stimulated methanogenesis at depths where the sulphate levels would be expected to be at
or below 1mM (Fig 5). This experiment indicated that a potential for anaerobic metabolism, and specifically methanogenesis, existed within the Holyhead harbour sediments,
although we are still uncertain of the true contribution of microbial activity towards gas
accumulation within such acoustically turbid sediments.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
We are grateful to the NERC for funding this work, to the officers and crew of the RV. Prince Madog for their
invaluable assistance, Dr J. Bennell for practical and theoretical assistance and to Professor D. Taylor-Smith for
posing the problem in the first place. A version of this paper was originally published by Crane, Russak and
company in Marine Geotechnology (1986). Vol. 6 pp 316-332.
ANDERSON A.L. and HAMPTON L.D., 1980a. Acoustics of gas-bearing sediments 1. Background. Journal of the
Acoustical Society of America. (57, 1865-1889.
ANDERSON A.L. and HAMPTON L.D., 1980b. Acoustics of gas-bearing sediments 2. Measurements and models.
Journal of the Acoustical society of America. 67, 1890-1903.
CAPPENBERG T.E. and PRINS R.A., 1974. Interrelations between sulphate-reducing and methane-producing
bacteria in bottom deposits of a freshwater lake. 1. Field observations. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 40, 285-295.
COLLINS K. and WILLIAMS P., LeB, 1977. An automated photochemical method for the determination of
dissolved organic carbon in sea and estuarine waters. Marine Chemistry. 5, 123-141.
HOVLAND M. and GUDMESTAD O.T., 1984. Potential influence of gas-induced erosion on seabed installations.
In Denness B (ed). Seabed mechanics. Proceedings of the IUTAM and IUG G joint symposium held at the
University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 5-9 September, 1983. pp 255-263.
KING G.M., KLUG M.J. and LOVLEY D.R., 1983. Metabolism of acetate, methanol, and methylated amines in
intertidal sediments of Lowes Cove, Maine. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 45, 1848-1853.
KRISTJANSSON J.K., SCHONHEIT P. and THAUER R.K., 1982. Different K
s
values for hydrogen of methanogenic
bacteria and sulfate reducing bacteria. An explanation for the apparent inhibition of methanogenesis by sulfate.
Archives of Microbiology. 131, 278-282.
LOVLEY D.R., DWYER D.F. and KLUG M.J., 1982. Kinetic analysis of competition between sulfate reducers and
methanogens for hydrogen in sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 43, 1373-1379.
LOVLEY D.R., and KLUG M.J., 1983. Sulfate reducers can outcompete methanogens at freshwater sulfate
concentrations. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 45, 187-192.
MCAULIFFE C., 1971. GC (gas-chromatographic) Determination of solutes by multiple phase equilibration.
Chemistry and technology. 1, 46-51.
OREMLAND R.S. and POLCIN S., 1982. Methanogenesis and Sulfate reduction, competitive and non-competitive
substrates in estuarine sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 44, 1270-1276.
OREMLAND R.S. and TAYLOR B.F., 1978. Sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in marine sediments. Geochemica et Cosmochimica acta. 42, 209-214.
SCHONHEIT P., KRISTJANSSON J.K. and THAUER R.K., 1982. Kinetic mechanism for the ability of sulfate
reducers to out-compete methanogens for acetate. Archives of Microbiology. 132, 285-288.
VILKS G„ and RASHID M. A., 1977. Methane in sediments of a Sub-Arctic continental shelf. Geoscience Canada.
4, 191-197.
WINFREY M.R. and WARD D.M., 1983. Substrates for sulfate reduction and methane production in intertidal
sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 45, 193-199.
42
or below 1mM (Fig 5). This experiment indicated that a potential for anaerobic metabolism, and specifically methanogenesis, existed within the Holyhead harbour sediments,
although we are still uncertain of the true contribution of microbial activity towards gas
accumulation within such acoustically turbid sediments.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
We are grateful to the NERC for funding this work, to the officers and crew of the RV. Prince Madog for their
invaluable assistance, Dr J. Bennell for practical and theoretical assistance and to Professor D. Taylor-Smith for
posing the problem in the first place. A version of this paper was originally published by Crane, Russak and
company in Marine Geotechnology (1986). Vol. 6 pp 316-332.
ANDERSON A.L. and HAMPTON L.D., 1980a. Acoustics of gas-bearing sediments 1. Background. Journal of the
Acoustical Society of America. (57, 1865-1889.
ANDERSON A.L. and HAMPTON L.D., 1980b. Acoustics of gas-bearing sediments 2. Measurements and models.
Journal of the Acoustical society of America. 67, 1890-1903.
CAPPENBERG T.E. and PRINS R.A., 1974. Interrelations between sulphate-reducing and methane-producing
bacteria in bottom deposits of a freshwater lake. 1. Field observations. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 40, 285-295.
COLLINS K. and WILLIAMS P., LeB, 1977. An automated photochemical method for the determination of
dissolved organic carbon in sea and estuarine waters. Marine Chemistry. 5, 123-141.
HOVLAND M. and GUDMESTAD O.T., 1984. Potential influence of gas-induced erosion on seabed installations.
In Denness B (ed). Seabed mechanics. Proceedings of the IUTAM and IUG G joint symposium held at the
University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 5-9 September, 1983. pp 255-263.
KING G.M., KLUG M.J. and LOVLEY D.R., 1983. Metabolism of acetate, methanol, and methylated amines in
intertidal sediments of Lowes Cove, Maine. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 45, 1848-1853.
KRISTJANSSON J.K., SCHONHEIT P. and THAUER R.K., 1982. Different K
s
values for hydrogen of methanogenic
bacteria and sulfate reducing bacteria. An explanation for the apparent inhibition of methanogenesis by sulfate.
Archives of Microbiology. 131, 278-282.
LOVLEY D.R., DWYER D.F. and KLUG M.J., 1982. Kinetic analysis of competition between sulfate reducers and
methanogens for hydrogen in sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 43, 1373-1379.
LOVLEY D.R., and KLUG M.J., 1983. Sulfate reducers can outcompete methanogens at freshwater sulfate
concentrations. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 45, 187-192.
MCAULIFFE C., 1971. GC (gas-chromatographic) Determination of solutes by multiple phase equilibration.
Chemistry and technology. 1, 46-51.
OREMLAND R.S. and POLCIN S., 1982. Methanogenesis and Sulfate reduction, competitive and non-competitive
substrates in estuarine sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 44, 1270-1276.
OREMLAND R.S. and TAYLOR B.F., 1978. Sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in marine sediments. Geochemica et Cosmochimica acta. 42, 209-214.
SCHONHEIT P., KRISTJANSSON J.K. and THAUER R.K., 1982. Kinetic mechanism for the ability of sulfate
reducers to out-compete methanogens for acetate. Archives of Microbiology. 132, 285-288.
VILKS G„ and RASHID M. A., 1977. Methane in sediments of a Sub-Arctic continental shelf. Geoscience Canada.
4, 191-197.
WINFREY M.R. and WARD D.M., 1983. Substrates for sulfate reduction and methane production in intertidal
sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 45, 193-199.
42