Measurement of denitrification in estuarine sediment using membrane inlet mass spectrometry

Abstract Denitrification was measured in intact sediment cores and in homogenised slurries using membrane inlet mass spectrometry. Dissolved concentrations of O₂, N₂, N₂O and CO₂ were simultaneously monitored. Using a 0.8 mm diameter needle probe, a comparison was made of the gas profiles of intact cores obtained under different conditions, i.e. with air or argon as the headspace gas and after the addition of nitrate and/or a carbon source to the sediment surface. O₂ was detectable to a depth of 1 cm under a headspace of air and the depth at which the maxima of denitrification products occurred was 1.5–2 cm. Denitrification products (N₂O, N₂) occurred in the surface layers where O₂ was above the minimum level of detectability (> 0.25 μM): diffusion of N₂ and N₂O upwards from the anoxic zone, local anaerobic microenvironments or aerobic denitrification are alternative explanations for this observation. The addition of nitrate and/or acetate increased the concentrations of N₂, N₂O and CO₂ in the sediment core. In sediment slurries, the pH, nitrate concentration, carbon source and the depth from which the sample was taken affected the rate of denitrification. Nitrogen was the sole detectable end product. Maximum denitrification occurred at pH 7.5 and at 20 mM nitrate. Denitrification was at a maximum in those slurries prepared from sections of core at 1–2 cm depth.     

A study of the occurrence and distribution of bdellovibrios in estuarine sediment over an annual cycle

The recovery of bdellovibrios from estuarine sediments over an annual cycle was studied. Greater numbers of the predators were recovered in sediment than in the water column. Increases in the number of bdellovibrios recovered from sediment over various periods of time suggest that multiplication of the predators occurred. Sediment was observed to be an important ecosystem for the survival of bdellovibrios in the winter months. As has been observed in water, the number of bdellovibrios in sediment fluctuated, with seasonal and temperature changes declining to very low numbers during the winter months. In the colder months, low numbers of the predators appeared to winter-over in sediment, with greater numbers of the organisms being recovered from deeper sediment. As the water temperature warmed in the spring, increases in the number of bdellovibrios occurred first in sediment and subsequently in water. This increase of bdellovibrios in sediment may have resulted in the shedding of the organisms into the water column where their numbers subsequently increased. Population fluctuations of bdellovibrios were similar in both water and sediment. Although the temperature may account for much of the observed fluctuation in the number of bdellovibrios, other factors, including salinity and the number of host bacteria, may also play a major role. The number of bdellovibrios recovered from sediment correlated positively with the water temperature, and negatively with the water salinity and the number of bacterial colony-forming units from sediment. The results of this study revealed the significance of sediment to the seasonal cycle, survival, and growth of the bdellovibrios in an estuarine environment.     

Role of reef fauna in sediment transport and distribution

Summary 1. Reef organisms may play a major role in the transport and distribution of sediment on the sea floor adjacent to coral reefs.2. Some fish such asMalacanthus plumieri (Bloch) selectively transport and collect certain types of sediment (such as larger coral and shell fragments).3. The random movement of crawling or burrowing organisms may cause a large amount of sediment to be shifted laterally on the sea floor. On slopes, a net downhill displacement may result.4. The surface configuration and internal structure of the sediment is rapidly changed by faunal mixing. Ripple marks formed by waves or currents are obliterated by the activity of organisms in only a few weeks in the environment studied. Internal structure (bedding) near the sediment-water interface is similarly destroyed in a short period of time.5. Larger clasts (including empty shells) on the sea floor tend to be buried by faunal undermining. The rate of burial depends primarily on the grain size of the substrate.6. The random movement of fauna on the sea floor may produce a predominantly concave-up orientation of pelecypod shells and shell fragments on the sea floor — the opposite of that produced by the activity of waves or currents.

