Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Interrelationships between sulfate reducing and methane producing bacteria in coastal sediments with intense sulfide production

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Coastal sediments receiving different amounts of organic carbon through sedimentation were investigated with respect to sulfate reduction and methanogenic activity. Sampling was carried out at sediment temperatures of 7° and 15°C. Sulfate-reducing and methanogenic bacteria were found at all depths. Sulfate reduction decreased with depth and the highest sulfide concentrations were found a few centimeters below the sediment surface, up to 15 mM at 15°C and pH 7.1. In the same segments a maximum in the methane concentration was also found, 0.91 mM. The high sulfide concentration inhibited the methane formation from acetate but not from carbon dioxide. In the organic rich sediment sulfate reduction was limited by the diffusion of SO +4 into the sediment and methane production from acetate by sulfide diffusion out of the sediment. When electron acceptor concentration limits sulfate reduction, thermodynamic calculations show that the utilization of electron donors more reduced than acetate is favored. In the sediment with the high carbon-input, acetate predominated at 15°C whereas in the low carbon-input sediment hardly any short chain organic acids were detected. The possibility of a shift in sulfate reduction from acetate oxidation to acetate production is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Abdollahi, H. and D. B. Nedwell: Seasonal temperature as a factor influencing bacterial sulfate reduction in a saltmarsh sediment. Microbial. Ecol. 5, 73–79 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Abram, J. W. and D. B. Nedwell. Inhibition of methanogenesis by sulphate-reducing bacteria competing for transferred hydrogen. Arch. Microbiol. 117, 89–92 (1978a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Abram, J. W. and D. B. Nedwell. Hydrogen as a substrate for methanogenesis and sulphate reduction in anaerobic salt-marsh sediment. Arch. Microbiol. 117, 93–97 (1978b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Allison, L. E. and C. D. Moodie: Chemical and microbiological properties, pp 1381–1387. In: Methods of soil analysis. Ed. by C. A. Black, D. D. Evans, J. L. White, L. E. Ensminger, and E. E. Clark. Madison, Wisconsin: American Society of Agronomy, Inc. 1965

    Google Scholar 

  • Badziong, W. and R. K. Thauer: Growth yields and growth rates of Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Marburg) growing on hydrogen plus sulfate and hydrogen plus thiosulfate as the sole energy sources. Arch.Microbiol. 117, 209–214 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Badziong, W., R. K. Thauer and J. G. Zeikus: Isolation and characterization of Desulfovibrio growing on hydrogen plus sulfate as sole energy source. Arch. Microbiol. 116, 41–49 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Balch, W. E. and R. S. Wolfe: New approach to the cultivation of methanogenic bacteria: 2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid (HS-CoM)-dependent growth of Methanobacterium ruminantium in a pressurized atmosphere. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 32, 781–791 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Banat, I. M., E. B. Lindström, D. B. Nedwell and M. T. Balba: Evidence for coexistence of two distinct functional groups of sulfate-reducing bacteria in salt-marsh sediment. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 42, 985–992 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, R. O. and E. D. Goldberg: Methane production and consumption in anoxic marine sediments. Geology 4, 297–300 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Belyaev, S. S. and K. S. Laurinavichus: Microbial formation of methane in marine sediments, pp 327–337. In: Environmental biogeochemistry and geomicrobiology. Ed. by W. E. Krumbein. Ann Arbor: Science 1978

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, B. B.: Methane in marine sediments. Deep-Sea Res. 26, 429–443 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brock, T. D. and K. O'Dea: Amorphous ferros sulfide as a reducing agent for culture of anaerobes. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 33, 254–256 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, M. B., L. L. Campbell, C. A. Reddy and M. R. Crabill; Growth of Desulfovibrio in lactate or ethanol media low in sulfate in association with H2-utilizing methanogenic bacteria. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 33, 1162–1169 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cappenberg, Th. E.: Interrelations between sulfate-reducing and methane-producing bacteria in bottom deposits of a fresh-water lake. I. Field observations. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 40, 285–295 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cappenberg, Th. E.: A study of mixed continuous cultures of sulfate-reducing and methane-producing bacteria. Microb. Ecol. 2, 60–72 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlbäck, B. and L. Å. H. Gunnarsson: Sedimentation and sulfate reduction under a mussel culture. Mar. Biol. 63, 269–275 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorsey, T. E., P. W. McDonald and O. A. Roels: A heated biuret-Folin protein assay which gives equal absorbance with different proteins. Anal. Biochem. 78, 156–164 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Flett, R. J., R. D. Hamilton and N. E. R. Campbell: Aquatic acetylene-reduction techniques: solutions to several problems. Can. J. Microbiol. 22, 43–51 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldhaber, M. B. and I. R. Kaplan: Controls and consequences of sulfate reduction rates in recent marine sediments. Soil Sci. 119, 42–55 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Howarth, R. W. and J. M. Teal: Sulfate reduction in a New England salt marsh. Limnol. Oceanogr. 24, 999–1013 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungate, R. E.: A roll tube method for cultivation of strict anaerobes, pp 117–132. In: Methods in microbiology, Vol. 3B. Ed. by J. R. Morris and D. W. Ribbons. London and New York: Academic Press Inc. 1969

