An incubation experiment was performed, investigating manganese reduction and the associated microbial community in Antarctic, glacial influenced sediments. Slurry was prepared in a 1:5 ratio of sediment and sulfate-free artificial sea water. The used sediment originated from core STA01.02, 0-25 cm, at station 01 in Potter Cove, King George Island/Isla 25 de Mayo, West Antarctic Peninsula, retrieved in Austral summer 2019. The incubation experiment was performed anoxically for two treatments: birnessite (manganese oxide) + acetate and acetate-only, in biological triplicates, incubated at 2 degrees C in the dark. DNA and RNA were co-extracted and the present and active bacterial community was identified by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing on RNA (cDNA) and DNA level. Project was funded by DFG SPP 1158