---

Die Rolle der Riffauna beim Transport und der Verteilung des Sediments. Untersuchungen von Tektite I und II

Kurzfassung Die Tierwelt scheint einen größeren Einfluß auf die Verfrachtung und Verteilung von Sedimenten in der Umgebung von Korallenriffen auszuüben als physikalische Vorgänge. Versuche, die während der Man-in-the-sea Projekte Tektite I und II bei St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (Karibische See), durchgeführt wurden, galten unter anderem Studien über das Ausmaß des Transportes von Sedimentbestandteilen durch Fische. Ferner wurde die Geschwindigkeit, mit der Rippeln und Schichtungen durch tierische Wühlvorgänge zerstört und mit der Steine und andere Substratteile durch das Unterwühlen von Tieren umgelagert werden, untersucht. Ergänzende Beobachtungen wurden über die Orientierung leerer Muschelschalen angestellt, die je nachdem, ob sie von Bodentieren oder durch Wellen und Strömungen bewegt werden, entweder mit der konkaven Seite bevorzugt nach oben oder nach unten gelagert werden. Verschiedene Probleme der Beziehungen zwischen Riffauna und Sediment werden diskutiert.

     

Potential rates of nitrification and denitrification in an oligotrophic freshwater sediment system

Potential rates of nitrification and denitrification were measured in an oligotrophic sediment system. Nitrification potential was estimated using the CO oxidation technique, and potential denitrification was measured by the acetylene blockage technique. The sediments demonstrated both nitrifying and denitrifying activity. E_h, O₂, and organic C profiles showed two distinct types of sediment. One type was low in organic C, had high O₂ and E_h, and had rates of denitrification 1,000 times lower than the other which had high organic C, low O₂, and low E_h. Potential nitrification and denitrification rates were negatively correlated with E_h. This suggests that environmental heterogeneity in denitrifier and nitrifier populations in oligotrophic sediment systems may be assessed using E_h before sampling protocols for nitrification or denitrification rates are established. There was no correlation between denitrification and nitrification rates or between either of these processes and NH₄ ⁺ or NO₃ ^– concentrations. The maximum rate of denitrification was 0.969 nmole N cm^–3 hour^–1, and the maximum rate of nitrification was 23.6 nmole cm^–3 hour^–1, suggesting nitrification does not limit denitrification in these oligotrophic sediments. Some sediment cores had mean concentrations of 6.0 mg O₂/liter and still showed both nitrification and denitrification activity.     

Biphasic behavior of anammox regulated by nitrite and nitrate in an estuarine sediment

The production of N2 gas via anammox was investigated in sediment slurries at in situ NO2- concentrations in the presence and absence of NO3-. With single enrichment above 10 microM 14NO2- or 14NO3- and 15NH4+, anammox activity was always linear (P < 0.05), in agreement with previous findings. In contrast, anammox exhibited a range of activity below 10 microM NO2- or NO3-, including an elevated response at lower concentrations. With 100 microM NO3-, no significant transient accumulation of NO2- could be measured, and the starting concentration of NO2- could therefore be regulated. With dual enrichment (1 to 20 microM NO2- plus 100 microM NO3-), there was a pronounced nonlinear response in anammox activity. Maximal activity occurred between 2 and 5 microM NO2-, but the amplitude of this peak varied across the study (November 2003 to June 2004). Anammox accounted for as much as 82% of the NO2- added at 1 microM in November 2003 but only for 15% in May 2004 and for 26 and 5% of the NO2- added at 5 microM for these two months, respectively. Decreasing the concentration of NO3- but holding NO2- at 5 microM decreased the significance of anammox as a sink for NO2-. The behavior of anammox was explored by use of a simple anammox-denitrification model, and the concept of a biphasic system for anammox in estuarine sediments is proposed. Overall, anammox is likely to be regulated by the availability of NO3- and NO2- and the relative size or activity of the anammox population.     

Effects of temperature on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification via nitrite in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor

A laboratory scale experiment was described in this paper to enhance biological nitrogen removal by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) via nitrite with a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR). Under conditions of total nitrogen (TN) about 30 mg/L and pH ranged 7.15–7.62, synthetic wastewater was cyclically operated within the reactor for 110 days. Optimal operation conditions were established to obtain consistently high TN removal rate and nitrite accumulation ratio, which included an optimal temperature of 31 °C and an aeration time of 5 h under the air flow of 50 L/h. Stable nitrite accumulation could be realized under different temperatures and the nitrite accumulation ratio increased with an increase of temperature from 15 to 35 °C. The highest TN removal rate (91.9%) was at 31 °C with DO ranged 3–4 mg/L. Process control could be achieved by observing changes in DO and pH to judge the end-point of oxidation of ammonia and SND.     

