Bentho-pelagic transport of methanotrophic microorganisms by gas bubbles

气泡释放渗漏点是水生系统中相关的甲烷源。在这些地点附近，沉积物和水柱中的甲烷营养微生物在控制进入大气的甲烷通量方面起着关键作用。最近对烃类渗漏周围水柱的研究表明，气泡羽流近场甲烷营养微生物的丰度和活性都有所增加。在我们在加州煤油点渗漏区进行的试点研究（DFG项目甲烷氧化微生物从沉积物输送到水柱（气泡穿梭））中，我们首次证明了甲烷营养细菌是通过气泡从沉积物输送到水柱的。我们后续项目的基本目标是评估这种运输机制对这些渗漏点的远洋甲烷周转的重要性。在煤油点渗漏田和北海不同渗漏位置进行多学科研究，有助于探讨控制底-远洋气泡交换过程输运效率的不同环境因素。通过整合基于实验室的孵化实验，我们将研究深海环境中与渗漏相关的底栖甲烷营养细菌的活性。进一步的分子生物学分析将用于验证我们的假设，即气泡运输机制影响渗漏点中上层甲烷营养细菌的多样性。在北海的一个井喷地点进行实地研究，并结合海洋学测量和模型，将用于建立渗漏点附近海域中上层甲烷营养细菌的预算。总的来说，这种方法将有助于我们讨论气泡运输机制对甲烷营养细菌丰度和远洋甲烷汇的影响。

Gas bubble releasing seep sites are relevant methane sources in aquatic systems. In the vicinity of these sites, methanotrophic microorganisms in the sediment and water column play a key role in controlling the methane flux into the atmosphere. Recent studies in the water column surrounding hydrocarbon seeps indicated an elevated abundance and activity of methanotrophic microorganisms in the near field of gas bubble plumes. During our pilot studies conducted at the Coal Oil Point Seep region in California (DFG project Transport of methane oxidizing microorganisms from the sediment into the water column (Bubble Shuttle), we could show for the first time that methanotrophic bacteria were transported by gas bubbles from the sediment into the water column. The fundamental goal of our follow-up project is to evaluate the importance of such a transport mechanism on the pelagic methane turnover at these seep sites. Multidisciplinary studies at different seep locations located in the Coal Oil Point seep field and the North Sea will help us to discuss the different environmental factors, which control the transport efficiency of the bentho-pelagic gas bubble mediated exchange process. By integrating lab-based incubation experiments we will study the activity of seep-associated benthic methanotrophic bacteria in the pelagic environment. Additional molecular biological analyses will be used to test our hypothesis that the gas bubble transport mechanism impacts the diversity of pelagic methanotrophic bacteria at seep sites. Field studies at a Blowout location in the North Sea and the integration of oceanographic measurements and models will be used to establish a budget for pelagic methanotrophic bacteria in the near field of seep sites. Overall, this approach will help us to discuss the impact of the bubble transport mechanism on the abundance of methanotrophic bacteria and the pelagic methane sink.