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Biosignatures of in situ carbon cycling driven by physical isolation and sedimentary methanogenesis within the anoxic basin of perennially ice-covered Lake Untersee, Antarctica

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Abstract

Organic biomarker distribution and stable isotope composition was used to investigate biogeochemical carbon cycling in the anoxic basin of Lake Untersee, Antarctica. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations indicative of microbial abundances were low in the oxic water column overlying the basin but rose in the suboxic transition zone and further increased within the underlying anoxic water, with the highest abundances near the sediment water interface. Archaeol (up to 24.8 mg/kg) and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers were only detected within the deepest water sample and sediment. High methane (CH4) concentrations (ca. 172 mg/L or 11 mmol/L) were observed in the deepest water samples and produced via hydrogenotrophy (CO2-reduction) based on methane isotopes and highly 13C-enriched dissolved inorganic carbon. Methane concentration slowly decreased away from the sediment, across the anoxic water column and then decreased rapidly at the oxic/anoxic interface (78–68 m). Here a ca. 10‰ increase in δ13CCH4 values combined with δ13CPLFA values that decreased as CH4 concentrations rapidly declined indicated an aerobic methanotrophy fueled microbial community. Findings suggest that upward methane diffusion drives microbial productivity within the suboxic/anoxic zones resulting in the observed high PLFA biomass. Subsequent sinking of detrital material from these communities supports heterotrophic microbes throughout the anoxic water column and potentially supplied nutrients to support phototrophy in the upper suboxic transition zone, itself contributing to sinking detrital material and accumulation of sedimentary organic material. Notably, while a clear biosignature of methane oxidation is present in suboxic zone PLFA, this signature is not recognizable within the sediments.

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All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

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Acknowledgements

Primary support for this research was provided by the TAWANI Foundation of Chicago, the Trottier Family Foundation, NASA’s Exobiology Program (80NSSC18K1094, Andersen), the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute/Russian Antarctic Expedition’s Subprogram ‘‘Study and Research of the Antarctic’’ of the Federal Target Program ‘‘World Ocean”, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Logistics support was provided by Antarctic Logistics Centre International (ALCI), Cape Town, South Africa. We are grateful to Colonel (IL) J. N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (retired), of the TAWANI Foundation, Lorne Trottier of the Trottier Family Foundation, and fellow field team members for their support during the expedition. Special thanks to V. Akimov for help with water collection.

Funding

This work was supported by TAWANI Foundation of Chicago, the Trottier Family Foundation, NASA’s Exobiology Program (Grant #80NSSC18K1094 to DTA), the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute/Russian Antarctic Expedition’s Subprogram ‘‘Study and Research of the Antarctic’’ of the Federal Target Program ‘‘World Ocean”, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC, Grant #10535810 to GFS).

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  1. Allyson L. Brady

    Present address: Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada

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  1. School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Allyson L. Brady & Greg F. Slater

  2. Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, USA

    Dale T. Andersen

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Sample collection was carried out by ALB and DTA. ALB performed the analyses and result interpretation. ALB wrote the manuscript with input from other authors. All authors reviewed, edited, and approved the final manuscript.

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Brady, A.L., Andersen, D.T. & Slater, G.F. Biosignatures of in situ carbon cycling driven by physical isolation and sedimentary methanogenesis within the anoxic basin of perennially ice-covered Lake Untersee, Antarctica. Biogeochemistry 164, 555–575 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-023-01053-8

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