| 1. |
- Marconi, A., et al.
(författare)
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ANDES, the high resolution spectrograph for the ELT : science case, baseline design and path to construction
- 2022
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Ingår i: GROUND-BASED AND AIRBORNE INSTRUMENTATION FOR ASTRONOMY IX. - : SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering. - 9781510653504 - 9781510653498
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The first generation of ELT instruments includes an optical-infrared high resolution spectrograph, indicated as ELT-HIRES and recently christened ANDES (ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph). ANDES consists of three fibre-fed spectrographs (UBV, RIZ, YJH) providing a spectral resolution of similar to 100,000 with a minimum simultaneous wavelength coverage of 0.4-1.8 mu m with the goal of extending it to 0.35-2.4 mu m with the addition of a K band spectrograph. It operates both in seeing- and diffraction-limited conditions and the fibre-feeding allows several, interchangeable observing modes including a single conjugated adaptive optics module and a small diffraction-limited integral field unit in the NIR. Its modularity will ensure that ANDES can be placed entirely on the ELT Nasmyth platform, if enough mass and volume is available, or partly in the Coude room. ANDES has a wide range of groundbreaking science cases spanning nearly all areas of research in astrophysics and even fundamental physics. Among the top science cases there are the detection of biosignatures from exoplanet atmospheres, finding the fingerprints of the first generation of stars, tests on the stability of Nature's fundamental couplings, and the direct detection of the cosmic acceleration. The ANDES project is carried forward by a large international consortium, composed of 35 Institutes from 13 countries, forming a team of more than 200 scientists and engineers which represent the majority of the scientific and technical expertise in the field among ESO member states.
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| 2. |
- Zurlo, A., et al.
(författare)
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Orbital and dynamical analysis of the system around HR 8799 New astrometric epochs from VLT/SPHERE and LBT/LUCI
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 666
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. HR 8799 is a young planetary system composed of four planets and a double debris belt. Being the first multi-planetary system discovered with the direct imaging technique, it has been observed extensively since 1998. This wide baseline of astrometric measurements, counting over 50 observations in 20 years, permits a detailed orbital and dynamical analysis of the system.Aims. To explore the orbital parameters of the planets, their dynamical history, and the planet-to-disk interaction, we made follow-up observations of the system during the VLT/SPHERE guaranteed time observation program. We obtained 21 observations, most of them in favorable conditions. In addition, we observed HR 8799 with the instrument LUCI at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT).Methods. All the observations were reduced with state-of-the-art algorithms implemented to apply the spectral and angular differential imaging method. We re-reduced the SPHERE data obtained during the commissioning of the instrument and in three open-time programs to have homogeneous astrometry. The precise position of the four planets with respect to the host star was calculated by exploiting the fake negative companions method. We obtained an astrometric precision of the order of 6 mas in the worst case and 1 mas in the best case. To improve the orbital fitting, we also took into account all of the astrometric data available in the literature. From the photometric measurements obtained in different wavelengths, we estimated the masses of the planets following the evolutionary models.Results. We obtained updated parameters for the orbits with the assumption of coplanarity, relatively small eccentricities, and periods very close to the 2:1 resonance. We also refined the dynamical mass of each planet and the parallax of the system (24.49 ± 0.07 mas), which overlap with the recent Gaia eDR3/DR3 estimate. Hydrodynamical simulations suggest that inward migration of the planets caused by the interaction with the disk might be responsible for the planets being locked in resonance. We also conducted detailed N-body simulations indicating possible positions of a putative fifth planet with a mass below the present detection limits of ≃3 MJup.
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| 3. |
- Crowe, S., et al.