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungate, R. E.: The rumen fermentation, pp 119–124. In: Microbial production and utilization of gases. Ed. by H. G. Schlegel, G. Gottschalk and N. Pfennig. Göttingen: Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen 1976

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. J. and M. J. B. Paynter: Populations of methane-producing bacteria and in vitro methanogenesis in salt marsh and estuarine sediments. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 39, 864–871 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Josefsson, B., L. Uppström and G. Östling. Automatic spectrophotometric procedure for the determination of the total amount of dissolved carbohydrates in sea water. Deep-Sea Res. 19, 385–395 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, B. B.: The sulfur cycle of a coastal marine sediment (Limfjorden, Denmark). Limnol. Oceanogr. 22, 814–832 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, B. B.: A comparison of methods for the quantification of bacterial sulfate reduction in coastal marine sediments. I. Measurements with radiotracer techniques. Geomicrobiol. J. 1, 11–27 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, C. K. and D. P. Chynoweth: Comparison of in situ and in vitro rates of methane release in freshwater sediments. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 40, 287–293 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • King, G. M. and W. J. Wiebe: Regulation of sulfate concentrations and methanogenesis in salt marsh soils. Estuar. coast. mar. Sci. 10, 215–223 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kosiur, D. R. and A. L. Warford: Methane production and oxidation in Santa Barbara basin sediments. Estuar. coast. mar. Sci. 8, 379–385 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Laanbroek, H. J. and N. Pfennig: Oxidation of short-chain fatty acids by sulfate-reducing bacteria in freshwater and in marine sediments. Arch. Microbiol. 128, 330–335 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mah, R. A., D. M. Ward, L. Baresi and T. L. Glass: Biogenesis of methene. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 31, 309–401 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens, C. S. and R. A. Berner: Methane production in the interstitial waters of sulfate-depleted marine sediments. Science, N.Y. 185, 1167–1169 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens, C. S. and R. A. Berner: Interstitial water chemistry of anoxic Long Island Sound sediments. I. Dissolved gases. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22, 10–25 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Marty, D.: Distribution of different anaerobic bacteria in Arabian Sea sediments. Mar. Biol. 63, 277–281 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • McInerney, M. J. and M. P. Bryant: Anaerobic degradation of lactate by syntrophic associations of Methanosarcina barkeri and Desulfovibrio species and effect of H2 on acetate degradation. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 41, 346–354 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T. L. and M. J. Wolin. A serum bottle modification of the Hungate technique for cultivating obligate anaerobes. Appl. Microbiol. 27, 985–987 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mountfort, D. A. and R. A. Asher: Effect of inorganic sulfide on the growth and metabolism of Methanosarcina barkeri strain DM. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 37, 670–675 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mountfort, D. O. and R. A. Asher: Role of sulfate reduction versus methanogenesis in terminal carbon flow in polluted intertidal sediment of Waimea Inlet, Nelson, New Zealand. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 42, 252–258 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mountfort, D. O., R. A. Asher, E. L. Mays and J. M. Tiedje: Carbon and electron flow in mud and sandflat intertidal sediments at Delaware Inlet, Nelson, New Zealand. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 39, 686–694 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nedwell, D. B. and J. W. Abram: Relative influence of temperature and electron donor and electron acceptor concentrations on bacterial sulfate reduction in saltmarsh sediment. Microbial Ecology 5, 67–72 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Oremland, R. S. and B. F. Taylor: Sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in marine sediments. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 42, 209–214 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Panganiban, Jr., A. T., T. E. Patt, W. Hart and R. S. Hanson: Oxidation of methane in the abscence of oxygen in lake water samples. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 37, 303–309 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Postgate, J. R.: Media for sulphur bacteria. Lab. Pract. 15, 1239–1244 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Postgate, J. R.: The sulphate-reducing bacteria, 151 pp. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1979

