Arctic to tropic - adaptation and response of anaerobic microorganisms to temperature effects in marine sediments.

The adaptation and response of anaerobic microorganisms to temperature effects in marine sediments were investigated. This work contributed to explaining the influence of environmentally relevant temperature scenarios (increased temperature; freeze-thaw effects) on microbially mediated organic carbon cycle. The temperature response of sulfate reduction in the South Atlantic shelf, slope, polar, temperate and tropical sediments was also studied. South Atlantic shelf and intertidal flat sediment from Svalbard harbour psychrotolerant to mesophilic communities. In South Atlantic slope and Arctic shelf sediments psychrophilic community dominated. Temperate and tropical sediments harbour mostly mesophilic sulfate reducing bacteria. Environmental temperature selects for adaptive physiologies and thermal groups of microorganisms exhibit a global biogeographic pattern.