Methanosarcina baltica, sp. nov., a novel methanogen isolated from the Gotland Deep of the Baltic Sea

Extremophiles ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique von Klein ◽  
Hocine Arab ◽  
Horst Völker ◽  
Michael Thomm
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
The Baltic

scholarly journals Bacteriohopanepolyols record stratification, nitrogen fixation and other biogeochemical perturbations in Holocene sediments of the central Baltic Sea

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 2725-2735 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Blumenberg ◽  
C. Berndmeyer ◽  
M. Moros ◽  
M. Muschalla ◽  
O. Schmale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Stable Stratification ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Allochthonous Input ◽  
The North ◽  
Water Column Stratification ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract. The Baltic Sea, one of the world's largest brackish-marine basins, established after deglaciation of Scandinavia about 17 000 to 15 000 yr ago. In the changeable history of the Baltic Sea, the initial freshwater system was connected to the North Sea about 8000 yr ago and the modern brackish-marine setting (Littorina Sea) was established. Today, a relatively stable stratification has developed in the water column of the deep basins due to salinity differences. Stratification is only occasionally interrupted by mixing events, and it controls nutrient availability and growth of specifically adapted microorganisms and algae. We studied bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs), lipids of specific bacterial groups, in a sediment core from the central Baltic Sea (Gotland Deep) and found considerable differences between the distinct stages of the Baltic Sea's history. Some individual BHP structures indicate contributions from as yet unknown redoxcline-specific bacteria (bacteriohopanetetrol isomer), methanotrophic bacteria (35-aminobacteriohopanetetrol), cyanobacteria (bacteriohopanetetrol cyclitol ether isomer) and from soil bacteria (adenosylhopane) through allochthonous input after the Littorina transgression, whereas the origin of other BHPs in the core has still to be identified. Notably high BHP abundances were observed in the deposits of the brackish-marine Littorina phase, particularly in laminated sediment layers. Because these sediments record periods of stable water column stratification, bacteria specifically adapted to these conditions may account for the high portions of BHPs. An additional and/or accompanying source may be nitrogen-fixing (cyano)bacteria, which is indicated by a positive correlation of BHP abundances with Corg and δ15N.

scholarly journals Fractionation of iron species and iron isotopes in the Baltic Sea euphotic zone

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 2489-2508 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Gelting ◽  
E. Breitbarth ◽  
B. Stolpe ◽  
M. Hassellöv ◽  
J. Ingri
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Salinity Gradient ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Bothnian Sea

Abstract. To indentify sources and transport mechanisms of iron in a coastal marine environment, we conducted measurements of the physiochemical speciation of Fe in the euphotic zone at three different locations in the Baltic Sea. In addition to sampling across a salinity gradient, we conducted this study over the spring and summer season. Moving from the riverine input characterized low salinity Bothnian Sea, via the Landsort Deep near Stockholm, towards the Gotland Deep in the Baltic Proper, total Fe concentrations averaged 114, 44, and 15 nM, respectively. At all three locations, a decrease in total Fe of 80–90% from early spring to summer was observed. Particulate Fe (PFe) was the dominating phase at all stations and accounted for 75–85% of the total Fe pool on average. The Fe isotope composition (δ 56Fe) of the PFe showed constant positive values in the Bothnian Sea surface waters (+0.08 to +0.20‰). Enrichment of heavy Fe in the Bothnian Sea PFe is possibly associated to input of aggregated land derived Fe-oxyhydroxides and oxidation of dissolved Fe(II). At the Landsort Deep the isotopic fractionation of PFe changed between −0.08‰ to +0.28‰ over the sampling period. The negative values in early spring indicate transport of PFe from the oxic-anoxic boundary at ∼80 m depth. The average colloidal iron fraction (CFe) showed decreasing concentrations along the salinity gradient; Bothnian Sea 15 nM; Landsort Deep 1 nM, and Gotland Deep 0.5 nM. Field Flow Fractionation data indicate that the main colloidal carrier phase for Fe in the Baltic Sea is a carbon-rich fulvic acid associated compound, likely of riverine origin. A strong positive correlation between PFe and chl-a indicates that cycling of suspended Fe is at least partially controlled by primary production. However, this relationship may not be dominated by active uptake of Fe into phytoplankton, but instead may reflect scavenging and removal of PFe during phytoplankton sedimentation.

