Open AccessMethanogenesis in the hypersaline Solar Lake (Sinai)
Author(s) -
Giani Dieter,
Giani Luise,
Cohen Yehuda,
Krumbein Wolfgang E.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb01460.x
Subject(s) - methanogenesis , sulfate , anoxic waters , environmental chemistry , salinity , methanosarcina , bacteria , sediment , sulfate reducing bacteria , substrate (aquarium) , methane , chemistry , biology , ecology , botany , organic chemistry , paleontology , genetics
Enrichment studies on microbial mat sediments (potential stromatolites) from the hypersaline Solar Lake (Sinai) indicated high numbers of methanogenic bacteria (up to 10 5 ml −1 sediment) in spite of the high sulfate reduction rate, sulfate concentration and salinity. Among H 2 /CO 2 , acetate and monomethylamine, the methylated amine was the preferred substrate. The predominant species enriched was a Methanosarcina sp. The findings indicate that methanogenic bacteria play an important role in hypersaline sulfate‐enriched anoxic sediments and stromatolithic microbial mats.