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramm, A. E. and D. A. Bella: Sulfide production in anaerobic microcosms. Limnol. Oceanogr. 19, 110–118 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reeburgh, W. S.: Methane consumption in Cariaco Trench waters and sediments. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 28, 337–344 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Romesser, J. A., R. S. Wolfe, F. Mayer, E. Spiess and A. Walther-Mauruschat: Methanogenium, a new genus of marine methanogenic bacteria, and characterization of Methanogenium cariaci sp. nov. and Methanogenium marisnigri sp. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 121, 147–153 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Salanitro, J. P. and P. A. Muirhead: Quantitative method for the gas chromatographic analysis of short-chain monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids in fermentation media. Appl. Microbiol. 29, 374–381 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sisler, F. D. and C. E. ZoBell: Hydrogen utilization by some marine sulfate-reducing bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 62, 117–127 (1951)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. R. and R. A. Mah: Growth and methanogenesis by Methanosarcina strain 227 an acetate and methanol. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 36, 870–879 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, J., B. B. Jørgensen and N. P. Revsbech: A comparison of oxygen nitrate, and sulfate respiration in coastal marine sediments. Microbiol. Ecol. 5, 105–115 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, J., D. Christensen and B. B. Jørgensen: Volatile fatty acids and hydrogen as substrates for sulfate-reducing bacteria in anacrobic marine sediment. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 42, 5–11 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Strickland, J. D. H. and T. R. Parsons: A practical handbook of seawater analysis. I. 2. Determination of salinity by titration pp 17–19. Ottawa: Fish. Res. Bd Can. Bull, 167 Sec. Ed. 1972

  • Taylor, G. T. and J. S. Pirt: Nutrition and factors limiting the growth of a methanogenic bacterium (Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum). Arch. Microbiol. 113, 17–22 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Thauer, R. K., K. Jungermann and K. Decker: Energy conservation in chemotrophic anaerobic bacteria. Bacteriol. Rev. 41, 100–180 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Toennis, G. and B. Bakay: Photonephelometric microdetermination of sulfate and organic sulfur. Anal. Chem. 25, 160–165 (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  • Trüper, H. G. and H. G. Schlegel: Sulphur metabolism in Thiorhodaceae. I. Quantitative measurements on growing cells of Chromatium okenii. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 30, 225–238 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, L.: Effect of temperature on growth and activity of a methanogenic culture utilizing acetate. Can. J. Microbiol. 23, 898–902 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, D. M. and G. J. Olson: Terminal processes in the anaerobic degradation of an algal-bacterial mat in a high-sulfate hot spring. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 40, 67–74 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Warford, A. L., D. R. Kosiur and P. R. Doose: Methane production in Santa Barbara Basin sediments. Geomicrobiol. J. 1, 117–138 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Widdel, F. and N. Pfennig: Studies on dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria that decompose fatty acids. 1. Isolation of a new sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched with acetate from saline environments. Description of Desulfobacter postgatei gen. nov., sp. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 129, 395–400 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Winfrey, M. R. and J. G. Zeikus: Effect of sulfate on carbon and electron flow during microbial methanogenesis in freshwater sediments. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 33, 275–281 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Winter, J. and R. S. Wolfe: Complete degradation of carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and methane by syntrophic cultures of Acetobacterium woodii and Methanosarcina barkeri. Arch. Microbiol. 121, 97–102 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolin, M. J.: Metabolic interactions among intestinal microorganisms. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 27, 1320–1328 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, S., B. J. Alcauskas and T. E. Crozier: Solubility of methane in distilled water and seawater. J. Chem. Eng. Data 21, 78–80 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zehnder, A. J. B. and T. D. Brock: Anaerobic methane oxidation: occurrence and ecology. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 39, 194–204 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zehnder, A. J. B., B. A. Huser, T. D. Brock and K. Wuhrmann: Characterization of an acetate-decarboxylating, non-hydrogen-oxidizing methane bacterium. Arch. Microbiol. 124, 1–11 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Microbiology, Gothenburg University, Carl Skottsbergs Gata 22, S-41319, Göteborg, Sweden

    L. Å. H. Gunnarsson & P. H. Rönnow

Authors
  1. L. Å. H. Gunnarsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. H. Rönnow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by T. Fenchel, Aarhus

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gunnarsson, L.Å.H., Rönnow, P.H. Interrelationships between sulfate reducing and methane producing bacteria in coastal sediments with intense sulfide production. Mar. Biol. 69, 121–128 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00396891

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00396891

Keywords

Search

Navigation