title: Diversity and Distribution of Prokaryotes within a Shallow-Water Pockmark Field.
abstract: Pockmarks are crater-like depression on the seafloor associated with hydrocarbon ascent through muddy sediments in continental shelves around the world. In this study, we examine the diversity and distribution of benthic microbial communities at shallow-water pockmarks adjacent to the Middle Adriatic Ridge. We integrate microbial diversity data with characterization of local hydrocarbons concentrations and sediment geochemistry. Our results suggest these pockmarks are enriched in sedimentary hydrocarbons, and host a microbial community dominated by Bacteria, even in deeper sediment layers. Pockmark sediments showed higher prokaryotic abundance and biomass than surrounding sediments, potentially due to the increased availability of organic matter and higher concentrations of hydrocarbons linked to pockmark activity. Prokaryotic diversity analyses showed that the microbial communities of these shallow-water pockmarks are unique, and comprised phylotypes associated with the cycling of sulfur and nitrate compounds, as well as numerous know hydrocarbon degraders. Altogether, this study suggests that shallow-water pockmark habitats enhance the diversity of the benthic prokaryotic biosphere by providing specialized environmental niches.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research CouncilAncona, Italy; Institute of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyNew Brunswick, NJ, USA; Program in Interdisciplinary Studies, Institute of Advanced StudiesPrinceton, NJ, USA; Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giovannelli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research CouncilAncona, Italy; Department for Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of MarcheAncona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: d'Errico
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.affiliation: Department for Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fattorini
authors.affiliation: Department for Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Regoli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Angeletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bakran-Petricioli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyNew Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyNew Brunswick, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Costantino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vetriani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yücel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research CouncilBologna, Italy; Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionWoods Hole, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taviani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manini
keywords: archaea; bacteria; cold seeps; hydrocarbon degradation; hydrocarbons; microbial diversity; pockmarks; prokaryotic diversity