Silurian reefs off Saaremaa and their extension towards Gotland, central Baltic Sea

2013 ◽  
Vol 150 (5) ◽  
pp. 923-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
IGOR TUULING ◽  
TOM FLODÉN
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Large Area ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Reef Facies ◽  
Sea Level Fluctuations ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Water Facies

AbstractThe Silurian reefs off Saaremaa in the Baltic Sea were studied by means of high-resolution seismic reflection profiling. The abundance and diversity of the reefs increases off Saaremaa concomitantly with the deepening of the Baltic Silurian Basin towards Gotland. The peak of the reefs around Saaremaa occurred during the Middle Wenlock. The reef facies retreated further off Saaremaa during the Late Wenlock, became episodically restored around the island during the early Ludlow and finally ceased during the late Ludlow. A similar SW–NE–SW migration of reefs reflects an alternating transgressive–regressive pattern in the nearshore shallow shelf environment, where already minor sea-level fluctuations strongly influenced the conditions for reef growth. During the early Wenlock, a bathymetric break with a large barrier-reef-like structure divided the shallow shelf offshore Saaremaa facially into back-reef and southerly sloping fore-reef areas. The width of this SW-migrating barrier (c. 8 km) and the extent of reef bodies within it (c. 4 km) are the largest known in the Baltic region. During the Silurian, the reefs between Saaremaa and Gotland were flourishing to a much larger extent than is visible today. The primary Silurian reef pattern was increasingly destroyed towards Gotland by later erosion. This has resulted in a large area void of Wenlock reefs off northern Gotland. Off southern Gotland, the narrow conical low-energy deeper-water reefs prevail, as the wave-agitated shallow-water facies with larger and lenticular Wenlock and Ludlow reefs are largely eroded around the Gotland Deep.

scholarly journals Technical note: GODESS – A profiling mooring in the Gotland Basin

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf D. Prien ◽  
Detlef E. Schulz-Bull
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Technical Note ◽  
Environmental Sampling ◽  
Sampling Station ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Gotland Basin ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract. This note describes a profiling mooring with an interdisciplinary suite of sensors taking profiles between 180 m and 30 m depth. It consists of an underwater winch, moored below 180 m depth and a profiling instrumentation platform. In its described setup it can take about 200 profiles at pre-programmed times or intervals with one set of batteries. This allows studies over an extended period of time (e.g. two daily profiles over a time of three months). The Gotland Deep Environmental Sampling Station (GODESS) in the Eastern Gotland Basin of the Baltic Sea is aimed at investigations of redoxcline dynamics. The described system can be readily adapted to other research foci by changing the profiling instrumentation platform and its payload.

scholarly journals Technical note: GODESS – a profiling mooring in the Gotland Basin

Ocean Science ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 899-907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf D. Prien ◽  
Detlef E. Schulz-Bull
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Technical Note ◽  
Environmental Sampling ◽  
Sampling Station ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Gotland Basin ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract. This note describes a profiling mooring with an interdisciplinary suite of sensors taking profiles between 180 and 30 m depth. It consists of an underwater winch, moored below 180 m depth, and a profiling instrumentation platform. In its described setup it can take about 200 profiles at pre-programmed times or intervals with one set of batteries. This allows for studies over an extended period of time (e.g. two daily profiles over a time of 3 months). The Gotland Deep Environmental Sampling Station (GODESS) in the Eastern Gotland Basin of the Baltic Sea is aimed at investigations of redoxcline dynamics. The described system can be readily adapted to other research foci by changing the profiling instrumentation platform and its payload.

scholarly journals Fractionation of iron species and iron isotopes in the Baltic Sea euphotic zone

