Structure and function of natural sulphide-oxidizing microbial mats under dynamic input of light and chemical energy

We studied the interaction between phototrophic and chemolithoautotrophic sulphide-oxidizing microorganisms in natural microbial mats forming in sulphidic streams. The structure of these mats varied between two end-members: one characterized by a layer dominated by large sulphur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB; mostly Beggiatoa-like) on top of a cyanobacterial layer (B/C mats) and the other with an inverted structure (C/B mats). C/B mats formed where the availability of oxygen from the water column was limited (<5 mu M). Aerobic chemolithotrophic activity of the SOB depended entirely on oxygen produced locally by cyanobacteria during high light conditions. In contrast, B/C mats formed at locations where oxygen in the water column was comparatively abundant (445 mu M) and continuously present. Here SOB were independent of the photosynthetic activity of cyanobacteria and outcompeted the cyanobacteria in the uppermost layer of the mat where energy sources for both functional groups were concentrated. Outcompetition of photosynthetic microbes in the presence of light was facilitated by the decoupling of aerobic chemolithotrophy and oxygenic phototrophy. Remarkably, the B/C mats conserved much less energy than the C/B mats, although similar amounts of light and chemical energy were available. Thus ecosystems do not necessarily develop towards optimal energy usage. Our data suggest that, when two independent sources of energy are available, the structure and activity of microbial communities is primarily determined by the continuous rather than the intermittent energy source, even if the time-integrated energy flux of the intermittent energy source is greater

Adsorção de atrazina, desetilatrazina e hidroxiatrazina em latossolo vermelho escuro sob cerrado e sob plantio direto no Distrito Federal

The environmental fate of a pesticide depends on many factors, among them the soil characteristics as mineralogy, soil chemistry and organic matter content. This study aims to verify how the adaptation of chemical and mineralogical properties of a dark red latosol from the Brazilian savanna under the continuous use of no till practice can affect its affinity to atrazine and two metabolites (deethylatrazine and hydroxyatrazine). Therefore, beyond the characterization of the cited parameters, batch studies were performed with both no till and native vegetation soils. The comparison between them showed that the changes in some soil properties due to agriculture use of it were enough to change significantly its affinity for the studied compounds. Atrazine and deethylatrazine showed significant affinity to the high organic matter content horizon, while deeper horizons with smaller amounts of organic matter atrazine sorption was neglectible, deethylatrazine was present, but in smaller amounts.        O destino de um agrotóxico no meio ambiente depende de vários fatores, entre estes as alguns atributos do solo como mineralogia, composição química e conteúdo de matéria orgânica. Este estudo teve como objetivos verificar de que forma a adaptação de algumas das características de um Latossolo Vermelho Escuro do cerrado ao uso continuado do plantio direto (PD) influencia a retenção da atrazina e dois de seus principiais metabólitos (desetilatrazina e hidroxiatrazina). Desta forma, além da caracterização do solo, desenvolveram-se estudos da interação do solo com a atrazina, tanto com solos utilizados para PD, quanto solos de mata nativa nunca usados na prática agrícola. A comparação entre ambos evidenciou que as mudanças ocasionadas pelo solo agrícola, embora pequenas, foram suficientes para causar ligeira modificação na afinidade deste pelos compostos estudados. Atrazina e desetilatrazina apresentaram maior afinidade com os horizontes mais ricos em matéria orgânica, enquanto que os horizontes mais profundos, mais pobres em matéria orgânica, a adsorção da atrazina foi desprazível, desetilatrazina esta presente, porém em quantidades pequenas

Temperature as a potent driver of regional forest drought stress and tree mortality

