Indications of a link between seismotectonics and CH<sub>4</sub> release from seeps off Costa Rica

Mau, Susan; Rehder, Gregor; Arroyo, Ivonne G.; Goßler, J.; Suess, Erwin

doi:10.1029/2006gc001326

Cited by 47 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Outside of seep habitats, where the microbial benthic methane filter is either absent or in deeper sediment zones, the adaptation might require much more time, since the doubling rate of the microbes involved is on the order of a few months (Girguis et al, 2005;Nauhaus et al, 2007;Krüger et al, 2008;Meulepas et al, 2009). Mau et al (2007) observed a reduction in methane emissions in the water column above the earthquake-impacted seepage area by 50-90 % in a period of 1 year. In our experiments, the benthic microbial methane filter required only ∼ 170 d to adapt to the new flow regime.…”

Section: Response Time Of the Microbial Benthic Methane Filtermentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Fluids and related methane fluxes can vary both spatially and temporally as well as in origin, composition, and flow velocity. Temporal variations can be caused by gas hydrate formation and dissociation (Hesse et al, 2000;Tryon et al, 2002;Hensen et al, 2004;Minami et al, 2012) or triggered by earthquakes, which are frequent in this active subduction zone Hensen et al, 2004;Aiello, 2005;Henrys et al, 2006;Mau et al, 2007;Fischer et al, 2013).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Events like this affect the efficiency of the benthic microbial methane filter and result in increased methane concentrations in the water column. Slow adaptation to increased methane supply may explain elevated methane con-P. Steeb et al: Quepos Slide SLOT system 6689 centrations in the water column offshore of Costa Rica found by Mau et al (2007) in 2003, presumably caused by an earthquake earlier that year.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Karaca et al (2012) conducted their study 10 years prior to ours. Methane flux as well as microbial activity could have changed easily over this period (Mau et al, 2007;Füri et al, 2010). A drop in methane flux would probably enhance the efficiency of the benthic methane filter.…”

Section: P Steeb Et Al: Quepos Slide Slot Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In our experiments, the benthic microbial methane filter required only ∼ 170 d to adapt to the new flow regime. It is not clear whether the subsequent reduction in methane emissions observed by Mau et al (2007) was the result of an ephemeral pulse of methane flux or the adaption of the microbial benthic methane filter. Our results indicate that both situations are conceivable.…”

Section: Response Time Of the Microbial Benthic Methane Filtermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Efficiency and adaptability of the benthic methane filter at Quepos Slide cold seeps, offshore of Costa Rica

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Large amounts of methane are delivered by fluids through the erosive forearc of the convergent margin offshore of Costa Rica and lead to the formation of cold seeps at the sediment surface. Besides mud extrusion, numerous cold seeps are created by landslides induced by seamount subduction or fluid migration along major faults. Most of the dissolved methane migrating through the sediments of cold seeps is oxidized within the benthic microbial methane filter by anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). Measurements of AOM and sulfate reduction as well as numerical modeling of porewater profiles revealed a highly active and efficient benthic methane filter at the Quepos Slide site, a landslide on the continental slope between the Nicoya and Osa Peninsula. Integrated areal rates of AOM ranged from 12.9 ± 6.0 to 45.2 ± 11.5 mmol m −2 d −1 , with only 1 to 2.5 % of the upward methane flux being released into the water column.Additionally, two parallel sediment cores from Quepos Slide were used for in vitro experiments in a recently developed sediment-flow-through (SLOT) system to simulate an increased fluid and methane flux from the bottom of the sediment core. The benthic methane filter revealed a high adaptability whereby the methane oxidation efficiency responded to the increased fluid flow within ca. 170 d. To our knowledge, this study provides the first estimation of the natural biogeochemical response of seep sediments to changes in fluid flow.

show abstract

Section: Response Time Of the Microbial Benthic Methane Filtermentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: P Steeb Et Al: Quepos Slide Slot Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Response Time Of the Microbial Benthic Methane Filtermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Efficiency and adaptability of the benthic methane filter at Quepos Slide cold seeps, offshore of Costa Rica

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Tidally controlled gas bubble emissions: A comprehensive study using long-term monitoring data from the NEPTUNE cabled observatory offshore Vancouver Island

Römer

Riedel

Scherwath

et al. 2016

Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst.

