Methane- and dissolved organic carbon-fueled microbial loop supports a tropical subterranean estuary ecosystem

Subterranean estuaries extend inland into density-stratified coastal carbonate aquifers containing a surprising diversity of endemic animals (mostly crustaceans) within a highly oligotrophic habitat. How complex ecosystems (termed anchialine) thrive in this globally distributed, cryptic environment...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Nature communications 2017-11, Vol.8 (1), p.1835-12, Article 1835
Main Authors:	Brankovits, D, Pohlman, J W, Niemann, H, Leigh, M B, Leewis, M C, Becker, K W, Iliffe, T M, Alvarez, F, Lehmann, M F, Phillips, B
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Aquifers Bacteria Biogeochemistry Biology Carbon Carbon cycle Carbon isotopes Chemistry: 440 Chemoautotrophy Coastal environments Crustaceans Dissolved organic carbon Ecosystem biology Ecosystem ecology Ecosystems Endemic animals Environmental chemistry, natural environmental chemistry: 446 Estuaries Estuarine ecosystems Estuarine environments Fatty acids Floods Food chains Food webs Gene sequencing Groundwater Groundwater discharge Heterotrophy Investigations Karst Kjemi: 440 Marine chemistry Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400 Mathematics and natural science: 400 Methane Methanotrophic bacteria Microorganisms Miljøkjemi, naturmiljøkjemi: 446 Quinones rRNA 16S Salinity Trophic levels VDP
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Summary:	Subterranean estuaries extend inland into density-stratified coastal carbonate aquifers containing a surprising diversity of endemic animals (mostly crustaceans) within a highly oligotrophic habitat. How complex ecosystems (termed anchialine) thrive in this globally distributed, cryptic environment is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that a microbial loop shuttles methane and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to higher trophic levels of the anchialine food web in the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico). Methane and DOC production and consumption within the coastal groundwater correspond with a microbial community capable of methanotrophy, heterotrophy, and chemoautotrophy, based on characterization by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and respiratory quinone composition. Fatty acid and bulk stable carbon isotope values of cave-adapted shrimp suggest that carbon from methanotrophic bacteria comprises 21% of their diet, on average. These findings reveal a heretofore unrecognized subterranean methane sink and contribute to our understanding of the carbon cycle and ecosystem function of karst subterranean estuaries.
ISSN:	2041-1723 2041-1723