(författare)
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Near-infrared observations of outflows and young stellar objects in the massive star-forming region AFGL 5180
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 682
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Massive stars play important roles throughout the universe; however, their formation remains poorly understood. Observations of jets and outflows in high-mass star-forming regions, as well as surveys of young stellar object (YSO) content, can help test theoretical models of massive star formation. Aims. We aim at characterizing the massive star-forming region AFGL 5180 in the near-infrared (NIR), identifying outflows and relating these to sub-mm/mm sources, as well as surveying the overall YSO surface number density to compare to massive star formation models. Methods. Broad- and narrow-band imaging of AFGL 5180 was made in the NIR with the Large Binocular Telescope, in both seeing-limited (~0.5′) and high angular resolution (~0.09′) Adaptive Optics (AO) modes, as well as with the Hubble Space Telescope. Archival continuum data from the Atacama Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) was also utilized. Results. At least 40 jet knots were identified via NIR emission from H2 and [FeII] tracing shocked gas. Bright jet knots outflowing from the central most massive protostar, S4 (estimated mass ~11 M⊙, via SED fitting), are detected towards the east of the source and are resolved in fine detail with the AO imaging. Additional knots are distributed throughout the field, likely indicating the presence of multiple driving sources. Sub-millimeter sources detected by ALMA are shown to be grouped in two main complexes, AFGL 5180 M and a small cluster ~15′ (0.15 pc in projection) to the south, AFGL 5180 S. From our NIR continuum images we identify YSO candidates down to masses of ~0.1 M⊙. Combined with the sub-mm sources, this yields a surface number density of such YSOs of N* ~ 103pc-2 within a projected radius of about 0.1 pc. Such a value is similar to those predicted by models of both core accretion from a turbulent clump environment and competitive accretion. The radial profile of N* is relatively flat on scales out to 0.2 pc, with only modest enhancement around the massive protostar inside 0.05 pc, which provides additional constraints on these massive star formation models. Conclusions. This study demonstrates the utility of high-resolution NIR imaging, in particular with AO, for detecting outflow activity and YSOs in distant regions. The presented images reveal the complex morphology of outflow-shocked gas within the large-scale bipolar flow of a massive protostar, as well as clear evidence for several other outflow driving sources in the region. Finally, this work presents a novel approach to compare the observed YSO surface number density from our study against different models of massive star formation.
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| 4. |
- Yau, Yvonne Yu Yan, et al.
(författare)
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Methane Emissions in Seagrass Meadows as a Small Offset to Carbon Sequestration
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences. - 2169-8953. ; 128:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seagrass meadows are effective carbon sinks due to high primary production and sequestration in sediments. However, methane (CH4) emissions can partially counteract their carbon sink capacity. Here, we measured diffusive sediment-water and sea-air CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a coastal embayment dominated by Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean Sea. High-resolution timeseries observations revealed large spatial and temporal variability in CH4 concentrations (2-36 nM). Lower sea-air CH4 emissions were observed in an area with dense seagrass meadows compared to patchy seagrass. A 6%-40% decrease of CH4 concentration in the surface water around noon indicates that photosynthesis likely limits CH4 fluxes. Sediments were the major CH4 source as implied from radon (a natural porewater tracer) observations and evidence for methanogenesis in deeper sediments. CH4 sediment-water fluxes (0.1 +/- 0.1-0.4 +/- 0.1 mu mol m(-2) d(-1)) were higher than average sea-air CH4 emissions (0.12 +/- 0.10 mu mol m(-2) d(-1)), suggesting that dilution and CH4 oxidation in the water column could reduce net CH4 fluxes into the atmosphere. Overall, relatively low sea-air CH4 fluxes likely represent the net emissions from subtidal seagrass habitat not influenced by allochthonous CH4 sources. The local CH4 emissions in P. oceanica can offset less than 1% of the carbon burial in sediments (142 +/- 69 g CO2eq m(-2) yr(-1)). Combining our results with earlier observations in other seagrass meadows worldwide reveals that global CH4 emissions only offset a small fraction (<2%) of carbon sequestration in sediments from seagrass meadows. Plain Language Summary Seagrass meadows are hotspots for marine carbon storage in sediments. Part of the sediment carbon can be released as carbon dioxide and methane (CH4). Methane has 45-96 times more powerful global warming effect than carbon dioxide. If seagrass meadows release CH4, the emissions counteract their climate mitigation potential. We measured greenhouse gas concentrations and fluxes in a seagrass-dominated Mediterranean embayment. Low CH4 coincided with oxygen produced from seagrass photosynthesis. Areas with dense seagrass meadows had lower CH4 emissions. Overall, seagrass-dominated coasts were a small source of CH4 that offset only <2% of carbon buried in sediments on local and global scales. Hence, seagrass meadows remain an effective carbon sink.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Klawonn, Isabell, et al.
