Tectonically-triggered sediment and carbon export to the Hadal zone

Bao, Rui; Strasser, Michael; McNichol, Ann P.; Haghipour, Negar; McIntyre, Cameron; Wefer, Gerold; Eglinton, Timothy I.

doi:10.1038/s41467-017-02504-1

Cited by 84 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(61 reference statements)

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“…This complements previous studies based on the composition of turbidites, which suggested earthquake-triggered remobilization of the upper 1-9 cm of slope sediments (McHugh et al, 2016;Moernaut et al, 2017). Furthermore, our results are in line with recent studies discussing the importance of earthquake shaking for transporting organic-rich surficial slope sediment to the hadal trench, forming an important contributor to the marine carbon cycle (Bao et al, 2018;Kioka et al, 2019;Mountjoy et al, 2018).…”

Section: Implications For Earthquake-triggered Sediment Transport Andsupporting

confidence: 92%

Earthquake Impact on Active Margins: Tracing Surficial Remobilization and Seismic Strengthening in a Slope Sedimentary Sequence

Molenaar

Moernaut

Wiemer

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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Strong earthquakes at active ocean margins can remobilize vast amounts of surficial slope sediments and dynamically strengthen the margin sequences. Current process understanding is obtained from resulting event deposits and low‐resolution shear strength data, respectively. Here we directly target a site offshore Japan where both processes are expected to initiate, that is, at the uppermost part (15 cm) of a sedimentary slope sequence. Based on a novel application of short‐lived radionuclide data, we identified, dated, and quantified centimeter‐scale gaps related to surficial remobilization. Temporal correlation to the three largest regional earthquakes attest triggering by strong earthquakes ( M w >8). Also, extremely elevated shear strength values suggest a strong influence of seismic strengthening on shallow sediments. We show that despite enhanced slope stability by seismic strengthening, earthquake‐induced sediment transport can occur through surficial remobilization, which has large implications for the assessment of turbidite paleoseismology and carbon cycling at active margins.

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Section: Implications For Earthquake-triggered Sediment Transport Andsupporting

confidence: 92%

Earthquake Impact on Active Margins: Tracing Surficial Remobilization and Seismic Strengthening in a Slope Sedimentary Sequence

Molenaar

Moernaut

Wiemer

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…Thus, the potential release from the Earth's interior and/or the carrion transported from these ecosystems by ocean currents may provide food to hadal fauna. Moreover, earthquakes and the steep slope enhance the deposition rate by importing the surrounding sediment into trenches (Bao et al, ; Glud et al, ). Amphipods living on the refractory OM in these redeposited sediments seems feasible thanks to the revelation of a special enzyme within them (Kobayashi et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hadal trenches (water depth > 6,000 m) are mainly characterized by high hydrostatic pressure, low temperatures, oligotrophy, frequent geological activity, and isolation from the anthrosphere (Bao et al, 2018;Jamieson et al, 2010;Somero, 1992). However, organisms there are more vibrant than expected despite the limited input of organic matter (OM) from primary production in the surface ocean (Glud et al, 2013;Jamieson et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Penetration of Bomb ¹⁴C Into the Deepest Ocean Trench

Wang

Shen

Sun

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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The food source of hadal endemic fauna provides an insight into the carbon cycle in trenches and a biological adaptation to the impoverished and harsh trench environment. Here, we present the first Δ14C results of hadal amphipods from three trenches in the Pacific to define the organic matter source in these remote ecosystems. Amphipod muscle tissues contain a bomb 14C signature (Δ14C from 10 ± 2‰ to 65 ± 2‰), thereby revealing a dietary preference for labile and fresh organic matter derived from the surface water. Thus, the carbon cycle in the deepest ocean trench has a tight linkage with the surface ocean via the food chain. The bomb 14C dating result suggests that hadal amphipods have a low tissue turnover rate and an unexpectedly long lifetime (>10 years), at more than 4 times higher than the common longevity (~2 years) of amphipods in shallow waters.

