Abstract
The features of organic constituents in Antarctic lakes and ponds of the McMurdo, Syowa and Vestfold oases are summarised from a biogeochemical viewpoint. Total organic carbon or dissolved organic carbon contents in saline lakewaters are generally extremely high and much higher than those in freshwater lakes. The concentrations and/or compositions of hydrocarbons, fatty acids, sterols, phenolic acids and hydroxy acids in lake and pond waters and sediments vary markedly, probably reflecting differences in biological activity and source organisms. Long-chain alkenes, such as n-C29:2 (carbon chain length: numbers of unsaturated bonds) are found as the major hydrocarbons in some anoxic lake sediments. Unusually, long-chain n-alkanoic acids are abundant in some Antarctic lake sediments and 24-ethylcholest-5-en-3β-ol is the most prominent sterol in most of the lakes studied. It is suggested that some bacteria, and cyanobacteria and algae are important sources of long-chain n-alkanoic acids and 24-ethylcholest-5-en-3β-ol, respectively, as previously reported from environments of the mid and lower latitudes. The dominance of p-hydroxybenzoic acid among the phenolic acids found together with the absence of syringic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids in the Antarctic lakes reflects the absence of vascular plants in the areas studied.
In three Antarctic saline lakes (Vanda, Fryxell and Ace) the kinds and amounts of organic constituents differ with depth due to the zonation of microorganisms. The maximum fatty acid contents are found at depths just above the anoxic layer, corresponding to the photosynthetic maxima in the lakes, and the depths of maximum phytoplankton populations. In the bottom sediments of the lakes, the composition of organic substances is significantly different from that in the water columns, indicating that the sinking organic substances are degraded rapidly by microorganisms on the lake bottom.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albro, P. W., 1976. Bacterial waxes. In P. E. Kolattukudy (ed.), Chemistry and Biochemistry of Natural Waxes. Elsevier, Amsterdam: 419–445.
Allnut, F. C. T., B. C. Parker, K. G. Seaburg & G. M. Simmons Jr., 1981. In situ nitrogen (C2H2) fixation in lakes of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Hydrological Bulletin 15: 99–109.
Barker, R. J., 1980. Physical and chemical parameters of Deep Lake, Vestfold Hills, Antarctica. ANARE Sci. Rep. 130, (cited in Burton, H. R., 1981).
Boon, J. J., F. de Lange, P. J. W. Schuyl, J. W. de Leeuw & P. A. Schenk, 1977. Organic geochemistry of Walvis Bay diatomaceous ooze. II Occurrence and significance of the hydroxy fatty acids. In R. Campos & J. Goñi (eds.), Advances in Organic Geochemistry 1975, Enadimsa, Madraid: 255–272.
Brooks, J. D., K. Gould & J. W. Smith, 1969. Isoprenoid hydrocarbons in coal and petroleum. Nature 222: 257–259.
Burton, H. R., 1980. Methane in a saline Antarctic lake. In P. A. Trudinger & M. R. Walter (eds.), Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modern Environments Proceedings of the Forth International Symposium on Environmental Biogeochemistry (ISEB). Canberra, Australian Academy of Science (cited in Burton, H. R. 1981).
Burton, H. R., 1981. Chemistry, physics and evolution of Antarctic saline lakes: A review. Hydrobiologia 82: 339–362.
Cardoso, J. N. & G. Eglinton, 1983. The use of hydroxyacids as geochemical indicators. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 47: 723–730.
Didyk, B. M., B. R. T. Simoneit, S. C. Brassell & G. Eglinton, 1978. Organic geochemical indicators of palaeoenvironmental conditions of sedimentation. Nature 272: 216–222.
Downes, M. T., C. Howard-Williams & W. F. Vincent, 1986. Sources of organic nitrogen, phosphorous and carbon in antarctic streams. Hydrobiologia 134: 215–225.
El-Basyouni, S. Z., D. Chen, R. K. Ibrachim, A. C. Neish & G. H. N. Towers, 1964. The biosynthesis of hydroxybenzoic acids in higher plants. Phytochemistry 3: 485–492.
