Rapid burial and intense degradation of organic matter drive active silicate weathering in the subsurface sediments of the ocean's deepest realm

Abstract Hadal trenches (>6000 m water depth) have been revealed as hotspots of organic carbon burial and microbial respiration in the ultradeep ocean environment. However, understanding of the anaerobic metabolic pathways and rates, as well as carbon-silicon cycling, in the hadal trench sediments remains very fragmentary because of the shallow nature of traditional coring penetration. Using materials collected during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 386 in the Japan Trench and a reaction-transport model, we provide a regional quantitative assessment of organic carbon turnover by sulfate reduction, anaerobic oxidation of methane, and methanogenesis in addition to silicate weathering and authigenic carbonate and clay formation. We show that rapid burial of relatively labile organic carbon resulting from subduction earthquakes triggers organic carbon and methane turnover at rates comparable to those in continental margin sediments, thereby stimulating active silicate weathering and authigenic carbonate formation. Despite vigorous organic carbon turnover, the vast majority of organic carbon is buried, implying an important role of tectonic-associated events in translocating and preserving organic carbon in the deepest part of the ocean. These results quantitatively demonstrate, for the first time, active coupled carbon-silicon cycling in hadal trench sediments and have implications for the subduction zone carbon budget.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Geology
Published
2025-05-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1130/g53131.1
Citations
4
Primary Topic
Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
17.32
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Rapid burial and intense degradation of organic matter drive active silicate weathering in the subsurface sediments of the ocean's deepest realm

Takuya Itaki, Natascha Riedinger, Marta E. Torres, M. Koelling et al.
4 citations
Geology
Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
17.32
article

Rapid burial and intense degradation of organic matter drive active silicate weathering in the subsurface sediments of the ocean's deepest realm

Takuya Itaki, Natascha Riedinger, Marta E. Torres, M. Koelling, Yasuyuki Nakamura, Andrew W. Dale, Michael Strasser, Rui Bao, Ken Ikehara, Joel E. Johnson, E. Troy Rasbury, Min Luo, Klaus Wallmann, Piero Bellanova, Dijun Chen, Jing Xie, Ming Zheng, M. Y. Yu, Christian März
article en
4 citations

Abstract

Abstract Hadal trenches (>6000 m water depth) have been revealed as hotspots of organic carbon burial and microbial respiration in the ultradeep ocean environment. However, understanding of the anaerobic metabolic pathways and rates, as well as carbon-silicon cycling, in the hadal trench sediments remains very fragmentary because of the shallow nature of traditional coring penetration. Using materials collected during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 386 in the Japan Trench and a reaction-transport model, we provide a regional quantitative assessment of organic carbon turnover by sulfate reduction, anaerobic oxidation of methane, and methanogenesis in addition to silicate weathering and authigenic carbonate and clay formation. We show that rapid burial of relatively labile organic carbon resulting from subduction earthquakes triggers organic carbon and methane turnover at rates comparable to those in continental margin sediments, thereby stimulating active silicate weathering and authigenic carbonate formation. Despite vigorous organic carbon turnover, the vast majority of organic carbon is buried, implying an important role of tectonic-associated events in translocating and preserving organic carbon in the deepest part of the ocean. These results quantitatively demonstrate, for the first time, active coupled carbon-silicon cycling in hadal trench sediments and have implications for the subduction zone carbon budget.

GeologyVol. 53(8)
Oklahoma State University (US), Tongji University (CN), Oregon State University (US), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JP), University of Bonn (DE), University of New Hampshire (US), Shimane University (JP), University of Bremen (DE), Universität Innsbruck (AT), University of Shimane (JP), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE), Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (CN), Geological Survey of Japan (JP), Shanghai Ocean University (CN), Ocean University of China (CN), Stony Brook University (US), RWTH Aachen University (DE)
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
17.32
DOISourceOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.