The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the activity and community composition of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in Arctic seawater.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Increased ship traffic in the Arctic region raises the risk of oil spills. With an average sea depth of 1,000 m, there is a growing concern over the potential release of oil sinking in the form of marine oil snow into deep Arctic waters. At increasing depth, the oil-degrading community is exposed to increasing hydrostatic pressure, which can reduce microbial activity. However, microbes thriving in polar regions may adapt to low temperature by modulation of membrane fluidity, which is also a well-known adaptation to high hydrostatic pressure. At mild hydrostatic pressures up to 8-12 MPa, we did not observe an altered microbial activity or community composition, whereas comparable studies using deep-sea or sub-Arctic microbial communities with in situ temperatures o

SUBMITTER: Marietou A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10686064 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature