Aging River Carbon (ARC) Project: Research Team

Who we are:

Dr Jonathan Grey focussed his research at the former Max Planck Institute for Limnology on how microbial biomass associated with methane oxidation could act as significant dietary resource to those organisms capable of surviving at the oxic-anoxic interface in lakes (e.g. Grey 2002; Grey et al 2004a&b; Grey & Deines 2005; Deines et al 2009). For example, chironomid larval biomass comprises >60% methane-derived carbon in some stratifying lakes (Kelly et al 2004) and this is a widespread phenomenon (Jones et al 2008). Meanwhile, Dr Mark Trimmer at Queen Mary University of London had been investigating the biogeochemistry and ecological significance of river water and groundwater exchange, including methane, as part of NERC’s LOCAR programme (Pretty, Hildrew & Trimmer 2006; Trimmer, Sanders & Heppell 2009).

Together, Trimmer and Grey have demonstrated using stable isotope data that a large proportion of the Trichoptera in such fast flowing rivers exhibit similar characteristics to those of chironomids from stagnant lakes (Trimmer et al 2009). Trimmer’s work has shown that probably there are two main sources of methane in these rivers: that from groundwater; and ‘new’ production from organic matter trapped by instream plants (Sanders et al 2007). The groundwater source of methane could be ancient and thus, a true subsidy in both space and time to the system, hitherto overlooked.

To age that carbon in the invertebrates requires a new collaboration with Dr Paula Reimer and a true interdisciplinary approach combining ¹⁴C, ¹³C and ¹²C isotope studies in this new project funded by NERC.

To help us better understand the methane concentrations and ‘age’ that we find in the rivers in the context of the groundwater supply, we will also draw upon the expertise of project partner, Dr Daren Gooddy.


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Mark Trimmer with an Agapetus-encrusted rock from the River Itchen