Sulfate reduction plays a more limited role in typical freshwater sediments due to lower sulfate concentrations compared to marine environments, though sulfate enrichment via salinization can stimulate sulfate-reducing microbial communities.
The retrieved literature supports the well-established biogeochemical principle that sulfate reduction is less prominent in low-sulfate freshwater systems than in sulfur-rich marine environments, while noting that increases in sulfate availability (such as through salinization) can activate sulfate-dependent processes.