Title: Widespread bacterial populations at glacier beds and their relationship to rock weathering and carbon cycling
Abstract: Research Article| February 01, 1999 Widespread bacterial populations at glacier beds and their relationship to rock weathering and carbon cycling Martin Sharp; Martin Sharp 1Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar John Parkes; John Parkes 2Department of Geology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Barry Cragg; Barry Cragg 2Department of Geology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ian J. Fairchild; Ian J. Fairchild 3Department of Earth Sciences, Keele University, Staffs ST5 5BG, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Helen Lamb; Helen Lamb 4Department of Geography and Topographic Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Martyn Tranter Martyn Tranter 5Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1SS, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1999) 27 (2): 107–110. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0107:WBPAGB>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Martin Sharp, John Parkes, Barry Cragg, Ian J. Fairchild, Helen Lamb, Martyn Tranter; Widespread bacterial populations at glacier beds and their relationship to rock weathering and carbon cycling. Geology 1999;; 27 (2): 107–110. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0107:WBPAGB>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Bacterial populations found in subglacial meltwaters and basal ice are comparable to those in the active layer of permafrost and orders of magnitude larger than those found in ice cores from large ice sheets. Populations increase with sediment concentration, and 5%–24% of the bacteria are dividing or have just divided, suggesting that the populations are active. These findings (1) support inferences from recent studies of basal ice and meltwater chemistry that microbially mediated redox reactions may be important at glacier beds, (2) challenge the view that chemical weathering in glacial environments arises from purely inorganic reactions, and (3) raise the possibilities that redox reactions are a major source of protons consumed in subglacial weathering and that these reactions may be the dominant proton source beneath ice sheets where meltwaters are isolated from an atmospheric source of CO2. Microbial mediation may increase the rate of sulfide oxidation under subglacial conditions, a suggestion supported by the results of simple weathering experiments. If subglacial bacterial populations can oxidize and ferment organic carbon, it is important to reconsider the fate of soil organic carbon accumulated under interglacial conditions in areas subsequently overridden by Pleistocene ice sheets. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.
Publication Year: 1999
Publication Date: 1999-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 283
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