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 6491-6537 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Gelting ◽  
E. Breitbarth ◽  
B. Stolpe ◽  
M. Hassellöv ◽  
J. Ingri
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Salinity Gradient ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Colloidal Iron ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Bothnian Sea

Abstract. Measurements of the physiochemical speciation of Fe in the euphotic zone were performed at three different locations, over a well defined salinity gradient, during spring and summer in the Baltic Sea. The average of total Fe changed from 114 nM in the Bothnian Sea, 44 nM at Landsort Deep and 15 nM at Gotland Deep. Particulate Fe (PFe) was the dominating phase at all stations and on average accounted for 75–85% of the total Fe pool. At all three locations, a decrease in total Fe of 80–90% from initial measurements compared to the summer was found. A strong positive correlation between PFe and chl-a was observed. Hence, primary production strongly regulates cycling of suspended Fe. However, this relation is not dominated by active uptake of Fe in phytoplankton; instead this reflects cycling of phosphorus, growth of diatoms, and removal of PFe during phytoplankton sedimentation. The average colloidal iron fraction, CFe, showed decreasing concentrations along the salinity gradient; Bothnian Sea 15 nM; Landsort Deep 1 nM and Gotland Deep 0.5 nM. Field Flow Fractionation data indicate that the main colloidal carrier phase for Fe in the Baltic Sea is a carbon-rich fulvic acid associated compound, likely of riverine origin. The Fe isotope composition (δ56Fe) of the PFe showed constant positive values in the Bothnian Sea surface waters (+0.08 to +0.20‰). Enrichment of heavy Fe in the Bothnian Sea PFe is most likely associated to input of aggregated land derived Fe-oxyhydroxides and a rapid overturn of Fe(II). At the Landsort deep, the fractionation of PFe changed between −0.08‰ to +0.28‰. The negative values, in early spring, probably indicate exchange over the oxic-anoxic boundary at ~80 m depth.

scholarly journals Are recent changes in sediment manganese sequestration in the euxinic basins of the Baltic Sea linked to the expansion of hypoxia?

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 4875-4894 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lenz ◽  
T. Jilbert ◽  
D.J. Conley ◽  
M. Wolthers ◽  
C.P. Slomp
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
North Sea ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Past ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
Carbonate Formation ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Mn Oxides ◽  
Deep Area

Abstract. Expanding hypoxia in the Baltic Sea over the past century has led to the development of anoxic and sulfidic (euxinic) deep basins that are only periodically ventilated by inflows of oxygenated waters from the North Sea. In this study, we investigate the potential consequences of the expanding hypoxia for manganese (Mn) burial in the Baltic Sea using a combination of pore water and sediment analyses of dated sediment cores from eight locations. Diffusive fluxes of dissolved Mn from sediments to overlying waters at oxic, hypoxic and euxinic sites are consistent with an active release of Mn from these areas. Although the present-day fluxes are significant (ranging up to ca. 240 μmol m−2 d−1), comparison to published water column data suggests that the current benthic release of Mn is small when compared to the large pool of Mn already present in the hypoxic and anoxic water column. Our results highlight two modes of Mn carbonate formation in sediments of the deep basins. In the Gotland Deep area, Mn carbonates likely form from Mn oxides that are precipitated from the water column directly following North Sea inflows. In the Landsort Deep, in contrast, Mn carbonate and Mn sulfide layers appear to form independently of inflow events, and are possibly related to the much larger and continuous input of Mn oxides linked to sediment focusing. Whereas Mn-enriched sediments continue to accumulate in the Landsort Deep, this does not hold for the Gotland Deep area. Here, a recent increase in euxinia, as evident from measured bottom water sulfide concentrations and elevated sediment molybdenum (Mo), coincides with a decline in sediment Mn content. Sediment analyses also reveal that recent inflows of oxygenated water (since ca. 1995) are no longer consistently recorded as Mn carbonate layers. Our data suggest that eutrophication has not only led to a recent rise in sulfate reduction rates but also to a decline in reactive Fe input to these basins. We hypothesize that these factors have jointly led to higher sulfide availability near the sediment–water interface after inflow events. As a consequence, the Mn oxides may be reductively dissolved more rapidly than in the past and Mn carbonates may no longer form. Using a simple diagenetic model for Mn dynamics in the surface sediment, we demonstrate that an enhancement of the rate of reduction of Mn oxides is consistent with such a scenario. Our results have important implications for the use of Mn carbonate enrichments as a redox proxy in marine systems.

