Natural and Anthropogenic Oil and Gas Contribution to Geo-Microbial Carbon Cycling

Dear Colleagues,

We know that geomicrobial carbon cycling influences the health of an environment. For example, on the ocean floor, in the presence of natural oil seeps, there can be active cycling of oil that can be a primary component of the carbon budget through the food chain. A valuable understanding of this part of ocean carbon cycling is what oil contributes to the shallow sediment and overlying water column carbon budget, as well as how much of this carbon is transferred into higher trophic levels and the respired carbon that transitions through the water column and porewater, dissolving inorganic carbon and carbon dioxide into precipitated carbonate. Another important question is how this varies through ocean temperature and pressure profiles from the Arctic to the Antarctic and in between. Anthropogenic oil sources can also make a significant contribution to carbon cycling in different ecosystems. There is a realization that natural attenuation of oil spills can be a dominant part of a remediation plan. However, success in environmental restoration does vary between ecosystems and is partially a function of the geomicrobial impact on the ecosystem. With high anthropogenic carbon loading, coupled with nutrient additions, hypoxia in the ecosystems will negatively impact the entire ecosystem. A thorough understanding of geomicrobial oil cycling will contribute to the assessment of oil spill natural attenuation and protocol for enhancing attenuation. This Special Issue in Ecologies invites contributions from geomicrobial carbon cycling, focusing on natural and anthropogenic oil cycling in shallow to aquatic ecosystems through tropical to polar climates.

Prof. Dr. Richard Coffin
Guest Editor

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