Farrington, J. W., S. M. Henrichs & R. Anderson, 1977. Fatty acids and Pb-210 geochronology of a sediment core from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 41: 289–296.
Hand, R. M., 1980. Bacterial populations of two saline Antarctic lakes. In P. A. Trudinger & M. R. Walter (eds.), Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modern Environments. Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Environmental Biogeochemistry (ISEB). Australian Academy of Science, Canberra: 123–129.
Hartley, R. D., E. C. Jones & T. M. Wood, 1976. Carbohydrates and carbohydrate esters of ferulic acid released from cell walls of Lolium multifrorum by treatment with cellulolytic enzymes. Phytochemistry 15: 305–307.
Higuchi, T., Y. Ito & I. Kawamura, 1967. p-Hydroxyphenyl-propane component of glass lignin and role of tyrosine-ammonia lyase in its formation. Phytochemistry 6: 875–881.
Hirabayashi, J. & J. Ossaka, 1977. Seasonal variation in chemical composition and the origin of the saline lakes around Syowa Station, Antarctica. Antarct. Rec. 58: 93–107 (in Japanese).
Huang, W.-Y. & W. G. Meinschein, 1979. Sterols as source indicators of organic materials in sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 40: 323–330.
Huang, W.-Y. & W. G. Meinschein, 1979. Sterols as ecological indicators. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 43: 739–745.
Ishiwatari, R., K. Ogura & S. Horie, 1980. Organic geochemistry of a lacustrine sediment (Lake Haruna, Japan). Chem. Geol. 29: 261–280.
Konda, T., S. Takii, M. Fukui, Y. Kusuoka, G. I. Matsumoto, S. Nakaya & T. Torii, 1987. Vertical distribution of bacterial cell size and biomass in Lake Vanda, an Antarctic lake. Antarct. Rec. 31: 109–117 (in Japanese).
Koob, D. D. & G. L. Leister, 1972. Primary productivity and associated physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of Lake Bonney: A perennially ice-covered lake in Antarctica. Antarctic Research Series (Amer. Geophys. Union) 20: 51–68.
Matsuda, H. & T. Koyama, 1977. Early diagenesis of fatty acids in lacustrine sediments-I. Identification and distribution of fatty acids in recent sediment from a freshwater lake. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 41: 777–783.
Matsuda, H., 1978. Early diagenesis of fatty acids in lacustrine sediments-III. Changes in fatty acid composition in the sediments from a brackish water lake. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 42: 1027–1034.
Matsumoto, G., 1980. Comparative Geochemical Study on Organic Constituents in Aquatic Environments. D. Sc. Thesis, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Tokyo.
Matsumoto, G., 1982. Comparative study on organic constituents in polluted and unpolluted inland aquatic environments-III. Phenols and aromatic acids in polluted and unpolluted waters. Water Res. 16: 551–557.
Matsumoto, G. & T. Hanya, 1977. Organic carbons and fatty acids in Antarctic saline lakes. Antarct. Rec. 58: 81–88.
Matsumoto, G. & T. Hanya, 1980a. Organic constituents in atmospheric fallout in the Tokyo area. Atmos. Environ. 14: 1409–1419.
Matsumoto, G. & T. Hanya, 1980b. Gas chromatographic mass spectrometric identification of phenolic acids in recent sediments. J. Chromatogr. 193: 89–94.
Matsumoto, G. I. & H. Nagashima, 1984. Occurrence of 3-hydroxy acids in microalgae and cyanobacteria and their geochemical significance. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 48: 1683–1687.
Matsumoto, G. I. & H. Kanda, 1985. Hydrocarbons, sterols and hydroxy acids in Antarctic mosses. Antarct. Rec. 87: 23–31.
Matsumoto, G., R. Ishiwatari & T. Hanya, 1977. Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric identification of phenols and aromatic acids in river waters. Water Res. 11: 693–698.
Matsumoto, G., T. Torii & T. Hanya, 1979. Distribution of organic constituents in lake waters and sediments of the McMurdo Sound region in the Antarctic. Mem. Natl Inst. Polar Res., Spec. Issue 13: 103–120.