Chemical Munitions Search and Assessment Project—Towards Creating Risk Assessment Tools for the Baltic Sea

2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Beldowski ◽  
Terrance P. Long
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Chemical Weapons ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Gdansk Deep ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
The Baltic

AbstractVast quantities of German chemical warfare agents (CWA) were stored in Wolgast, on the Baltic shore, at the end of World War II. Those munitions, together with others collected by allies after the war, were disposed in the Baltic Sea. Altogether, an estimated 50,000 tonnes of chemical weapons were sunk in the Baltic Sea. Official dumpsites are located in the Bornholm Deep, Gotland Deep, Little Belt, and Skagerrak. According to previous studies, several unofficial dumping sites exist on the transport routes from Wolgast to dumping areas and in the Gdańsk Deep (cold war dump).In the years 2005‐2008, the interdisciplinary “Modeling of Environmental Risks related to sea-dumped Chemical Weapons” (MERCW) project performed mapping, (ca. 20% of dumping areas) and addressed some possible ecological risks in official dumpsites in the Bornholm Deep, Gotland Deep, and Skagerrak. The Chemical Munitions Search and Assessment (CHEMSEA) project aims to fill the gaps in MERCW research (mapping using new techniques, sediment contamination study, corrosion estimation), observing temporal trends in the ecosystem (compare present CWA and degradation products to that observed in MERCW), and extend this research to the largest unofficial dumpsite (Gdańsk Deep). Moreover, CHEMSEA will provide a number of guidelines for affected groups and stakeholders regarding operations in bottom areas contaminated with CWA and assess the probability, range, and ecological consequences of CWA release from dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea. The results of the project will be shared with the Helsinki Commission and the project’s partners and associated partners. The CHEMSEA is planned for years 2011‐2014.

scholarly journals Bacteriohopanepolyols record stratification, nitrogen fixation and other biogeochemical perturbations in Holocene sediments of the Central Baltic Sea

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 17139-17165
Author(s):  
M. Blumenberg ◽  
C. Berndmeyer ◽  
M. Moros ◽  
M. Muschalla ◽  
O. Schmale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Stable Stratification ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Allochthonous Input ◽  
The North ◽  
Water Column Stratification ◽  
Gotland Deep ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract. The Baltic Sea, one of the world's largest brackish-marine basins, established after deglaciation of Scandinavia about 17 000 to 15 000 yr ago. In the changeable history of the Baltic Sea, the initial freshwater system was connected to the North Sea about 8000 yr ago and the modern brackish-marine setting (Littorina Sea) was established. Today, a relatively stable stratification developed in the water column of the deep basins due to salinity differences. Stratification is only occasionally interrupted by mixing events, and controls nutrient availability and growth of specifically adapted microorganisms and algae. We studied bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs), lipids of specific bacterial groups, in a sediment core from the Central Baltic Sea (Gotland Deep) and found considerable differences between the distinct stages of the Baltic Sea's history. Individual BHP structures indicate contributions from as yet unknown redoxcline-specific bacteria (bacteriohopanetetrol isomer), methanotrophic bacteria (35-aminobacteriohopanetetrol), cyanobacteria (bacteriohopanetetrol cyclitol ether isomer) and, through allochthonous input after the Littorina transgression, from soil bacteria (adenosylhopane), whereas the origin of other BHPs in the core has still to be identified. Notably high BHP abundances were observed in the deposits of the brackish-marine Littorina phase, particularly in laminated sediment layers. Because these sediments record periods of stable water column stratification, bacteria specifically adapted to these conditions may account for the high portions of BHPs. An additional and/or accompanying source may be nitrogen-fixing (cyano)bacteria, which is indicated by a good correlation of BHP abundances with Corg and δ15N.

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