Aquatic insects in an estuarine environment: densities, distribution and salinity tolerance

1. Aquatic insects were quantitatively surveyed at five sites along the tidally influenced section of a river-dominated estuary in North Wales. Site 1 was the furthest upstream and was established as a reference site as it was never inundated by salt water. Site 5 was the furthest downstream and was inundated by all incoming tides. Numerically, insects made up 32% of the estuarine invertebrate fauna. 2. Although the densities of most insect taxa decreased towards the estuary mouth, there were significant numbers present downstream for much of the year; for example, in April at site 4 (which was inundated by 81% of all high tides), a mean of 3514 chironomid larvae were recorded per m² of estuary bed. Even at site 5, which was inundated twice daily, there were 747 larvae per m². Among the larger aquatic insects, caddisfly and elmid beetle larvae, together with stonefly nymphs, were consistently taken at site 4 (e.g. maxima of forty-eight caddisfly larvae m^–2 in December and seventy elmids m^–2 in April), although their densities were lower than upstream. 3. There were seasonal shifts in the longitudinal distribution of several taxa, most notably the extension of chironomids down the estuary in April and July, and the concentration of simuliid larvae and mayfly nymphs at site 2 in July. The total freshwater benthos showed a downstream shift between September and December, which was maintained through April and into the summer. The latter was despite peak saltwater inundation (highest tides) in October, November and April. In June and July, when saltwater intrusion was lowest, the ranges of many aquatic insects had contracted to sites 1 and 2. 4. Laboratory experiments showed that virtually all individuals of nineteen species of insects collected from site 1 (freshwater) survived a 4-h immersion in 8.75‰ saltwater (25% strength seawater). Immersion in progressively more saline solutions reduced the survivorship of first the mayflies, followed by the caddisflies Glossosoma conformis and Hydropsyche instabilis. After 4 h in full strength seawater, all specimens of the stonefly Dinocras cephalotes, over half of the Perla bipunctata, and some individuals of nine species of caddisfly were alive. Four species of caddisfly (Sericostoma personatum, Odontocerum albicorne, Potamophylax cingulatus and Adicella reducta) survived a 24-h simulated tidal cycle of immersion. With the exception of P. cingulatus, a few individuals of these caddisfly species survived immersion in full-strength seawater for 24 h. For some individual species there was good agreement between their observed longitudinal distribution in the estuary and laboratory-measured salinity tolerance; however, there was no significant correlation, overall, for the fauna.     

Depth profile of sulfate-reducing bacterial ribosomal RNA and mercury methylation in an estuarine sediment

Abstract: The community structure of complex anaerobic microbial communities has been difficult to elucidate because of an inability to cultivate most of the contributing populations. In this study, the distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in anaerobic sediments was determined using oligonucleotide probes complementary to the 16S ribosomal RNAs of major phylogenetic groups. Sediment cores were collected from Santa Rosa Sound in northwest Florida, and sectioned by depth into 1 to 2 cm fractions. Nucleic acids were extracted from each fraction and hybridized with the SRB-specific ribosomal RNA probes. SRB ribosomal RNAs accounted for almost 5% of the microbial community ribosomal RNA pool in the 3–4 cm depth fraction and were dominated by Desulfovibrionaceae ribosomal RNA. The SRB ribosomal RNA peak coincided with mercury methylation, an activity attributed to SRB. Profiles of the ribosomal RNAs indicate that SRB populations in sediments are stratified by depth.     

Vertical distribution and diversity of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes in the Pearl River estuarine sediments, Southern China

The vertical distribution and diversity of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRPs) in a sediment core from the Pearl River Estuary was reported for the first time. The profiles of methane and sulfate concentrations along the sediment core indicated processes of methane production/oxidation and sulfate reduction. Phospholipid fatty acids analysis suggested that sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) might be abundant in the upper layers, while SRPs might be distributed throughout the sediment core. Quantitative competitive-PCR analysis indicated that the ratios of SRPs to total bacteria in the sediment core varied from around 2–20%. Four dissimilatory sulfite reductase ( dsrAB) gene libraries were constructed and analyzed for the top layer (0–6 cm), middle layer (18–24 cm), bottom layer (44–50 cm) and the sulfate-methane transition zone (32–42 cm) sediments. Most of the retrieved dsrAB sequences (80.9%) had low sequence similarity with known SRP sequences and formed deeply branching dsrAB lineages. Meanwhile, bacterial 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed that members of the Proteobacteria were predominant in these sediments. Putative SRPs within Desulfobacteriaceae, Syntrophaceae and Desulfobulbaceae of Deltaproteobacteria , and putative SOB within Epsilonproteobacteria were detected by the 16S rRNA gene analysis. Results of this study suggested a variety of novel SRPs in the Pearl River Estuary sediments.     

