Microbial Observatories: Collaborative Research: Kamchatka, a Geothermal Microbial Observatory

已向Wiegel博士、Crowe博士和Romanek博士(格鲁吉亚大学研究基金会)、Robb博士(马里兰大学生物技术研究所)和Cady博士(波特兰州立大学)提供了赠款，以建立一个独特的跨学科国际微生物观测站，以探索西伯利亚(俄罗斯)堪察加半岛偏远火山和地热区令人兴奋的微生物世界。由于活火山和地热区在低海拔地区异常集中，地质情况是独特的，这些特点与黄石国家公园的地热特征不同。原始的地理位置允许进行在黄石国家公园无法完成的工作。这个观测站的主要目标是发现新的微生物，阐明微生物群落，并随后描述它们的系统发育、生化、微生物学和生物技术特性。乌松火山口描述了不寻常的生物地球化学过程，微生物群落可能与其他地热区不同。初步结果表明，存在许多新的微生物。这将扩大我们对极端条件下微生物多样性的了解，以及营养物质如何沿着温度和营养梯度在不同的微生物群落中循环。微生物学和地球化学研究将结合起来，解决一些最严酷的陆地条件，在这些条件下，新的微生物群落存在，这可能会给我们提供对外星生命的洞察。除了提供重要的学术数据外，这笔赠款还将大大促进对学生的跨学科培训，为未来将研究生物地球化学新领域的研究人员做出贡献。该项目将增进来自不同文化和政治系统的人之间的国际合作和理解，并将导致发现具有各种工业应用潜力的微生物。此外，该项目的强有力的外联部分将使广大公众了解堪察加等独特区域的存在和重要性。

A grant has been awarded to Drs. Wiegel, Crowe, and Romanek (University of Georgia Research Foundation), Robb (University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute) and Cady (Portland State University) to establish a unique interdisciplinary, international microbial observatory to explore the exciting microbial world in remote volcanic and geothermal areas of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Siberia (Russia). The geological situation is unique, due to the unusual concentration of active volcanoes and geothermal areas at a low altitude, features that are different from the geothermal features at Yellowstone National Park. The pristine location allows performing work that cannot be done in the Yellowstone National Park. The primary goal of this observatory is to find novel microorganisms, to elucidate the microbial communities and subsequently characterize their phylogeny, biochemical, microbiological, and biotechnological properties. Unusual biogeochemical processes have been described in the Uzon Caldera, and the microbial communities may be different from other geothermal areas. The presence of many novel microorganisms is indicated by preliminary results. This will extend our knowledge about the diversity of microorganisms in extreme conditions, and how nutrients are cycled through the different microbial communities along temperature and nutrient gradients. Microbiological and geochemical research will combine in addressing some of the most rigorous terrestrial conditions under which novel microbial communities exist, which may give insights into extraterrestrial life. In addition to producing academically important data, this grant will contribute significantly to the interdisciplinary training of students contributing to the cadre of future researchers who will address the new field of biogeochemistry. The project will increase international cooperation and understanding between people from different cultural and political systems, and will lead to the discovery of microorganisms with high potential for various industrial applications. Furthermore the strong outreach component of this project will inform the general public about the existence and importance of unique regions such as Kamchatka.