Collaborative Research: Determining the Limits to Life in Submarine Hydrothermal Systems: Active Sulfide Deposits as Natural Laboratories

该项目将推动开发一套现场传感器，以量化海底热液系统内环境参数和相关微生物群落的时空变化。 该项目的最终目标是确定在原地条件下生命的温度上限，在这些条件下哪些环境参数可能促进生长，以及存在哪些聚生体。 该项目的基础是在胡安·德富卡海岭的Mothra和Main Endeavour喷口区内成功地实地测试了三个硫化物微生物培养箱原型。 要解决的问题包括：什么样的温度梯度存在于成熟的，弥漫性通风大厦的墙壁？ 烟囱壁内的氢逸度和流体的氧化态是什么？ 活性喷口内自然微生物群落和有代表性的孤立极端嗜热菌群的最高生长和存活温度是多少？成熟、扩散通风的硫化物结构中自然发生的超嗜热菌的系统发育和生理多样性是什么？

This project will advance the development of an in-situ sensor package designed to quantify the spatial and temporal variation of environmental parameters and associated microbial communities within submarine hydrothermal systems. The ultimate goals of this project are to determine under in-situ conditions the upper temperature limit of life, what environmental parameters may promote growth under these conditions and what consortia are present. This project builds on the successful field testing of three prototype sulfide microbial incubators within the Mothra and Main Endeavour vent fields on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Questions to be addressed include: What thermal gradients are present within the walls of mature, diffusely venting edifices? What is the hydrogen fugacity and oxidation state of fluids within the chimney walls? What is the maximum growth and survival temperature of natural microbial communities and of representative isolated cultures of hyperthermophiles within active vents? What is the naturally occurring phylogenetic and physiological diversity of hyperthermophiles in mature, diffusely venting sulfide structures?