JF is grateful for the support by the NSFC (Grant Nos.91328208 and 41373071)
文摘The surface sediments collected from the southern Mariana Trench at water depths between ca.4900 m and 7068 m were studied using lipid biomarker analyses to reveal the origin and distribution of organic matters. For all samples, an unresolved complex mixture(UCM) was present in the hydrocarbon fractions, wherein resistant component tricyclic terpanes were detected but C_(27)-C _(29) regular steranes and hopanes indicative of a higher molecular weight range of petroleum were almost absent.This biomarker distribution patterns suggested that the UCM and tricyclic terpanes may be introduced by contamination of diesel fuels or shipping activities and oil seepage elsewhere. The well-developed faults and strike-slip faults in the Mariana subduction zone may serve as passages for the petroleum hydrocarbons. In addition, the relative high contents of even n-alkanes and low Carbon Preference Indices indicated that the n-alkanes were mainly derived from bacteria or algae. For GDGTs, the predominance of GDGT-0 and crenarchaeol, together with low GDGT-0/Crenarchaeol ratios(ranging from0.86 to 1.64), suggests that the GDGTs in samples from the southern Mariana Trench were mainly derived from planktic Thaumarchaeota. However, the high GDGT-0/crenarchaeol ratio(10.5) in sample BC07 suggests that the GDGTs probably were introduced by methanogens in a more anoxic environment. Furthermore, the n-alkanes C_(19)-C_(22) and the n-fatty acids C_(20:0)-C_(22:0) were depleted in^(13)C by 3‰ compared to n-alkanes C_(16)-C_(18) and the n-fatty acids C_(14:0)-C_(18:0), respectively, which was interpreted to result from the preferential reaction of fatty acid fragments with carbon "lighter" terminal carboxyl groups during carbon chain elongation from the precursors to products. The abundance of total alkanes, carboxylic acids, alcohols and total lipids were generally increased along the down-going seaward plate, suggesting the lateral organic matter inputs play an important role in organic matter accumulation in hadal trenches. The extremely high contents of biomarkers in sample BC11 were most likely related to trench topography and current dynamics, since the lower steepness caused by graben texture and proximity to the trench axis may result in higher sedimentation rate. This paper, for the first time, showed the biomarker patterns in surface sediments of the Mariana Trench and shed light on biogeochemistry of the hardly reached trench environment.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41730528,42225603,and 42176056)the Shanghai Pujiang Program(Grant No 21PJ1404700)。
文摘Methane(CH4)is a powerful greenhouse gas and its largest reservoir on Earth is held in marine sediments.CH4 in marine sediments is mainly stored in gas-hydrate reservoirs and deep sedimentary strata along continental margins,where large amounts of deep-sourced CH4 ascend to different degrees toward the seafloor.However,the amount of deep-sourced CH4 and its role in subseafloor carbon and sulfur cycling remains poorly constrained.We analyzed sulfate(SO_(4)^(2-))profiles of 157 sites along with previous published 85 sites to determine the regional distribution and amount of SO_(4)^(2-) reduction for an area of 1.23×10^(5) km^(2) of the northern South China Sea.Then we compared these obtained results with estimates based on sedimentation rates from the same area.Significantly higher regional SO_(4)^(2-) flux estimates based on SO_(4)^(2-) profiles(4.26×10^(-3)Tmol a^(-1)),compared to lower estimates based on sedimentation rates(1.23×10^(-3)Tmol a^(-1)),reflect abundant ascending deep-sourced CH4.The difference of the regional SO_(4)^(2-) flux estimates(3.03×10^(-3)Tmol a^(-1))represents the amount of SO_(4)^(2-) reduced by CH_(4) through the anaerobic oxidation of CH_(4)(AOM).Deep-sourced CH_(4) contributes 71%to total SO_(4)^(2-) consumption in the study area,largely exceeding SO_(4)^(2-) consumption by organoclastic sulfate reduction.Our findings substantiate that deep-sourced CH4 governs subseafloor carbon and sulfur cycling to a previously underrated extent,fueling extensive chemosynthesis-based ecosystems along continental slope and rise.