As the climate changes, drought may reduce tree productivity and survival across many forest ecosystems; however, the relative influence of specific climate parameters on forest decline is poorly understood. We derive a forest drought-stress index (FDSI) for the southwestern United States using a comprehensive tree-ring data set representing AD 1000–2007. The FDSI is approximately equally influenced by the warm-season vapour-pressure deficit (largely controlled by temperature) and cold-season precipitation, together explaining 82% of the FDSI variability. Correspondence between the FDSI and measures of forest productivity, mortality, bark-beetle outbreak and wildfire validate the FDSI as a holistic forest-vigour indicator. If the vapour-pressure deficit continues increasing as projected by climate models, the mean forest drought-stress by the 2050s will exceed that of the most severe droughts in the past 1,000 years. Collectively, the results foreshadow twenty-first-century changes in forest structures and compositions, with transition of forests in the southwestern United States, and perhaps water-limited forests globally, towards distributions unfamiliar to modern civilization

Planning Ahead for Mars Sample Science in the Human Exploration Era

NASA recently requested that MEPAG evaluate the scientific objectives that could/should be carried out by a potential human mission to Mars that, for planning purposes, is assumed to launch in 2035. One of the key working conclusions is that sample-based science stands out as one of the more important aspects of a potential overall science package (recognizing that there would additionally be other scientific aspects of such a mission that would not be sample-based)

Microbial and Chemical Characterization of Underwater Fresh Water Springs in the Dead Sea

Due to its extreme salinity and high Mg concentration the Dead Sea is characterized by a very low density of cells most of which are Archaea. We discovered several underwater fresh to brackish water springs in the Dead Sea harboring dense microbial communities. We provide the first characterization of these communities, discuss their possible origin, hydrochemical environment, energetic resources and the putative biogeochemical pathways they are mediating. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and community fingerprinting methods showed that the spring community originates from the Dead Sea sediments and not from the aquifer. Furthermore, it suggested that there is a dense Archaeal community in the shoreline pore water of the lake. Sequences of bacterial sulfate reducers, nitrifiers iron oxidizers and iron reducers were identified as well. Analysis of white and green biofilms suggested that sulfide oxidation through chemolitotrophy and phototrophy is highly significant. Hyperspectral analysis showed a tight association between abundant green sulfur bacteria and cyanobacteria in the green biofilms. Together, our findings show that the Dead Sea floor harbors diverse microbial communities, part of which is not known from other hypersaline environments. Analysis of the water’s chemistry shows evidence of microbial activity along the path and suggests that the springs supply nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter to the microbial communities in the Dead Sea. The underwater springs are a newly recognized water source for the Dead Sea. Their input of microorganisms and nutrients needs to be considered in the assessment of possible impact of dilution events of the lake surface waters, such as those that will occur in the future due to the intended establishment of the Red Sea−Dead Sea water conduit

Evaluating theories of drought-induced vegetation mortality using a multimodel– experiment framework

Model–data comparisons of plant physiological processes provide an understanding of mechanisms underlying vegetation responses to climate. We simulated the physiology of a pi~non pine–juniper woodland (Pinus edulis–Juniperus monosperma) that experienced mortality during a 5 yr precipitation-reduction experiment, allowing a framework with which to examine our knowledge of drought-induced tree mortality. We used six models designed for scales ranging from individual plants to a global level, all containing state-of-the-art representations of the internal hydraulic and carbohydrate dynamics of woody plants. Despite the large range of model structures, tuning, and parameterization employed, all simulations predicted hydraulic failure and carbon starvation processes co-occurring in dying trees of both species, with the time spent with severe hydraulic failure and carbon starvation, rather than absolute thresholds per se, being a better predictor of impending mortality. Model and empirical data suggest that limited carbon and water exchanges at stomatal, phloem, and below-ground interfaces were associated with mortality of both species. The model–data comparison suggests that the introduction of a mechanistic process into physiology-based models provides equal or improved predictive power over traditional process-model or empirical thresholds. Both biophysical and empirical modeling approaches are useful in understanding processes, particularly when the models fail, because they reveal mechanisms that are likely to underlie mortality. We suggest that for some ecosystems, integration of mechanistic pathogen models into current vegetation models, and evaluation against observations, could result in a breakthrough capability to simulate vegetation dynamics.Keywords: carbon starvation, hydraulic failure, process-based models, cavitation, dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs), die off, photosynthesi