Raising the curtain on the ecology and biogeochemical significance of chemotrophic nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation by phototrophic cyanobacteria has long been recognized as a potentially significant source of N to aquatic ecosystems, but much less is known about the importance of N-fixation by chemotrophs, despite the fact that these organisms were among the first to fix N in the primitive oceans and continue to be prevalent in marine and freshwater systems today. Here, we discuss the evolution and ecology of these organisms and their significance to N-dynamics. We argue that different redox conditions and syntrophies lead to unique regulation controls relative to cyanobacteria. Specifically, we speculate that highly reduced conditions coupled with interdependent syntrophic couplings may lead to N-fixation under seemingly replete nitrogen conditions. The ecological and biogeochemical significance of N-fixation by these ‘behind-the-curtain’ metabolisms needs further study and should be a priority of future research.
Primary Presenter: James Cotner, University of Minnesota (cotne002@umn.edu)
Authors:
James Cotner, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (cotne002@umn.edu)
Megan Berberich, Michigan Tech University (meberber@mtu.edu)
William (Reid) Brown, University of Minnesota (brow6589@umn.edu)
David Costello, Kent State University (dcostel3@kent.edu)
Julian Damashek, Hamilton College (jdamashe@hamilton.edu)
Meng Gao, University of Rhode Island (meng_gao@uri.edu)
Keisuke Inomura, University of Rhode Island (inomura@uri.edu)
Ada Pastor, University of Girona (ada.pastor@udg.edu)
Corday Selden, Rutgers University (crselden@marine.rutgers.edu)
Robinson (Wally) Fulweiler, Boston University (rwf@bu.edu)
J Thad Scott, Baylor University (Thad_Scott@baylor.edu)
Amy Marcarelli, Michigan Tech University (ammarcar@mtu.edu)
Raising the curtain on the ecology and biogeochemical significance of chemotrophic nitrogen fixation
Category
Scientific Sessions > SS14 - Exploring Nitrogen Fixation Along the Freshwater-Marine Continuum; A Joint ASLO-SFS Endeavor
Description
Time: 03:15 PM
Date: 4/6/2024
Room: Lecture Hall