118

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Long-term monitoring over 1 year revealed high temporal variability of gas emissions at a cold seep in 1250 m water depth offshore Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Data from the North East Pacific Time series Underwater Networked Experiment observatory operated by Ocean Networks Canada were used. The site is equipped with a 260 kHz Imagenex sonar collecting hourly data, conductivity-temperaturedepth sensors, bottom pressure recorders, current meter, and an ocean bottom seismograph. This enables correlation of the data and analyzing trigger mechanisms and regulating criteria of gas discharge activity. Three periods of gas emission activity were observed: (a) short activity phases of few hours lasting several months, (b) alternating activity and inactivity of up to several day-long phases each, and (c) a period of several weeks of permanent activity. These periods can neither be explained by oceanographic conditions nor initiated by earthquakes. However, we found a clear correlation of gas emission with bottom pressure changes controlled by tides. Gas bubbles start emanating during decreasing tidal pressure. Tidally induced pressure changes also influence the subbottom fluid system by shifting the methane solubility resulting in exsolution of gas during falling tides. These pressure changes affect the equilibrium of forces allowing free gas in sediments to emanate into the water column at decreased hydrostatic load. We propose a model for the fluid system at the seep, fueled by a constant subsurface methane flux and a frequent tidally controlled discharge of gas bubbles into the ocean, transferable to other gas emission sites in the world's oceans.

show abstract

The dynamic influence of methane seepage on macrofauna inhabiting authigenic carbonates

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Methane seeps are highly productive deep-sea ecosystems reliant on chemosynthetic primary production. They are increasingly affected by direct human activities that threaten key ecosystem services. Methane seepage often generates precipitation of authigenic carbonate rocks, which host diverse microbes, and a dynamic invertebrate community. By providing hard substrate, even after seepage ceases, these rocks may promote a long-lasting ecological interaction between seep and background communities. We analyzed community composition, density, and trophic structure of invertebrates on authigenic carbonates at Mound 12, a seep on the Pacific margin of Costa Rica, using one mensurative and two manipulative experiments. We asked whether carbonate macrofaunal communities are able to survive, adapt, and recover from changes in environmental factors (i.e., seepage activity, chemosynthetic production, and food availability), and we hypothesized a key role for seepage activity in defining these communities and responses. Communities on in situ carbonates under different seepage activities showed declining density with increasing distance from the seep and a shift in composition from gastropod dominance in areas of active seepage to more annelids and peracarid crustaceans that are less dependent on chemosynthetic production under lesser seepage. Response to changing environmental context was evident from altered community composition following (1) a natural decline in seepage over successive years, (2) transplanting of carbonates to different seepage conditions for 17 months, and (3) defaunated carbonate deployments under different seepage regimes over 7.4 yr. Seep faunas on transplants to lesser seepage emerge and recover faster than transition fauna (characterized by native seep and background faunas, respectively) and are able to persist by adapting their diets or by retaining their symbiotic bacteria. The macrofaunal community colonizing defaunated carbonates deployed for 7.4 yr developed communities with a similar successional stage as in situ rocks, although trophic structure was not fully recovered. Thus, macrofaunal successional dynamics are affected by habitat complexity and the availability of microbial chemosynthetic productivity. This multi-experiment study highlights the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors at methane seeps at different time scales along a spatial gradient connecting seep and surrounding deep-sea communities and offers insight on the resilience of deep-sea macrofaunal communities.

show abstract

Indications of a link between seismotectonics and CH₄ release from seeps off Costa Rica

Cited by 47 publications

References 37 publications

Efficiency and adaptability of the benthic methane filter at Quepos Slide cold seeps, offshore of Costa Rica

Efficiency and adaptability of the benthic methane filter at Quepos Slide cold seeps, offshore of Costa Rica

Tidally controlled gas bubble emissions: A comprehensive study using long-term monitoring data from the NEPTUNE cabled observatory offshore Vancouver Island

The dynamic influence of methane seepage on macrofauna inhabiting authigenic carbonates

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Indications of a link between seismotectonics and CH4 release from seeps off Costa Rica

Cited by 47 publications

References 37 publications

Efficiency and adaptability of the benthic methane filter at Quepos Slide cold seeps, offshore of Costa Rica

Efficiency and adaptability of the benthic methane filter at Quepos Slide cold seeps, offshore of Costa Rica

Tidally controlled gas bubble emissions: A comprehensive study using long-term monitoring data from the NEPTUNE cabled observatory offshore Vancouver Island

The dynamic influence of methane seepage on macrofauna inhabiting authigenic carbonates

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Indications of a link between seismotectonics and CH₄ release from seeps off Costa Rica