Seafloor ecosystem functioning: the importance of organic matter priming.
Organic matter (OM) remineralization may be considered a key function of the benthic compartment of marine ecosystems and in this study we investigated if the input of labile organic carbon alters mineralization of indigenous sediment OM (OM priming). Using13C-enriched diatoms as labile tracer carbon, we examined shallow-water sediments (surface and subsurface layers) containing organic carbon of different reactivity under oxic versus anoxic conditions. The background OM decomposition rates of the sediment used ranged from 0.08 to 0.44 μmol C mlws-1day-1. Algal OM additions induced enhanced levels of background remineralization (priming) up to 31% and these measured excess fluxes were similar to mineralization of the added highly degradable tracer algal carbon. This suggests that OM priming may be important in marine sediments.
Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, The Netherlands.
Paul
P
van Nugteren
Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, The Netherlands.
Leon
L
Moodley
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
Geert-Jan
GJ
Brummer
Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, The Netherlands ; Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
Carlo H R
CH
Heip
Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, The Netherlands.
Peter M J
PM
Herman
Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, The Netherlands.
Jack J
JJ
Middelburg