Microbial Transformations at Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents

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The discovery of the hydrothermal vents of the deep-sea has led to dramatic rethinking of how entire ecosystems can be fueled through primary production sources. Chemosynthetic production by marine bacteria are now known to support diverse, thriving and unusual communities of living organisms in locations that would have been unexpected a decade ago. The use of sulfur compounds, important to deep-sea hydrothermal vents, has sparked an interest in worlds which are closer to our everyday experience -- salt marshes, mangrove systems, and sewage outfalls and treatment systems. These discoveries have also stimulated a great interest in other types of chemical-based synthetic systems, for example, the newly discovered ability of animal/bacterial associations to utilize methane (natural gas) in hydrocarbon seeps on the sea floor. Dr. Jannasch has been one of the nation's and world's leaders in the study of the exciting microbiology of the vent ecosystems. He has been extremely productive in the discovery, identification, and characterization of naval life forms. The proposed studies will continue these investigations and begin to assess how the organic biomass (food) produced by the deep-sea bacteria is transferred in the food web to associated animals. The Biological Oceanography Program recommends support for Dr. Jannasch's investigations at the following levels: FY87, $128,101, FY88, $157,130; FY89, $164,769.