(författare)
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Untangling hidden nutrient dynamics : rapid ammonium cycling and single-cell ammonium assimilation in marine plankton communities
- 2019
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Ingår i: The ISME Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1751-7362 .- 1751-7370. ; 13:8, s. 1960-1974
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ammonium is a central nutrient in aquatic systems. Yet, cell-specific ammonium assimilation among diverse functional plankton is poorly documented in field communities. Combining stable-isotope incubations (15N-ammonium, 15N2 and 13C-bicarbonate) with secondary-ion mass spectrometry, we quantified bulk ammonium dynamics, N2-fixation and carbon (C) fixation, as well as single-cell ammonium assimilation and C-fixation within plankton communities in nitrogen (N)-depleted surface waters during summer in the Baltic Sea. Ammonium production resulted from regenerated (≥91%) and new production (N2-fixation, ≤9%), supporting primary production by 78–97 and 2–16%, respectively. Ammonium was produced and consumed at balanced rates, and rapidly recycled within 1 h, as shown previously, facilitating an efficient ammonium transfer within plankton communities. N2-fixing cyanobacteria poorly assimilated ammonium, whereas heterotrophic bacteria and picocyanobacteria accounted for its highest consumption (~20 and ~20–40%, respectively). Surprisingly, ammonium assimilation and C-fixation were similarly fast for picocyanobacteria (non-N2-fixing Synechococcus) and large diatoms (Chaetoceros). Yet, the population biomass was high for Synechococcus but low for Chaetoceros. Hence, autotrophic picocyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria, with their high single-cell assimilation rates and dominating population biomass, competed for the same nutrient source and drove rapid ammonium dynamics in N-depleted marine waters.
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| 7. |
- Santos, Isaac R., et al.
(författare)
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Submarine groundwater discharge impacts on coastal nutrient biogeochemistry
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2662-138X. ; 2:5, s. 307-323
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) links terrestrial and marine systems, but has often been overlooked in coastal nutrient budgets because it is difficult to quantify. In this Review, we examine SGD nutrient fluxes in over 200 locations globally, explain their impact on biogeochemistry and discuss broader management implications. SGD nutrient fluxes exceed river inputs in similar to 60% of study sites, with median total SGD fluxes of 6.0 mmol m(-2) per day for dissolved inorganic nitrogen, 0.1 mmol m(-2) per day for dissolved inorganic phosphorus and 6.5 mmol m(-2) per day for dissolved silicate. SGD nitrogen input (mostly in the form of ammonium and dissolved organic nitrogen) often mitigates nitrogen limitation in coastal waters, since SGD tends to have high nitrogen concentrations relative to phosphorus (76% of studies showed N:P values above the Redfield ratio). It is notable that most investigations do not distinguish saline and fresh SGD, although they have different properties. Saline SGD is a ubiquitous, diffuse pathway releasing mostly recycled nutrients to global coastal waters, whereas fresh SGD is occasionally a local, point source of new nutrients. SGD-derived nutrient fluxes must be considered in water quality management plans, as these inputs can promote eutrophication if not properly managed.
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| 8. |
- Stief, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Intracellular nitrate storage by diatoms can be an important nitrogen pool in freshwater and marine ecosystems
- 2022
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Ingår i: Communications Earth and Environment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2662-4435. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Identifying and quantifying nitrogen pools is essential for understanding the nitrogen cycle in aquatic ecosystems. The ubiquitous diatoms represent an overlooked nitrate pool as they can accumulate nitrate intracellularly and utilize it for nitrogen assimilation, dissipation of excess photosynthetic energy, and Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium (DNRA). Here, we document the global co-occurrence of diatoms and intracellular nitrate in phototrophic microbial communities in freshwater (n = 69), coastal (n = 44), and open marine (n = 4) habitats. Diatom abundance and total intracellular nitrate contents in water columns, sediments, microbial mats, and epilithic biofilms were highly significantly correlated. In contrast, diatom community composition had only a marginal influence on total intracellular nitrate contents. Nitrate concentrations inside diatom cells exceeded ambient nitrate concentrations ∼100–4000-fold. The collective intracellular nitrate pool of the diatom community accounted for <1% of total nitrate in pelagic habitats and 65–95% in benthic habitats. Accordingly, nitrate-storing diatoms are emerging as significant contributors to benthic nitrogen cycling, in particular through Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium activity under anoxic conditions.
