Microbial Cycling of Sulfur, Iron, and Methane in Sediments and Water
This community investigates how bacteria and archaea transform sulfur, iron, and methane in sediments, lakes, and marine environments, focusing on the metabolic pathways that drive these biogeochemical cycles.
The work centers on the microbial metabolism of sulfur species, including sulfate reduction, sulfide oxidation, and sulfur isotope fractionation. A significant portion of the research examines anaerobic methane oxidation and the role of methanotrophs in controlling methane emissions from sediments and groundwaters. The community also studies the interaction between iron redox chemistry and sulfur cycling, particularly the formation of iron sulfides like pyrite. Key environments include marine sediments, acid mine drainage sites, and freshwater lakes. Methods frequently involve stable isotope analysis, microbial community profiling, and the characterization of specific functional groups such as sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanotrophs.
The largest share of the community's output is found in sulfur research, representing 2.2% of all sulfur research, with 6,525 papers in this group. Iron research contributes 2,730 papers, and hydrogen research contributes 2,432 papers.
The community comprises 13,546 papers, publishing most frequently in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Frontiers in Microbiology, and Chemical Geology.
Recent work continues to focus on the metabolic versatility of methane-oxidizing bacteria in anoxic environments, the biomineralization processes driven by microbial respiration, and the identification of specific microbial consortia in marine cold seeps and acid mine drainage systems.