title: Measuring nitrification, denitrification, and related biomarkers in terrestrial geothermal ecosystems.
abstract: Research on the nitrogen biogeochemical cycle in terrestrial geothermal ecosystems has recently been energized by the discovery of thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). This chapter describes methods that have been used for measuring nitrification and denitrification in hot spring environments, including isotope pool dilution and tracer approaches, and the acetylene block approach. The chapter also summarizes qualitative and quantitative methods for measurement of functional and phylogenetic biomarkers of thermophiles potentially involved in these processes.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dodsworth
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hungate
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.forename: Hongchen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Hedlund
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism; D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D058440:Denitrification; D017753:Ecosystem; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000382:microbiology*; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D058465:Nitrification; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D009606:Nitrosomonas / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D000641:Ammonia