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| 9. |
- Zilius, M., et al.
(författare)
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Role of crab holobionts in benthic N cycling in mangroves with different trophic status
- 2023
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Ingår i: Marine Ecology Progress Series. - 0171-8630. ; 712, s. 87-99
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Microbial dinitrogen (N-2) fixation and intense bioturbation by macrofauna can contribute to reduce nitrogen (N) limitation in mangrove systems. In particular, crabs are important ecosystem engineers that rework sediments, redistribute organic matter, accelerate nutrient cycling and shape microbial communities in mangrove sediments. Hosting functionally diverse microbial communities, crabs form a discrete ecological unit (a holobiont). In this study, we report rates of respiration, inorganic N fluxes, net N-2 fixation, denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) measured in the fiddler crab Leptuca thayeri and sesarmid crab Armases rubripes holobionts, which are dominant in oligotrophic and eutrophic mangrove systems of southeast Brazil, respectively. We measured lower biomass-specific rates of respiration and ammonium (NH4+) production for the larger L. thayeri compared to A. rubripes, with very different molar ratios of O-2 respiration to NH4+ production (152:1 vs. 20:1, respectively). This suggests a size-metabolism relationship, different food quality or different coupling of N excretion and assimilation by the crab holobionts in the 2 systems. Both crab holobionts contributed to net denitrification and DNRA, with faster N cycling in A. rubripes in the eutrophic system. Net N-2 fixation was also detected, with nearly 4-fold higher rates in A. rubripes compared to L. thayeri. Overall, our results illustrate active and complex N cycling associated with the 2 dominant crab holobionts and highlight their potential and overlooked role as important conduits of fixed N, which may double N-2 fixation rates in the mangrove's rhizosphere.
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| 10. |
- Bonaglia, Stefano, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of reoxygenation and Marenzelleria spp. bioturbation on Baltic Sea sediment metabolism
- 2013
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Ingår i: Marine Ecology Progress Series. - : Inter Research. - 0171-8630 .- 1616-1599. ; 482, s. 43-55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nutrient reduction and the improvement of bottom water oxygen concentrations are thought to be key factors in the recovery of eutrophic aquatic ecosystems. The effects of reoxygenation and bioturbation of natural hypoxic sediments in the Baltic Sea were studied using a mesocosm experiment. Anoxic sediment box cores were collected from 100 m depth in Kanholmsfjärden (Stockholm Archipelago) and maintained in flow-through mesocosms with 3 treatments: (1) hypoxic: supplied with hypoxic water; (2) normoxic: supplied with oxic water; and (3) Marenzelleria: supplied with oxic water and the polychaete Marenzelleria spp. (2000 ind. m–2). After a 7 wk long conditioning period, net fluxes of dissolved O2, CH4, Fe2+, Mn2+, NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, PO43- and H4SiO4, and rates of nitrate ammonification (DNRA), denitrification and anammox were determined. Phosphate was taken up by the sediment in all treatments, and the uptake was highest in the normoxic treatment with Marenzelleria. Normoxic conditions stimulated the denitrification rate by a factor of 5. Denitrification efficiency was highest under normoxia (50%), intermediate in bioturbated sediments (16%), and very low in hypoxic sediments (4%). The shift from hypoxic to normoxic conditions resulted in a significantly higher retention of NH4+, H4SiO4 and Mn2+ in the sediment, but the bioturbation by Marenzelleria reversed this effect. Results from our study suggest that bioturbation by Marenzelleria stimulates the exchange of solutes between sediment and bottom water through irrigation and enhances bacterial sulfate reduction in the burrow walls. The latter may have a toxic effect on nitrifying bacteria, which, in turn, suppresses denitrification rates.
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| 11. |
- Bonaglia, Stefano, et al.
