Anaerobic guilds responsible for mercury methylation in boreal wetlands of varied trophic status serving as either a methylmercury source or sink

Schaefer, Jeffra K.; Kronberg, Rose‐Marie; Björn, Erik; Skyllberg, Ulf

doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15134

Anaerobic guilds responsible for mercury methylation in boreal wetlands of varied trophic status serving as either a methylmercury source or sink

Journal Article · Thu Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Environmental Microbiology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15134· OSTI ID:1801724

^[1]; Kronberg, Rose‐Marie ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[2]

Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States); OSTI
Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umea (Sweden)
Umea Univ. (Sweden)

Wetlands are common sites of active Hg methylation by anaerobic microbes; however, the amount of methylmercury produced varies greatly, as Hg methylation is dependent upon both the availability of Hg and the composition and activity of the microbial community involved. In this study, we identified the major microbial guilds responsible for Hg methylation along a trophic gradient composed of two sites and three different types of wetlands: a bog–fen peatland gradient and a black alder swamp, serving as net sources and a sink for methylmercury respectively. Iron-reducing bacteria in the Geobacteraceae were important Hg methylators across all wetlands and seasons examined, as evidenced by abundant 16S rRNA and hgcA transcripts clustering with this family. Molybdate inhibited Hg methylation more efficiently in the peatlands than in the swamp, suggesting an increasing role of sulfate-reducing bacteria and/or related syntrophs in the methylation of Hg with decreasing trophic status. Further, sulfate addition failed to increase Hg methylation rates in the peatlands, suggesting that SRBs/syntrophs were instead likely metabolizing alternative substrates such as syntrophic fermentation of organic compounds with methanogens. These results highlight the interconnectivity of anaerobic metabolism and importance of community dynamics on the methylation of Hg in wetlands with different trophic status.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Swedish Research Council for Environment and Spatial Planning (FORMAS); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0006849

OSTI ID:: 1801724

Journal Information:: Environmental Microbiology, Journal Name: Environmental Microbiology Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 22; ISSN 1462-2912

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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