Geological Society of America

12 Microbial Interactions with Metal, Mineral, and Nutrient Cycling (Posters)

Monday, 13 March 2023
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Exhibition Hall 112

WHERE DO THE METHANOGENS LIVE IF NOT DOWN-UNDER? MICROBIAL METHANE CYCLING IN AN UNUSUAL ‘UPSIDE DOWN’ CHEMICAL- GRADIENT IN LIGHTNING LAKE, OKLAHOMA

Paper number: 12-3
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Authors

Sabrina Beckmann
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Kendra Hess
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Swarnali Mukherjee
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
John Dorlon
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Collin Koza
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Sabrina Beckmann Presenting Author
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Kara Heathman
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Todd Halihan
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Tingying Xu
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Jordon Massey
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Kayleen Lemen
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Adrienne Jones
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Damilare Ajagbe
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Imam Alam
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK

Abstract

Lake sediments can be a substantial source of the major greenhouse gas methane. A redoxcline usually stratifies the sediment horizons covering a microbial metabolic repertoire ranging from an oxic horizon at the top of the sediment that represents aerobic microbial processes, to oxygen-depleted horizons with increasing sediment depth that display diverse anaerobic processes. Methane-producing archaea, also called methanogens, are abundant in the anoxic sediment layers producing methane from bacterial metabolic products like acetate, H₂ + CO₂, and methyl compounds. Lightning Lake, located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, harbors large amounts of methane that can if disturbed be released into the atmosphere. Surprisingly, the lake exhibits an ‘upside-down’ chemical gradient profile presenting the hot spots for methane production at the upper sediment layers, followed by the sulfate-reduction-, iron (III) reduction-, and microaerophilic zones with increasing depths. In this study, we aim to unravel the methanogenic potential and diversity hosted by this ‘upside-down’ lake profile and determine if and why that profile might support extensive methane formation from Lightning Lake.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 55, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2023SC-385184

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