Vertical distribution of methanogens in the anoxic sediment of Rotsee (Switzerland).

Anoxic sediments from Rotsee (Switzerland) were analyzed for the presence and diversity of methanogens by using molecular tools and for methanogenic activity by using radiotracer techniques, in addition to the measurement of chemical profiles. After PCR-assisted sequence retrieval of the 16S rRNA genes (16S rDNA) from the anoxic sediment of Rotsee, cloning, and sequencing, a phylogenetic analysis identified two clusters of sequences and four separated clones. The sequences in cluster 1 grouped with those of Methanosaeta spp., whereas the sequences in cluster 2 comprised the methanogenic endosymbiont of Plagiopyla nasuta. Discriminative oligonucleotide probes were constructed against both clusters and two of the separated clones. These probes were used subsequently for the analysis of indigenous methanogens in a core of the sediment, in addition to domain-specific probes against members of the domains Bacteria and Archaea and the fluorescent stain 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), by fluorescent in situ hybridization. After DAPI staining, the highest microbial density was obtained in the upper sediment layer; this density decreased with depth from (1.01 +/- 0.25) x 10(10) to (2.62 +/- 0.58) x 10(10) cells per g of sediment (dry weight). This zone corresponded to that of highest metabolic activity, as indicated by the ammonia, alkalinity, and pH profiles, whereas the methane profile was constant. Probes Eub338 and Arch915 detected on average 16 and 6% of the DAPI-stained cells as members of the domains Bacteria and Archaea, respectively. Probe Rotcl1 identified on average 4% of the DAPI-stained cells as Methanosaeta spp., which were present throughout the whole core. In contrast, probe Rotcl2 identified only 0.7% of the DAPI-stained cells as relatives of the methanogenic endosymbiont of P. nasuta, which was present exclusively in the upper 2 cm of the sediment. Probes Rotp13 and Rotp17 did not detect any cells. The spatial distribution of the two methanogenic populations corresponded well to the methane production rates determined by incubation with either [14C]acetate or [14C]bicarbonate. Methanogenesis from acetate accounted for almost all of the total methane production, which concurs with the predominance of acetoclastic Methanosaeta spp. that represented on average 91% of the archaeal population. Significant hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was found only in the organically enriched upper 2 cm of the sediment, where the probably hydrogenotrophic relatives of the methanogenic endosymbiont of P. nasuta, accounting on average for 7% of the archaeal population, were also detected.     

Vertical distribution of structure and function of the methanogenic archaeal community in Lake Dagow sediment

Detailed studies on the relation of structure and function of microbial communities in a sediment depth profile scarcely exist. We determined as functional aspect the vertical distribution of the acetotrophic and hydrogenotrophic CH4 production activity by measuring production rates and stable 13C/12C-isotopic signatures of CH4 in the profundal sediment of Lake Dagow. The structural aspect was determined by the composition of the methanogenic community by quantifying the abundance of different archaeal groups using 'real-time' polymerase chain reaction and analysis of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). Methane production rates in the surface sediment (0-3 cm depth) were higher in August than in May, but strongly decreased with depth (down to 20 cm). The delta13C of the produced CH4 and CO2 indicated an increase in isotopic fractionation with sediment depth. The relative contribution of hydrogenotrophic to total methanogenesis, which was calculated from the isotopic signatures, increased with depth from about 22% to 38%. Total numbers of microorganisms were higher in August than in May, but strongly decreased with depth. The increase of microorganisms from May to August mainly resulted from Bacteria. The Archaea, on the other hand, exhibited a rather constant abundance, but also decreased with depth from about 1 x 10(8) copies of the archaeal 16S rRNA gene per gram of dry sediment at the surface to 4 x 10(7) copies per gram at 15-20 cm depth. T-RFLP analysis combined with phylogenetic analysis of cloned sequences of the archaeal 16S rRNA genes showed that the methanogenic community consisted mainly of Methanomicrobiales and Methanosaetaceae. The relative abundance of Methanosaetaceae decreased with depth, whereas that of Methanomicrobiales slightly increased. Hence, the vertical distribution of the functional characteristics (CH4 production from acetate versus H2/CO2) was reflected in the structure of the community consisting of acetotrophic (Methanosaetaceae) versus hydrogenotrophic (Methanomicrobiales) phenotypes.     

