Studies of the Decomposition of Organic Matter in the Marine Environment

本研究继续研究有机物的分解 物质，其中包括海洋中碳的主要部分。 该研究旨在进一步确定 海洋水体中的有机物分解， 通过矿化带在地表沃茨生产 在水体中，保存在下面的沉积物中。 有机质的分解是主要的过程之一 控制海水和沉积物的化学成分。对 在全球范围内，好氧分解是 海洋沉积物中的降解，厌氧过程消耗 更不用说有机物了。 然而，大多数碳 保存发生在缺氧系统，通常是沿海海洋 有机物沉积速率最高的沉积物。 了解对有机物分解的控制， 碳保存是解释沉积物变化的关键 碳含量，以及海洋的古生产力。 本研究的主要目的是调查 从颗粒物中的甲胺形成甲烷， 测量有机物的吸附和解吸的影响 化合物的分解速率和机制，以确定 好氧与缺氧条件对分解的影响， 探索利用细胞表面酶分解 浮游植物和细菌的氨基酸和胺。

This study continues research on the decomposition of organic matter, which comprises a major fraction of carbon in the ocean. The study is directed toward further defining pathways and rates of organic matter decomposition in the oceanic water column, from production in surface waters, through the zones of remineralization in the water column, to preservation in the underlying sediments. The decomposition of organic matter is one of the major processes controlling the chemical composition of seawater and sediments. On a global scale, oxic decomposition is the major pathway of degradation in marine sediments, with anaerobic processes consuming much less organic matter. However, the majority of carbon preservation occurs in anoxic systems, typically coastal marine sediments where organic matter sedimentation rates are highest. Understanding the controls on organic matter decomposition and carbon preservation is a key to interpreting changes in sedimentary carbon content, and thus paleoproductivity of the oceans. The major goals of this research are to investigate the formation of methane from, methylamines in particulate matter, to measure the effects of adsorption and desorption of organic compounds on their decomposition rates and mechanisms, to determine the influence of oxic vs anoxic conditions on decomposition, and to explore the use of cell-surface enzymes in the decomposition of amino acids and amines by phytoplankton and bacteria.