(författare)
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Meiofauna increases bacterial denitrification in marine sediments
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 5, s. 5133-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Denitrification is a critical process that can alleviate the effects of excessive nitrogen availability in aquatic ecosystems subject to eutrophication. An important part of denitrification occurs in benthic systems where bioturbation by meiofauna (invertebrates <1mm) and its effect on element cycling are still not well understood. Here we study the quantitative impact of meiofauna populations of different abundance and diversity, in the presence and absence of macrofauna, on nitrate reduction, carbon mineralization and methane fluxes. In sediments with abundant and diverse meiofauna, denitrification is double that in sediments with low meiofauna, suggesting that meiofauna bioturbation has a stimulating effect on nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. However, high meiofauna densities in the presence of bivalves do not stimulate denitrification, while dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate and methane efflux are significantly enhanced. We demonstrate that the ecological interactions between meio-, macrofauna and bacteria are important in regulating nitrogen cycling in soft-sediment ecosystems.
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| 12. |
- Caffrey, Jane M., et al.
(författare)
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Short exposure to oxygen and sulfide alter nitrification, denitrification, and DNRA activity in seasonally hypoxic estuarine sediments
- 2019
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Ingår i: FEMS Microbiology Letters. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1574-6968. ; 366:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased organic loading to sediments from eutrophication often results in hypoxia, reduced nitrification and increased production of hydrogen sulfide, altering the balance between nitrogen removal and retention. We examined the effect of short-term exposure to various oxygen and sulfide concentrations on sediment nitrification, denitrification and DNRA from a chronically hypoxic basin in Roskilde Fjord, Denmark. Surprisingly, nitrification rates were highest in the hypoxic and anoxic treatments (about 5 μmol cm-3 d-1) and the high sulfide treatment was not significantly different than the oxic treatment. Denitrification in the hypoxic treatment was highest at 1.4 μmol cm-3 d-1 and significantly higher than the high sulfide treatment. For DNRA, the rate in high sulfide treatment was 2 μmol cm-3 d-1. This was significantly higher than all oxygen treatments that were near zero. In this system, nitrifiers rapidly recovered from conditions typically considered inhibiting, while denitrifiers had a more muted response. DNRA bacteria appear to depend on sulfide for nitrate reduction. Anammox was insignificant. Thus, in estuaries and coastal systems that experience short-term variations in oxygen and sulfide, capabilities of microbial communities are more diverse and tolerant of suboptimal conditions than some paradigms suggest.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Iburg, Sven, et al.
(författare)
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Organic Contaminant Mixture Significantly Changes Microbenthic Community Structure and Increases the Expression of PAH Degradation Genes
- 2020
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Environmental Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-665X. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- © Copyright © 2020 Iburg, Nybom, Bonaglia, Karlson, Sobek and Nascimento. Studying the effects of chemical contaminants on the structure and function of microbial and meiofauna communities have traditionally focused on specific effects of single contaminants on single species. This has left the complex interactions between mixtures of contaminants and its non-specific toxicity effects on the functions and structure of sediment microbial communities mostly overlooked. In order to improve our insights on such questions, we performed an experiment where Baltic Sea sediments were spiked with an ecologically relevant mixture of seven organic contaminants below specific toxicity levels and used 16S and 18S rRNA metabarcoding from RNA extracts to monitor changes in active microbial and meiofauna diversity and community structure in the spiked treatment compared to controls. In addition, we investigated the effects of exposure to this contaminant mixture on potential nitrification rates and on the expression of key-genes in the microbial nitrification and PAH degradation pathways with qPCR. There were significant differences in both eukaryotic and microbial community structures in sediments spiked with a mixture of organic contaminants. Nematoda showed a significant increase in overall relative abundance to the added contaminants (5.5 ± 1.1% higher in spiked), particularly taxa of the genus Leptolaimus (increased from 10.2 ± 5.4% in the controls to 32.5 ± 10.2% in the spiked treatment). Conversely, a significant decrease in relative abundance from 18.2 ± 5.6% in control to 7 ± 3.4% in of the genus Paraplectana was also detected. Additionally, while the abundance of active PAH degraders was significantly higher in spiked sediments than in the controls, no significant effect of our organic mixture was found on nitrification rates or the expression of AmoA (bacterial ammonia oxidizer gene). Our data indicate that mixtures of organic contaminants can have significant effects on microbenthic community structure even when its individual components are present at concentrations below its specific toxicity. In addition, we suggest that eRNA-based metabarcoding can offer important insights in microbenthic community structure and activities, and further empathizes the potential of meiofauna as bio-indicators of chemical contamination in benthic ecosystems.
