Biogeosciences Discussions www.biogeosciences-discuss.net 1810-6277 1810-6285 5 3 2008 10.5194/bgd-5-2305-2008 http://www.biogeosciences-discuss.net/5/2305/2008/ http://www.biogeosciences-discuss.net/5/2305/2008/bgd-5-2305-2008.html http://www.biogeosciences-discuss.net/5/2305/2008/bgd-5-2305-2008.pdf 2305 2341 2008-05-30 Regulation of anaerobic methane oxidation in sediments of the Black Sea N. J. Knab nknab@mpi-bremen.de B. A. Cragg E. R. C. Hornibrook L. Holmkvist C. Borowski R. J. Parkes B. B. Jørgensen Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Department of Biogeochemistry, Celsiusstr. 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany School of Earth and Oceans Sciences, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3YE, UK Bristol Biogeochemistry Research Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol, England, BS8 1RJ, UK Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and sulfate reduction (SRR) were investigated in sediments of the western Black Sea, where methane transport is controlled by diffusion. To understand the regulation and dynamics of methane production and oxidation in the Black Sea, rates of methanogenesis, AOM, and SRR were determined using radiotracers in combination with pore water chemistry and stable isotopes. On the shelf of the Danube paleo-delta and the Dnjepr Canyon, AOM did not consume methane effectively and upwards diffusing methane created an extended sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) that spread over more than 2.5 m and was located in formerly limnic sediment. Measurable AOM rates occurred mainly in the lower part of the SMTZ, sometimes even at depths where sulfate seemed to be unavailable. The inefficiency of methane oxidation appears to be linked to the limnic history of the sediment, since in all cores methane was completely oxidized at the limnic-marine transition. The upward tailing of methane was less pronounced in a core from the deep sea in the area of the Dnjepr Canyon, the only station with a SMTZ close to the marine deposits. Sulfate reduction rates were mostly extremely low, and in the SMTZ were even lower than AOM rates. Rates of bicarbonate-based methanogenesis were below detection limit in two of the cores, but δ¹³C values of methane indicate a biogenic origin. 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