05.02.2013 Views

Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Table 1 Potential microbial metabolic processes at deep-sea hydrothermal vents.<br />

Processes involved in the chemosynthetic production of new organic matter (primary<br />

production) are given in italics. Hetrotrophic metabolism also occurs in hydrothermal<br />

systems, and involves the decomposition of organic matter produced at vents or<br />

imported from the surrounding ocean. Organisms representative of most of these<br />

forms of metabolism have been isolated and cultured from vent samples but the<br />

quantitative importance of the various electron donor and acceptor pathways in<br />

overall ecosystem metabolism is poorly understood. Table adapted from Karl (1995).<br />

Conditions Electron Electron C source Metabolic process<br />

Aerobic<br />

Anaerobic<br />

(energy) donor<br />

H2<br />

HS- S°, S2O3<br />

Fe 2+<br />

Mn 2+<br />

CH4 (and other<br />

C-1 compounds)<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

H2<br />

H2<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

O2<br />

O2<br />

O2<br />

O2<br />

O2<br />

O2<br />

CO2<br />

acceptor<br />

S°, S2O4<br />

NO3<br />

NO3<br />

O2<br />

S°, S2O4<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

CO2<br />

CO2<br />

CO2<br />

?<br />

CH4, CO2,<br />

CO<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

CO2<br />

CO2<br />

CO2<br />

Organic<br />

Organic<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

Organic<br />

compounds<br />

H oxidation<br />

S oxidation<br />

Fe oxidation<br />

Fe oxidation<br />

Methane(C-1)<br />

oxidation<br />

Heterotrophic<br />

metabolism<br />

Methanogenesis<br />

S and sulphide reduction<br />

H oxidation<br />

Denitrification<br />

S and sulphide reduction<br />

Fermentation<br />

INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 276

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!