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| 15. |
- Marzocchi, Ugo, et al.
(författare)
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Zebra Mussel Holobionts Fix and Recycle Nitrogen in Lagoon Sediments
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-302X. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bivalves are ubiquitous filter-feeders able to alter ecosystems functions. Their impact on nitrogen (N) cycling is commonly related to their filter-feeding activity, biodeposition, and excretion. A so far understudied impact is linked to the metabolism of the associated microbiome that together with the host constitute the mussel's holobiont. Here we investigated how colonies of the invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) alter benthic N cycling in the shallow water sediment of the largest European lagoon (the Curonian Lagoon). A set of incubations was conducted to quantify the holobiont's impact and to quantitatively compare it with the indirect influence of the mussel on sedimentary N transformations. Zebra mussels primarily enhanced the recycling of N to the water column by releasing mineralized algal biomass in the form of ammonium and by stimulating dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Notably, however, not only denitrification and DNRA, but also dinitrogen (N-2) fixation was measured in association with the holobiont. The diazotrophic community of the holobiont diverged substantially from that of the water column, suggesting a unique niche for N-2 fixation associated with the mussels. At the densities reported in the lagoon, mussel-associated N-2 fixation may account for a substantial (and so far, overlooked) source of bioavailable N. Our findings contribute to improve our understanding on the ecosystem-level impact of zebra mussel, and potentially, of its ability to adapt to and colonize oligotrophic environments.
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| 16. |
- Yau, Y. Y. Y., et al.
(författare)
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Methane Emissions in Seagrass Meadows as a Small Offset to Carbon Sequestration
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 2169-8953 .- 2169-8961. ; 128:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seagrass meadows are effective carbon sinks due to high primary production and sequestration in sediments. However, methane (CH4) emissions can partially counteract their carbon sink capacity. Here, we measured diffusive sediment-water and sea-air CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a coastal embayment dominated by Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean Sea. High-resolution timeseries observations revealed large spatial and temporal variability in CH4 concentrations (2-36 nM). Lower sea-air CH4 emissions were observed in an area with dense seagrass meadows compared to patchy seagrass. A 6%-40% decrease of CH4 concentration in the surface water around noon indicates that photosynthesis likely limits CH4 fluxes. Sediments were the major CH4 source as implied from radon (a natural porewater tracer) observations and evidence for methanogenesis in deeper sediments. CH4 sediment-water fluxes (0.1 +/- 0.1-0.4 +/- 0.1 mu mol m(-2) d(-1)) were higher than average sea-air CH4 emissions (0.12 +/- 0.10 mu mol m(-2) d(-1)), suggesting that dilution and CH4 oxidation in the water column could reduce net CH4 fluxes into the atmosphere. Overall, relatively low sea-air CH4 fluxes likely represent the net emissions from subtidal seagrass habitat not influenced by allochthonous CH4 sources. The local CH4 emissions in P. oceanica can offset less than 1% of the carbon burial in sediments (142 +/- 69 g CO2eq m(-2) yr(-1)). Combining our results with earlier observations in other seagrass meadows worldwide reveals that global CH4 emissions only offset a small fraction (<2%) of carbon sequestration in sediments from seagrass meadows. Plain Language Summary Seagrass meadows are hotspots for marine carbon storage in sediments. Part of the sediment carbon can be released as carbon dioxide and methane (CH4). Methane has 45-96 times more powerful global warming effect than carbon dioxide. If seagrass meadows release CH4, the emissions counteract their climate mitigation potential. We measured greenhouse gas concentrations and fluxes in a seagrass-dominated Mediterranean embayment. Low CH4 coincided with oxygen produced from seagrass photosynthesis. Areas with dense seagrass meadows had lower CH4 emissions. Overall, seagrass-dominated coasts were a small source of CH4 that offset only <2% of carbon buried in sediments on local and global scales. Hence, seagrass meadows remain an effective carbon sink.
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