Vertical distribution of decapod larvae in the entrance of an equatorward facing bay of central Chile: implications for transport

Two short biophysical surveys were carried out in order to assesshow the decapod crustacean larvae vertical distribution andcirculation patterns in an equatorward facing embayment (Gulfof Arauco, 37° S; 73° W) influenced larval transportinto and out of the Gulf. The embayment is located at the upwellingarea of south central Chile and features a deep (     

Estimating denitrification rates in estuarine sediments: A comparison of stoichiometric and acetylene based methods

We compared denitrification rates obtained using an adaptation of the acetylene block technique to rates estimated from benthic flux nutrient stoichiometry in the subtidal sediments of Tomales Bay, California (USA). By amending whole cores with acetylene and saturating nitrate concentrations, we obtained potential denitrification rates, which ranged between 4 and 30 mmol N m^–2 d^–1. We determined the apparent Michaelis constant (K_app) and the maximum potential rate (V_mp) of the denitrifying community and used these constants in a rectangular hyperbola to estimatein situ denitrification rates. Both the K_app and V_mp of the denitrifying community exhibited significant variation over both depth in the sediment column and time of sampling.Estimates ofin situ denitrification obtained using our kinetic-fix adaptation of the acetylene block ranged between 1.8 (March) and 9 (Sept.) mmol N m^–1 d^–1. Denitrification rates obtained using benthic flux stoichiometry ranged between 0.7 and 4.1 mmol N m^–2 d^–1. Average denitrification rates obtained using the kinetic-fix acetylene block approach exceeded those obtained from net benthic flux stoichiometry; however, these differences were not significant. We conclude that our kinetic-fix adaptation of the acetylene block technique provides realistic estimates of denitrification in sediments, even when pore water nitrate concentrations are low and nitrification and denitrification are closely coupled.     

Vertical distribution and chemical character of sediment phosphorus in two shallow estuaries in the Baltic Sea

The vertical distribution of various phosphorus (P) forms and their relation to physico-chemical properties of estuary sediment material were studied to better understand the potential release and burial of P. Core samples were taken from two dissimilar estuaries in the Baltic Sea: one in the Archipelago Sea (AS) and one in the Gulf of Finland (GoF). The P reserves were characterized by a sequential extraction procedure including the analysis of simultaneously dissolved elements in two extraction steps. The sediment material was also analysed for particle size distribution and total elements. In addition, several environmental variables were determined. The occurrence of the various forms of P varied with sediment depth among different sites. Reductant soluble, iron (Fe) bound P was the most dynamically changing P form in the sediment, while P bound to other metal oxides and apatite-P were the most stable fractions. High sedimentation rate was a dominating factor for sediment P burial. In addition, the content of organic matter, the amount of erosion-transported sorption components, and the oxygen (O₂) conditions in the near-bottom water were important determinants of the behaviour of sediment P. The results indicate that, over the long term, both estuaries have acted as sinks for deposited P and restricted the transport of P to the AS and the open GoF, thereby partly alleviating the eutrophication process.     

Enhanced denitrification and organics removal in hybrid wetland columns: comparative experiments

This study investigated three lab-scale hybrid wetland systems with traditional (gravel) and alternative substrates (wood mulch and zeolite) for removing organic, inorganic pollutants and coliforms from a synthetic wastewater, in order to investigate the efficiency of alternative substrates, and monitor the stability of system performance. The hybrid systems were operated under controlled variations of hydraulic load (q, 0.3-0.9 m³/m² d), influent ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N, 22.0-80.0 mg/L), total nitrogen (TN, 24.0-84.0 mg/L) and biodegradable organics concentration (BOD₅, 14.5-102.0 mg/L). Overall, mulch and zeolite showed promising prospect as wetland substrates, as both media enhanced the removal of nitrogen and organics. Average NH₄-N, TN and BOD₅ removal percentages were over 99%, 72% and 97%, respectively, across all three systems, indicating stable removal performances regardless of variable operating conditions. Higher Escherichia coli removal efficiencies (99.9%) were observed across the three systems, probably due to dominancy of aerobic conditions in vertical wetland columns of the hybrid systems.     