Matsumoto, G., T. Torii, F. Fukui & T. Hanya, 1981. The features of organic constituents in lake sediments from Syowa Oasis in East Antarctica. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 21: 703–707.
Matsumoto, G., T. Torii & T. Hanya, 1982. High abundance of algal 24-ethylcholesterol in Antarctic lake sediment. Nature 299: 52–54.
Matsumoto, G., T. Torii & T. Hanya, 1983a. Stenols and phytol in lake sediments from Syowa and Vestfold oases in the Antarctic. Geochem. J. 17: 1–8.
Matsumoto, G., K. Chikazawa, H. Murayama, T. Torii, H. Fukushima & T. Hanya, 1983b. Distribution and correlation of total organic carbon and mercury in Antarctic dry valley soils, sediments and organisms. Geochem. J. 17: 241–246.
Matsumoto, G. I., M. Shioya & H. Nagashima, 1984a. Occurrence of 2-hydroxy acids in microalgae. Phytochemistry 23: 1421–1423.
Matsumoto, G., T. Torii & T. Hanya, 1984b. Vertical distribution of organic constituents in an Antarctic lake: Lake Vanda. Hydrobiologia 111: 119–126.
Matsumoto, G. I., T. Torii & T. Hanya, 1984c. A review of organic geochemistry in Antarctica. Mem. Natl Inst. Polar Res. Spec. Issue 33: 204–217.
Matsumoto, G. I., T. Torii & T. Hanya, 1985a. Sterols and fatty acids in foams from Antarctic lakes of the Dry Valleys in south Victoria Land. Geochem. J. 19: 91–96.
Matsumoto, G. I., T. Torii, T. Kawano, T. Cho & Y. Kobata, 1985b. Japanese geochemical studies on the McMurdo Sound region in Antarctica during the 1983–84 austral summer. Antarct. Rec. 86: 108–118 (in Japanese).
Matsumoto, G. I., K. Watanuki & T. Torii, 1987a. Further study on the vertical distribution of organic constituents in an Antarctic lake: Lake Vanda. Proceedings of the NIPR Symposium on Polar Biology. 1: 219–232.
Matsumoto, G. I., K. Watanuki & T. Torii, 1987b. Total organic carbon in pond waters from the Labyrinth of southern Victoria Land in the Antarctic. Antarct. Rec. 31: 171–196.
Matsumoto, G. I., K. Watanuki & T. Torii, 1988. Vertical distribution of organic constituents in an Antarctic lake: Lake Fryxell. Hydrobiologia (this volume).
Murayama, H., 1977. General characteristics of the Antarctic lakes near Syowa Station. Antarct. Rec. 58: 43–62 (in Japanese).
Nishimura, M., 1977. Origin of stanols in young lacustrine sediments. Nature 270: 711–712.
Nishimura., M., 1978. Geochemical characteristics of the high reduction zone of stenols in Suwa sediments and the environmental factors controlling the conversion of stenols into stanols. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 42: 349–357.
Nissenbaum, A., M. J. Baedecker & I. R. Kaplan. 1972. Organic geochemistry of Dead Sea sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 36: 709–727.
Parker, B. C., J. T. Whitehurst & R. C. Hoehn, 1974. Observations of in situ concentrations and production of organic matter in an Antarctic meromictic lake. Virginia J. Sci. 25: 136–140.
Patterson, G. W., 1967. The effect of culture conditions on the hydrocarbon content of Chlorella vulgaris. J. Phycol. 3: 22–23.
Pearl, I. A., D. L. Beyer & D. Whitney, 1961. Alkaline hydrolysis of representative hardwoods V. Additions and corrections to previous studies. Tappi 44: 656–661.
Pohl, V. P. & H. Wagner, 1972. Fattsäuren im Pflanzen- und Tierreich (eine Übersicht) II: Trans-ungesättigte, Alkin-, Hydroxy-, Epoxy-, Oxo-, Cyclopropan- und Cyclopropen-Fettsäuren. Fette, Seifen, Anstrichmittel 74: 541–550.
Powell, T. G. & D. M. McKirdy, 1973. Relationship between ratio of pristane to phytane, crude oil composition and geological environment in Australia. Nature 243: 37–39.
