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Deep‐sea environments are the largest ecosystem of the global biosphere and constitute a crucial role in global biogeochemical cycles. We integrated biogeochemical and molecular ecological approaches to investigate microbial activity and diversity, with the goal of elucidating pathways and regulations of methane cycling and low molecular weight (LMW) compounds metabolism in different deep‐sea sediments of the South China Sea. We found that methanogenesis, anaerobic oxidation of methane, and sulfate reduction occurred concurrently with low rates in surface sediments of the Haima area (~ 50 cm push cores) and in subsurface sediments of the Shenhu area (~ 8 m piston core). In the presence of sulfate, methanogenesis was fueled by methylotrophic substrates, in agreement with thermodynamic calculations as well as the detection of the methylotrophic methanogenic genus Methanococcoides. Higher oxidation rates of LMW compounds than methanogenesis rates, suggested acetate, and to a lesser extent, methanol and methylamine, were predominantly utilized as an energy source by nonmethanogenic microorganisms (e.g., sulfate‐reducing bacteria). Diverse methanotrophic archaea (e.g., ANME‐1a/b and ANME‐2a/b) and sulfate‐reducing bacteria (e.g., Desulfarculaceae and Desulfobacteraceae) were observed and the abundance of mcrA and dsrA genes varied over depth and between sites. Dominant archaeal groups, such as Bathyarchaeota, Thermoplasmatale, Woesearchaeota, Lokiarchaeota, were consistently detected at both areas. Multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated sulfate was the most relevant environmental variable that correlated with the archaeal community composition. These results suggested that the presence of sulfate controlled methane cycling and LMW carbon metabolism pathways, and also affected the composition of the microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sources and sinks of dissolved CH4 in offshore waters are becoming diversified with the rapid increase in human activities. The concentration and air–sea exchange flux of dissolved CH4 present new characteristics of more intense spatiotemporal evolution, and the contribution to atmospheric CH4 continues to increase. Herein, a new model based on navigable air–sea exchange flux observations was proposed, which replaced the traditional station-based sampling analysis and testing method, realizing the synchronous measurement of methane in the atmosphere and surface seawater carried by ships. Based on the Marine Geological Survey project of the China Geological Survey, comprehensive environmental surveys were conducted in April 2018, September 2018, and June 2019 in the Qiongdongnan area in the northern part of the South China Sea, and the dissolved methane content in the sea surface atmosphere and surface seawaters in 2019 were simultaneously obtained. The methane exchange flux ranges of the southeastern sea area were calculated as −0.001~−0.0023 μmol·m−2·d−1 and −0.00164~−0.00395 μmol·m−2·d−1 by using the Liss and Merlivat formula (LM86), the Wanninkhof formula (W92), and the field-measured wind speed. The feasibility of the navigational air–sea methane exchange flux observation system was proven in a sea trial, and the measurement accuracy and observation efficiency of air-sea flux were improved with the designed system, providing a new technical means for further research on multiscale air–sea interactions and global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold hydrocarbon seepage is a frequently observed phenomenon along continental margins worldwide. However, little is known about the impact of seeping fluids on the geochemical cycle of redox-sensitive elements. Pore waters from four gravity cores (D-8, D-5, D-7, and D-F) collected from cold-seep sites of the northern South China Sea were analyzed for SO 4 2− , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), δ 13 C DIC , dissolved Fe, Mn, and trace elements (e.g. Mo, U). The sulfate concentration–depth profiles, δ 13 C DIC values and (ΔDIC+ΔCa 2+ +ΔMg 2+ )/ΔSO 4 2− ratios suggest that organoclastic sulfate reduction (OSR) is the dominant process in D-8 core. Besides OSR, anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is partially responsible for depletion of sulfate at D-5 and D-7 cores. The sulfate consumption at D-F core is predominantly caused by AOM. The depth of sulfate–methane interface (SMI) and methane diffusive flux of D-F core are calculated to be ~7 m and 0.035 mol m −2 yr −1 , respectively. The relatively shallow SMI and high methane flux at D-F core suggest the activity of gas seepage in this region. The concentrations of dissolved uranium (U) were inferred to decrease significantly within the iron reduction zone. It seems that AOM has limited influence on the U geochemical cycling. In contrast, a good correlation between the consumption of sulfate and the removal of molybdenum (Mo) suggests that AOM has a significantly influence on the geochemical cycle of Mo at cold seeps. Accordingly, cold seep environments may serve as an important potential sink in the marine geochemical cycle of Mo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine methane hydrates are a huge and dynamic carbon reservoir found mainly at the continental margins, and their stability might be affected by