A Study of Ancient Microbes Entrapped in Glacial Ice

这一小笔探索性研究补助金(SGER)用于支持这项研究，以评估恢复被困在深度冰芯中的古代微生物的可行性。一个主要目标将是确定获取古代生物与当代花岗岩类进行比较研究的可靠性。这项研究将建立有效的技术，从储存在纽约州布法罗冰芯储存设施的冰芯中恢复微生物，然后尝试从格陵兰岛和南极洲钻探的冰芯中恢复有生命的古代生物。通过连续研究冰芯中较老的地层，可以估计被困在冰中的不同类群的寿命。成功恢复的生物还可以作为模式生物，用于研究生物进化的速度、休眠机制、它们的生态相关性和自然保存过程。

This Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) supports the research to assess the feasibility of recovering ancient microorganisms entrapped in deep glacial ice cores. A major goal will be to establish the reliability of obtaining ancient organisms for comparative studies with contemporary ogranisms. The reseach will establish valid techniques for the recovery of microorganisms from ice cores stored at the Ice Core Storage Facility in Buffalo, N.Y., and then attempt in recover viable, ancient organisms from ice cores drilled in Greenland and Antarctica. By studying successively older strata in ice cores, the longevity of different taxa entrapped in ice can be estimated. Organisms that are successfully recovered can also be used as model organisms for research on rates of biological evolution, mechanisms of dormancy, their ecological relevance and processes of natural preservation.