AI Article Synopsis

  • A study was conducted on four hot springs in the northwestern Great Basin, focusing on water chemistry, sediment mineralogy, and microbial communities.
  • Springs with shorter residence times showed reduced chemistry, while those with longer times accumulated oxygen and oxidized nitrogen, indicating aerobic processes.
  • Genetic analysis revealed a diverse array of bacteria and archaea, including some species that are not yet cultivated, with certain phylotypes potentially playing a role in ammonia oxidation for primary production.

Article Abstract

A coordinated study of water chemistry, sediment mineralogy, and sediment microbial community was conducted on four >73 degrees C springs in the northwestern Great Basin. Despite generally similar chemistry and mineralogy, springs with short residence time (approximately 5-20 min) were rich in reduced chemistry, whereas springs with long residence time (>1 day) accumulated oxygen and oxidized nitrogen species. The presence of oxygen suggested that aerobic metabolisms prevail in the water and surface sediment. However, Gibbs free energy calculations using empirical chemistry data suggested that several inorganic electron donors were similarly favorable. Analysis of 298 bacterial 16S rDNAs identified 36 species-level phylotypes, 14 of which failed to affiliate with cultivated phyla. Highly represented phylotypes included Thermus, Thermotoga, a member of candidate phylum OP1, and two deeply branching Chloroflexi. The 276 archaeal 16S rDNAs represented 28 phylotypes, most of which were Crenarchaeota unrelated to the Thermoprotei. The most abundant archaeal phylotype was closely related to "Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii", suggesting a role for ammonia oxidation in primary production; however, few other phylotypes could be linked with energy calculations because phylotypes were either related to chemoorganotrophs or were unrelated to known organisms.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00792-009-0230-xDOI Listing

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