Biofilm reactors: an experimental and modeling study of wastewater denitrification in fluidized-bed reactors of activated carbon particles

A fluidized-bed biofilm reactor using activated carbon particles of 1.69 mm diameter as the support for biomass growth and molasses as the carbon source is used for wastewater denitrification.The start-up of the reactor was successfully achieved in 1 week by using a liquor from garden soil leaching as the inoculum and a superficial velocity u(0) = 5u(mf). Typical biofilm thickness is 800 mum; therefore covered activated carbon particles have 3.3 mm in diameter.Reactor hydrodynamics was studied by tracer (KCl solution) experiments. The analysis based on residence time distribution theory involved a model with axial dispersion flow and tracer diffusion with linear adsorption inside the biofilm. Peclet numbers higher than 100 were found, allowing the plug flow assumption for the reactor model.Experimental profiles of nitrate and nitrite species were explained by a kinetic model of two consecutive zero-order reactions coupled with substrate diffusion inside the biofilm. Under the operating conditons used thick biofilms were obtained working in a diffusion-controlled regime.Comparison is made with results obtained in the same reactor with sand particles as the support for biomass growth. Activated carbon as the support has the following advantages: good adsorptive characteristics, homogeneous biofilm thickness along the reactor, and easy restart-up of the reactor. (c) 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Vertical distribution of organic constituents in an Antarctic lake: Lake Vanda

Vertical distribution of organic constituents, i.e. total organic carbon (TOC), extractable organic carbon with ethyl acetate (EOC), hydrocarbons, phytol, sterols, fatty acids and phenolic acids in Lake Vanda was studied to elucidate their features in relation to the stratification of lake water and the distribution of lake organisms. The concentrations of TOC, EOC and sterols increased with depth and attained the maximum values of 25 and 1.5 mgC l^–1 and 1.4 g l^–1 in the bottom, respectively, while those of fatty acids showed the maximum value of 61 g l^–1 at a depth of 55.4 m, along with the highest value of the ratio of unsaturated (UC₁₆, uC₁₈) to saturated (C₁₆, C₁₈) acids (8.5) and with the highest carbon preference index (35). Hydrocarbons were only found in the bottom layers (60.4 and 65.9 m) and bottom sediment. These results suggest strongly that the vertical distribution of lake organisms and their activity are quite different due to depth. In the bottom warm anoxic layers the degradation of organic materials must have occurred significantly and thus refractory organic materials should be concentrated.     

Vertical distribution of organic constituents in an Antarctic lake: Lake Fryxell

Vertical distribution of organic constituents, i.e. total organic carbon (TOC), hydrocarbons, fatty acids and hydroxy acids in water and sediment samples from Lake Fryxell (77° 35 S, 163° 15 E) of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica were studied to elucidate their features in relation to stratification of the lake waters and likely distribution of microorganisms. The TOC content of the surface water (5.0 m; just below the ice cover of 4.50 m thickness) was 1.4 mg l^–1. It increased markedly with depth and attained a maximum value of 21.7 mg C l^–1 at a depth of 17.5 m, but decreased to the bottom (13.3 mg C l^–1). The high TOC content of the anoxic bottom layers (> 15 m) is attributable to the concentration of refractory organic substances over long periods following the degradation of labile organic constituents. Hydrocarbons were not found in the water column, but the major constituent of the bottom sediment was n-C_{29 : 2} alkene. Total concentrations of fatty acids in the oxic layers ( 10 m) were highest at 10.0 m and much higher than those in the anoxic layers (> 10 m), probably reflecting the phytoplankton population. The content of branched (iso and anteiso) fatty acids and 3-hydroxy acids in the anoxic layers were much greater than those in the oxic layers which would seem to reflect the distribution of bacterial abundance. The differences of organic composition between the water column and sediments imply that sinking dead organisms were quickly degraded in the lake bottom. Also, the composition of microorganisms in the water column must be very different from that in the sediments.