The possible occurrence of iron-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation in an Archean Ocean analogue.

ABSTRACT: In the ferruginous and anoxic early Earth oceans, photoferrotrophy drove most of the biological production before the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis, but its association with ferric iron (Fe³⁺) dependent anaerobic methane (CH₄) oxidation (AOM) has been poorly investigated. We studied AOM in Kabuno Bay, a modern analogue to the Archean Ocean (anoxic bottom waters and dissolved Fe concentrations > 600 µmol L^-1). Aerobic and anaerobic CH₄ oxidation rates up to 0.12 ± 0.03 and 51 ± 1 µmol L^-1 d^-1, respectively, were put in evidence. In the Fe oxidation-reduction zone, we observed high concentration of Bacteriochlorophyll e (biomarker of the anoxygenic photoautotrophs), which co-occurred with the maximum CH₄ oxidati

SUBMITTER: Roland FAE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7810693 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature