Biological processes on glacier surfaces affect glacier reflectance, influence surface energy budget and glacier response to climate warming, and determine glacier carbon exchange with the atmosphere. Currently, carbon balance of supraglacial environment is assessed as the balance between the activity of oxygenic phototrophs and the respiration rate of heterotrophic organisms. Here we present a metagenomic analysis of tiny wind-blown supraglacial sediment (cryoconite) from Baltoro (Pakistani Karakoram) and Forni (Italian Alps) glaciers, providing evidence for the occurrence in these environments of different and previously neglected metabolic pathways. Indeed, we observed high abundance of heterotrophic anoxygenic phototrophs, suggesting that light might directly supplement the energy demand of some bacterial strains allowing them to use as carbon source organic molecules, which otherwise would be respired. Furthermore, data suggest that CO2 could be produced also by microbiologically mediated oxidation of CO, which may be produced by photodegradation of organic matter.

Franzetti, A., Tagliaferri, I., Gandolfi, I., Bestetti, G., Minora, U., Mayer, C., et al. (2016). Light-dependent microbial metabolisms drive carbon fluxes on glacier surfaces. THE ISME JOURNAL, 10(12), 2984-2988 [10.1038/ismej.2016.72].

Light-dependent microbial metabolisms drive carbon fluxes on glacier surfaces

FRANZETTI, ANDREA
Primo
;
GANDOLFI, ISABELLA;BESTETTI, GIUSEPPINA;AMBROSINI, ROBERTO
Ultimo
2016

Abstract

Biological processes on glacier surfaces affect glacier reflectance, influence surface energy budget and glacier response to climate warming, and determine glacier carbon exchange with the atmosphere. Currently, carbon balance of supraglacial environment is assessed as the balance between the activity of oxygenic phototrophs and the respiration rate of heterotrophic organisms. Here we present a metagenomic analysis of tiny wind-blown supraglacial sediment (cryoconite) from Baltoro (Pakistani Karakoram) and Forni (Italian Alps) glaciers, providing evidence for the occurrence in these environments of different and previously neglected metabolic pathways. Indeed, we observed high abundance of heterotrophic anoxygenic phototrophs, suggesting that light might directly supplement the energy demand of some bacterial strains allowing them to use as carbon source organic molecules, which otherwise would be respired. Furthermore, data suggest that CO2 could be produced also by microbiologically mediated oxidation of CO, which may be produced by photodegradation of organic matter.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Microbiology
English
apr-2016
2016
10
12
2984
2988
partially_open
Franzetti, A., Tagliaferri, I., Gandolfi, I., Bestetti, G., Minora, U., Mayer, C., et al. (2016). Light-dependent microbial metabolisms drive carbon fluxes on glacier surfaces. THE ISME JOURNAL, 10(12), 2984-2988 [10.1038/ismej.2016.72].
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