Abstract
The brines of the Atlantis II and Discovery Deeps, their sediments and the water overlying these Red Sea brines were examined for the presence or absence of bacteria. No bacteria were found in the Atlantis II sediments and brines, but they were present in the overlying transition and normal 22° waters. The sulfate reducing bacteria in this transition layer may account for the sulfur fractionation found in the metal sulfides in the sediments. In the Discovery Deep, bacteria were present in the sediment but were not demonstrated within the brines. The high temperature, salinity and metal concentrations in the Atlantis II brines are thought to act synergistically, preventing the growth of bacteria. The lower heavy metal concentration in Discovery Deep may make conditions slightly less hostile to life and permit the growth of bacteria in the sediments.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Contribution No. 2190.
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Watson, S.W., Waterbury, J.B. (1969). The Sterile Hot Brines of the Red Sea. In: Degens, E.T., Ross, D.A. (eds) Hot Brines and Recent Heavy Metal Deposits in the Red Sea. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-28603-6_27
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-28603-6_27
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