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“…Hadal zones are generally located in oceanic trenches that are formed along plate boundaries by movement of oceanic plates, and thus experience episodic and/or regular landslides [5, 6]. These landslides cause downward transportation of surface sediments along with relatively fresh OM via the funnel effect of trench geomorphology [7–11]. Moreover, higher sedimentation rates and concentrations of subseafloor organic compounds in trench bottom sediments compared to neighboring abyssal sediments have been reported in multiple trench regions under oligotrophic and eutrophic oceans [4, 11–14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial community and geochemical analyses of trans-trench sediments for understanding the roles of hadal environments

Hiraoka

Hirai

Matsui

et al. 2019

Preprint

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32Hadal trench bottom (>6,000 m below sea level) sediments harbor higher microbial cell abundance 33 compared to adjacent abyssal plain sediments. This is supported by the accumulation of sedimentary organic 34 matter (OM), facilitated by trench topography. However, the distribution of benthic microbes in different 35 trench systems has not been explored yet. Here, we carried out small subunit ribosomal RNA gene tag 36 sequencing for 92 sediment subsamples of seven abyssal and seven hadal sediment cores collected from three 37 trench regions in the northwest Pacific Ocean: the Japan, and Mariana Trenches. 38 Tag-sequencing analyses showed specific distribution patterns of several phyla associated with oxygen and 39 nitrate. The community structure was distinct between abyssal and hadal sediments, following geographic 40 locations and factors represented by sediment depth. Co-occurrence network revealed six potential prokaryotic 41 consortiums that covaried across regions. Our results further support that the endogenous OM cycle is driven 42 by hadal currents and/or rapid burial shapes microbial community structures at trench bottom sites, in addition 43 to vertical deposition from the surface ocean. Our trans-trench analysis highlights intra-and inter-trench 44 distributions of microbial assemblages and geochemistry in surface seafloor sediments, providing novel 45 insights into ultra-deep-sea microbial ecology, one of the last frontiers on our planet. 46 48The abyssal plain extends from the continental slope to the rim of deep trenches (3,000-6,000 m 49 below sea level [mbsl]) and covers 85% of the global seafloor area, while the hadal zone (>6,000 mbsl) 50 comprises 1-2% of it [1, 2]. In general, abyssal water and sediments are usually oligotrophic, and physical and 51 chemical conditions (e.g., salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient concentrations) in hadal water 52 are similar to the overlying abyssal water despite the higher hydrostatic pressure [1-3]. However, cell 53 abundance and microbial carbon turnover rates are significantly higher at hadal compared to abyssal seafloors, 54 especially below the sediment surface, while microbial abundance in surface sediments are sometimes 55 comparable between hadal and abyssal sites [4]. This could be attributed to factors apart from differences in 56 the vertical downward flux of sinking organic matter (OM) from the ocean surface and hydrostatic pressure. 57Hadal zones are generally located in oceanic trenches that are formed along plate boundaries by 58 movement of oceanic plates, and thus experience episodic and/or regular landslides [5, 6]. These landslides 59 cause downward transportation of surface sediments along with relatively fresh OM via the funnel effect of 60 trench geomorphology [7][8][9][10][11]. Moreover, higher sedimentation rates and concentrations of subseafloor 61 organic compounds in trench bottom sediments compared to neighboring abyssal sediments have been 62 reported in multiple trench regions under oligotrophic and eutroph...

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Tectonically-triggered sediment and carbon export to the Hadal zone

Cited by 84 publications

References 43 publications

Earthquake Impact on Active Margins: Tracing Surficial Remobilization and Seismic Strengthening in a Slope Sedimentary Sequence

Earthquake Impact on Active Margins: Tracing Surficial Remobilization and Seismic Strengthening in a Slope Sedimentary Sequence

Penetration of Bomb ¹⁴C Into the Deepest Ocean Trench

Microbial community and geochemical analyses of trans-trench sediments for understanding the roles of hadal environments

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Tectonically-triggered sediment and carbon export to the Hadal zone

Cited by 84 publications

References 43 publications

Earthquake Impact on Active Margins: Tracing Surficial Remobilization and Seismic Strengthening in a Slope Sedimentary Sequence

Earthquake Impact on Active Margins: Tracing Surficial Remobilization and Seismic Strengthening in a Slope Sedimentary Sequence

Penetration of Bomb 14C Into the Deepest Ocean Trench

Microbial community and geochemical analyses of trans-trench sediments for understanding the roles of hadal environments

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Penetration of Bomb ¹⁴C Into the Deepest Ocean Trench