climate-associated pressure and temperature changes on the seafloor. Reconstructing the growth history of cold-seep carbonates, which formed during seafloor methane leakage, could help to constrain methane hydrate stability in the geological past. However, U-Th isotope systematics of these complex carbonate cements have not yet been systematically investigated on the micro-scale, leaving uncertainties in the U-series geochronology which is commonly applied to date the seep carbonates. In this study, we have developed multiple in-situ analytical methods, including U-Th isotope analysis by laser ablation MC-ICPMS, elemental concentration mapping by laser ablation ICPMS, as well as organic distribution mapping by Raman Spectroscopy, to provide insights into the U-series geochemistry and geochronology for the different types of cold-seep carbonates. Our result demonstrates that 238U and 232Th of these carbonates are dominantly derived from seawater and detrital particles, respectively. As the [230Th/232Th] (activity ratio) of micro-domains with high [232Th/238U] is negligibly affected by U decay, we have directly determined the initial [230Th/232Th] of the cold-seep carbonates which is 0.7 ± 0.1 (2 SD, n = 12). In general, U-series isotopes show closed-system behavior within our studied analytical precision in the interior of the seep cements, and the initial [230Th/232Th] derived from the isochron approach is consistent with the in-situ direct determination. A notable exception is a calcitic pipe sample with highly enriched U in its rim which has also experienced post-depositional mobilization. Our method is then applied to a large set of seep carbonate samples from the upper continental slope of the northern South China Sea (SCS). The obtained U-series ages provide evidence that cold seep was likely continuously active since at least ∼72 ka in the northern SCS, but the timing and duration of methane leakage vary between different sites within this region. While the upper continental slope methane hydrates are highly susceptible to destabilization under changing bottom water conditions, our extensive dating on seep carbonates from the SCS further indicates that bottom water P-T conditions could exert contrasting impacts on methane hydrate stability at different depths within the same geological setting. Overall, the in-situ U-series geochronological method developed in our study has the potential to date cold-seep carbonates efficiently and reliably, offering new opportunities to probe into the history of methane leakage in the late Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Porewater geochemistry of two piston cores in hydrate drilling areas was investigated. • A numerical model was applied to quantify involved biogeochemical processes. • Methane consumed mainly originated from external sources rather than local methanogenesis. • The external methane is most likely to originate from local gas hydrate systems. Abstract Methane of various origins is widespread in the sediments of continental margins, representing a key component of the carbon cycle in the ocean. Its occurrence in shallow marine sediments can be linked to the gas hydrate reservoir in the deep sedimentary column. However, this type of methane is difficult to track due to complex reactions occurred during its long distance migration. Porewater geochemical analyses of two ∼7 m piston cores (D17-15 and W01-16) combined with a reaction-transport model were applied to quantify methane-related biogeochemical processes and to explore the linkage of shallow methane to gas hydrate reservoir in the hydrate drilling areas of Shenhu and Dongsha in the South China Sea (SCS). The model results revealed that anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is the predominant biogeochemical process in both cores, consuming approximately 85% and 74% of sulfate in the modeled domain, respectively. The crossplot of dissolve inorganic carbon (DIC) accumulation versus sulfate depletion of the system suggests that methane consumed during the AOM is mainly originated from external methane sources rather than local methanogenesis. Using a δ13C DIC mass balance calculation together with model-derived fractions of different DIC sources, we estimated that the δ13C value of the external methane in core D17-15 is −66.6‰, which is in accordance with the previous reported δ13C values of hydrate-bound methane in the area. These results suggest that methane consumed in shallow sediments in the hydrate drilling areas of the SCS is mainly originated from local gas hydrate reservoir. The proposed approach has the potential to be used to differentiate the sources of methane, which will provide constraints on dynamics of methane in gas hydrate-bearing marine sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane seepage activity caused by gas hydrate dissociation plays an essential role in the global carbon cycle and climate change in Earth's history. However, the triggering mechanisms of gas hydrate dissociation remain elusive because of the lack of a relatively complete history of methane seeps on long-term timescales. Here, we present major and trace elements, stable C–O isotopes, and U–Th dating analyses for cold seep carbonates from drill cores in the South China Sea. Our results reveal a 209,00-year-old history of methane seepage activity, which involves