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Title: Photochemical alteration of organic carbon draining permafrost soils shifts microbial metabolic pathways and stimulates respiration

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4]
  1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Earth and Environmental Sciences; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA (United States). Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry; DOE/OSTI
  2. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States). Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences
  3. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  4. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Earth and Environmental Sciences

In sunlit waters, photochemical alteration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) impacts the microbial respiration of DOC to CO2. This coupled photochemical and biological degradation of DOC is especially critical for carbon budgets in the Arctic, where thawing permafrost soils increase opportunities for DOC oxidation to CO2 in surface waters, thereby reinforcing global warming. Here we show how and why sunlight exposure impacts microbial respiration of DOC draining permafrost soils. Sunlight significantly increases or decreases microbial respiration of DOC depending on whether photo-alteration produces or removes molecules that native microbial communities used prior to light exposure. Using high-resolution chemical and microbial approaches, we show that rates of DOC processing by microbes are likely governed by a combination of the abundance and lability of DOC exported from land to water and produced by photochemical processes, and the capacity and timescale that microbial communities have to adapt to metabolize photo-altered DOC.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1624050
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 8; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Photodegradation disproportionately impacts biodegradation of semi‐labile DOM in streams journal July 2019
Interactions between sunlight and microorganisms influence dissolved organic matter degradation along the aquatic continuum: Interactions between sunlight and microorganisms journal February 2018
Dissolved Organic Matter Chemistry and Transport Along an Arctic Tundra Hillslope journal January 2019
Oxygen Isotopes (δ 18 O) Trace Photochemical Hydrocarbon Oxidation at the Sea Surface journal June 2019
Environmental effects of ozone depletion, UV radiation and interactions with climate change: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, update 2017 journal January 2018
Effects of vertical hydrodynamic mixing on photomineralization of dissolved organic carbon in arctic surface waters journal January 2019
Solar UV radiation in a changing world: roles of cryosphere–land–water–atmosphere interfaces in global biogeochemical cycles journal January 2019
Electrochemical characterization of natural organic matter by direct voltammetry in an aprotic solvent journal January 2019
Online supercritical fluid extraction mass spectrometry (SFE-LC-FTMS) for sensitive characterization of soil organic matter journal January 2019
Humic surface waters of frozen peat bogs (permafrost zone) are highly resistant to bio- and photodegradation journal January 2019
Spatial gradients in the characteristics of soil-carbon fractions are associated with abiotic features but not microbial communities journal January 2019
Comparisons of dissolved organic matter and its optical characteristics in small low and high Arctic catchments journal January 2019
Humic surface waters of frozen peat bogs (permafrost zone) are highly resistant to bio- and photodegradation posted_content January 2019