Ratledge, C., 1964. Relation between the products of aromatic biosynthesis in Mycobacterium smegmatis and Aerobacter aerogens. Nature 203: 428–429.
Sakamoto, M., H. Kurasawa & T. Okino, 1975. Productivity and nutrient metabolism of communities in Lake Suwa. In S. Mori & G. Yamamoto (eds.), Productivity of Communities in Japanese Inland Waters. JIBP Synthesis, 10. University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo: 107–147.
Shivrina, A. N., O. P. Nizkovskaya, E. V. Lovyagina, E. G. Platonova & N. M. Miloba, 1959. Chemical composition of bracket fungi in various stages of development. Bot. Zh. 44: 1724–1727 (Chem. Abstr. 54: 16536h, 1960).
Simonart, P. & H. Verachtert, 1966. Phenolic compounds produced by Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium spinulosum. Bull. Soc. Chim. Biol. 48: 943–950.
Simonart, P., A. Wiaux & H. Verachtert, 1960. Biochemical investigations of Penicillium griseofulvum. Zentralbl. Bakteriol., Parasitenkd., Infektionskr. Hyg., Abt. II, 113: 209 (Chem. Abstr. 61, 4749e, 1964).
Simoneit, B. R. T., R. Chester & G. Eglinton, 1977. Biogenic lipids in particulates from the lower atmosphere over the eastern Atlantic. Nature 267: 682–685.
Takii, S., T. Konda, A. Hiraishi, G. I. Matsumoto, T. Kawano, & T. Torii, 1986. Vertical distribution in and isolation of bacteria from Lake Vanda: An Antarctic lake. Hydrobiologia 135: 15–21.
Tominaga, H. & F. Fukui, 1981. Saline lakes at Syowa Oasis, Antarctica. Hydrobiologia 82: 375–389.
Torii, T. & N. Yamagata, 1981. Limnological studies of saline lakes in the dry valleys. Antarct. Res. Ser. (Dry Valley Drilling Project) 33: 141–159.
Torii, T., N. Yamagata, S. Nakaya, S. Murata, T. Hashimoto, O. Matsubaya & H. Sakai; 1975. Geochemical aspects of the McMurdo saline lakes with special emphasis on the distribution of nutrient matters. Mem. Natl Inst. Polar Res., Spec. Issue 4: 5–29.
Torii, T., N. Yamagata, S. Nakaya & S. Murata, 1977. Chemical characteristics of Antarctic saline lakes. Antarct. Rec. 58: 9–19 (in Japanese).
Torii, T., S. Nakaya, O. Matsubaya, G. I. Matsumoto, N. Masuda. T. Kawano & H. Murayama, 1988. Chemical characteristics of pond waters in the Labyrinth of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Hydrobiologia (this volume).
Vincent, W. F., 1981. Production strategies in Antarctic inland waters: Phytoplankton eco-physiology in a permanently ice-covered lake. Ecology 62: 1215–1224.
Vincent, W. F., M. T. Downes & C. L. Vincent, 1981. Nitrous oxide cycling in Lake Vanda, Antarctica. Nature 292: 618–620.
Volkman, J. K., 1986. A review of sterol markers for marine and terrigenous organic matter. Org. Geochem. 9: 83–99.
Volkman, J. K., D. I. Allen, P. L. Stevenson & H. R. Burton, 1986. Bacterial and algal hydrocarbons in sediments from a saline Antarctic lake, Ace Lake. Org. Geochem. 10: 671–681.
Volkman, J. K., H. R. Burton, D. A. Everitt & D. I. Allen, 1988. Pigment and lipid compositions of algal and bacterial communities in Ace Lake, Vestfold Hills, Antarctica. Developments in Hydrobiology (in press).
Weete, J. D., 1976. Algal and fungal waxes. In P. E. Kolattukudy (ed.), Chemistry and Biochemistry of Natural Waxes. Amsterdam, Elsevier: 349–418.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Matsumoto, G.I. Biogeochemical study of organic substances in Antarctic lakes. Hydrobiologia 172, 265–299 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031627
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031627