Luther G W, Rozan T F, Taillefert M, Nuzzio D B, Di Meo C, Shank T M, Lutz R A, Cary S C
College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware, Lewes, Delaware 19958, USA.
Nature. 2001 Apr 12;410(6830):813-6. doi: 10.1038/35071069.
The physiology and biochemistry of many taxa inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal vents have been elucidated; however, the physicochemical factors controlling the distribution of these organisms at a given vent site remain an enigma after 20 years of research. The chemical speciation of particular elements has been suggested as key to controlling biological community structure in these extreme aquatic environments. Implementation of electrochemical technology has allowed us to make in situ measurements of chemical speciation at vents located at the East Pacific Rise (9 degrees 50' N) and on a scale relevant to the biology. Here we report that significant differences in oxygen, iron and sulphur speciation strongly correlate with the distribution of specific taxa in different microhabitats. In higher temperature (> 30 degrees C) microhabitats, the appreciable formation of soluble iron-sulphide molecular clusters markedly reduces the availability of free H2S/HS- to vent (micro)organisms, thus controlling the available habitat.
许多栖息在深海热液喷口的生物分类群的生理和生物化学已经得到阐明；然而，经过20年的研究，控制这些生物在特定喷口地点分布的物理化学因素仍然是个谜。特定元素的化学形态被认为是控制这些极端水生环境中生物群落结构的关键。电化学技术的应用使我们能够在位于东太平洋海隆（北纬9度50分）的喷口进行与生物学相关规模的化学形态原位测量。在此我们报告，氧、铁和硫形态的显著差异与不同微生境中特定生物分类群的分布密切相关。在较高温度（>30摄氏度）的微生境中，可溶性硫化铁分子簇的明显形成显著降低了游离H2S/HS-对喷口（微）生物的可利用性，从而控制了可利用的栖息地。
