Research Product

An extensive study was conducted in Santa Rosa sound, northwest Florida U.S.A., over three years to gain a better understanding of factors controlling sulfate reduction in Thalassia testudinum bedded sediments. Sulfate reduction rates (SRR) showed seasonal trends that correlated with temperature and were generally highest in sediments above the root zone. Temperature characteristic (Ct) values, calculated in the same manner as an apparent energy of activation (Ea) from Arrhenius plots, and environmental Q10 values were very high and reached 167 and 10.0, respectively. These values were highest in the top sediment fraction in contrast to what has been previously described for unvegetated sediment where the apparent Ea and Q10 values increased with depth. Enrichment of seagrass beds with organic matter, coupled with the infusion of oxygen into the sediments to support active microbial communities in competition for electron donors, may contribute to the high apparent Ct for sulfate reduction in seagrass bed sediments