multi-stage changes in seepage intensity and methane source (microbial or thermogenic). Chronological data suggest that hydrostatic pressure reduction and dynamic depositional environment mainly controlled the gas hydrate dynamics in the northwestern South China Sea, which is different from the gas hydrate dissociation in the northeastern South China Sea controlled by bottom water warming. This discrepancy may be caused by the differences in physicochemical conditions (e.g., water depth) in different sea areas. Therefore, the findings of this study help to further clarify the relationship between oceanic hydrate reservoirs and environmental change in other world regions. • Seep carbonates from drill cores in the Qiongdongnan Basin were investigated. • Two methane seepage events were identified in the northwestern South China Sea. • Multi-stage changes in seepage intensity and methane source. • Seepage activity controlled by hydrostatic pressure and depositional environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane (SD-AOM) and organoclastic sulfate reduction (OSR) are the two processes that consume sulfate in methane-rich marine sediments. Determining the relative contribution of each process to overall sulfate reduction is critical to assess the global carbon and sulfur cycle in marine settings. The analysis of sulfur and oxygen isotope compositions of porewater sulfate (δ18O SO4 and δ34S SO4) provides crucial insight into sulfate reduction pathways and the dynamics of the sedimentary sulfur cycle. The δ18O SO4 /δ34S SO4 ratio is governed by net sulfate reduction rates and has been widely used to distinguish SD-AOM from OSR. Furthermore, δ18O SO4 /δ34S SO4 slopes are believed to vary with changing methane flux. To enhance the applicability of δ18O SO4 vs. δ34S SO4 plots for the tracing of SD-AOM activity and methane flux, we investigate sulfate sulfur and oxygen isotopes of porewaters from three piston cores collected from the Haima seeps of the South China Sea. Reaction-transport modeling previously indicated that sulfate consumption was dominated by SD-AOM under changing methane fluxes (1126 mmol m−2 yr−1 to 26 mmol m−2 yr−1). Our new data demonstrate an increase of the initial δ18O SO4 /δ34S SO4 slope when methane flux decreases. An initial slope of 0.43 corresponds to a methane flux of 194 mmol m−2 yr−1, the lowest currently known methane flux producing a small δ18O SO4 /δ34S SO4 slope diagnostic for SD-AOM in sediments close to the seafloor. When methane flux decreases to 26 mmol m−2 yr−1, a small slope (0.48) is only observed in deeper sediment layers. Our results also reveal an increase of δ18O SO4 /δ34S SO4 slopes with decreasing SD-AOM rates. We estimate that net sulfate reduction rates can be as low as 10−9 mol cm−3 yr−1 to produce slopes smaller than 0.5 in SD-AOM-dominated settings. In OSR-dominated settings, δ18O SO4 /δ34S SO4 slopes tend to be significantly higher than 0.5, while net sulfate reduction rates tend to be lower than 10−5 mol cm−3 yr−1. This study reveals that quantification of methane flux is required to utilize the full potential of δ18O SO4 vs. δ34S SO4 plots in the endeavor of tracing SD-AOM activity and the dynamics of the sulfur cycle in methane-rich environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane (SD-AOM) controls methane release from marine sediments to the ocean. A variety of authigenic precipitates within sediments has been widely used to identify past occurrences of SD-AOM. However, the lack of a systematic evaluation of the formation conditions of these precipitates sometimes impedes the recognition of SD-AOM in past environments characterized by diffusive transport of methane. Carbon, sulfur, and trace element geochemistry of pore-water and sediments was investigated at a site affected by upward methane diffusion in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea. Here, the sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) is located ~7.6 m below the seafloor based on sulfate and methane concentrations. The slope of δ34S vs. δ18O values of sulfate is consistent with diffusive transport of methane. Concentration and isotope profiles of pore-water species point to diffusive rather than advective transport of solutes. Enhanced sulfate reduction inferred from δ34S values of sulfate agrees with the local occurrence of relatively abundant, 34S-enriched iron sulfide minerals. The time required to produce the observed authigenic iron sulfides around the SMTZ is estimated to be ~1.1 ka based on the amount of iron sulfide minerals and the present diffusive flux of sulfate. No enrichment of authigenic carbonate, barium (Ba), and molybdenum (Mo) was detected in the studied sediments. This observation is consistent with the calculation that the current fluxes of pore-water calcium, magnesium, Ba, and Mo are too low to allow for authigenic enrichments. The low fluxes are largely controlled by diffusion, which facilitates the formation of 34S-enriched iron sulfide minerals. The observed enrichment patterns – unlike those of sediments affected by advective seepage – are expected to be prevalent in modern and ancient continental-margin sediments, and may contribute to the identification of past methane-rich zones and overlying SD-AOM zones as sinks for methane in the geological record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]