Science. 1987 Nov 20;238(4830):1138-42. doi: 10.1126/science.238.4830.1138.
Mussels, clams, and tube worms collected in the vicinity of hydrocarbon seeps on the Louisiana slope contain mostly "dead" carbon, indicating that dietary carbon is largely derived from seeping oil and gas. Enzyme assays, elemental sulfur analysis, and carbon dioxide fixation studies demonstrate that vestimentiferan tube worms and three clam species contain intracellular, autotrophic sulfur bacterial symbionts. Carbon isotopic ratios of 246 individual animal tissues were used to differentiate heterotrophic (8(13)C = -14 to -20 per mil), sulfur-based (8(13)C = -30 to -42 per mil), and methane-based (8(13)C = <-40 per mil) energy sources. Mussels with symbiotic methanotrophic bacteria reflect the carbon isotopic composition of the methane source. Isotopically light nitrogen and sulfur confirm the chemoautotrophic nature of the seep animals. Sulfur-based chemosynthetic animals contain isotopically light sulfur, whereas methane-based symbiotic mussels more closely reflect the heavier oceanic sulfate pool. The nitrogen requirement of some seep animals may be supported by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Some grazing neogastropods have isotopic values characteristic of chemosynthetic animals, suggesting the transfer of carbon into the background deep-sea fauna.
在路易斯安那斜坡的烃渗漏附近采集的贻贝、蛤和管蠕虫主要含有“死”碳，这表明饮食中的碳主要来自渗漏的石油和天然气。酶测定、元素硫分析和二氧化碳固定研究表明， Vestimentiferan 管蠕虫和三种蛤类含有细胞内的自养硫细菌共生体。 246 个个体动物组织的碳同位素比值用于区分异养（8(13)C = -14 至 -20 每毫摩尔）、基于硫（8(13)C = -30 至 -42 每毫摩尔）和基于甲烷（8(13)C = <-40 每毫摩尔）的能源。具有共生甲烷营养细菌的贻贝反映了甲烷源的碳同位素组成。同位素轻氮和硫证实了渗漏动物的化能自养性质。基于硫的化学合成动物含有同位素轻的硫，而基于甲烷的共生贻贝更接近较重的海洋硫酸盐库。一些渗漏动物的氮需求可能由固氮细菌支持。一些放牧的新腹足类动物的同位素值具有化学合成动物的特征，表明碳转移到背景深海动物群中。
