MO: Collaborative Research: A Microbial Observatory Examining Microbial Abundance, Diversity, Associations and Activity at Seafloor Brine Seeps

MO：合作研究：微生物观测站检查海底盐水渗漏处的微生物丰度、多样性、关联性和活动

• 批准号: 0969926
• 负责人: Ian MacDonald
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: Florida State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-03 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0969926&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MO; Collaborative; Research; Microbial; Observatory

Brine seeps are caused by the dissolution of salt that was deposited when the Gulf of Mexico was an evaporative basin and then buried beneath sediments. When salt deposits come into contact with seawater, they dissolve, and form brines many times saltier than seawater. Salt migration creates faults in the sediment column and drives seepage of brine fluids and materials from the deep subsurface to the seafloor. These heavy brines flow out of the seafloor forming puddles, pools, and lakes of brine. Brine seeps occur along continental margins, but surprisingly little is known about the diversity and activity of their microbial communities. Brine seeps are fueled by persistent fluid and gas discharge over periods of decades to centuries, thus it is likely that distinct free-living microbial communities have adapted to these habitats. Brine seep habitats may be analogs for brine seeps on other worlds as are thought to occur on Europa, Titan or Mars. The laboratories of Drs. Samantha Joye of the University of Georgia, Ian MacDonald of Texas A and M and Andreas Teske of the University of North Carolina and colleagues from Germany and Denmark will be characterizing the distribution and activity of the microbes in Gulf of Mexico brine seeps, examining the interactions of the microbial communities with their unusual environment, and evaluating the biogeochemical role of these communities in the brine seep habitats. They will be using a three-pronged approach that includes in-situ sampling, long-term monitoring, and experimentation to quantify the abundance, diversity and activity of microorganisms mediating carbon and sulfur transformations in brine seeps, to identify the environmental controls on these microbial activities and distributions, to trace carbon and sulfur flow through the microbial food web using stable isotope biomarkers, DNA and RNA and to isolate and characterize novel microorganisms from these brine seeps. This project will include a diverse portfolio of outreach activities. The research will include undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scientists. An exchange program between US, German and Danish collaborators will permit US graduate students to live and work in Bremen, Germany or Odense, Denmark. A middle or high school science teacher will be participating in the research cruises through collaboration with the Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence-Southeast program. The science teacher will work in one of the PI?s laboratories to develop course materials for use in middle and/or high schools. The PIs will have interactive web casts of research cruises and a project web page will be available, by year one of the project, for the scientific community and for the general public.

盐水渗入是由墨西哥湾是蒸发盆地然后埋在沉积物下的盐时沉积的盐溶解引起的。当盐沉积与海水接触时，它们会溶解并形成盐水比海水盐得多。盐迁移会在沉积物柱中造成故障，并将盐水和材料的渗流从深地下到海底。这些重的盐水从海底流出，形成水坑，水池和盐水。 盐水渗入发生在大陆边缘，但令人惊讶的是，对其微生物群落的多样性和活动知之甚少。在数十年到几个世纪的时间里，盐水的渗水是由持续的液体和气体排放所助长的，因此，不同的自由生活的微生物群落很可能已经适应了这些栖息地。盐水渗水栖息地可能是在欧罗巴，泰坦或火星上发生的其他世界上盐水渗漏的类似物。博士的实验室。佐治亚大学的萨曼莎·乔伊（Samantha Joye），德克萨斯州A和M的伊恩·麦克唐纳（Ian MacDonald）以及北卡罗来纳大学的德国大学以及来自德国和丹麦的同事的萨曼莎·乔伊（Andreas Teske），将在墨西哥盐水中的墨西哥墨西哥墨西哥湾的分布和活动，并评估其与他们无关的环境的相互作用，并审查这些社区的相互作用，并在不属性的环境中进行评估。盐水渗水栖息地。 They will be using a three-pronged approach that includes in-situ sampling, long-term monitoring, and experimentation to quantify the abundance, diversity and activity of microorganisms mediating carbon and sulfur transformations in brine seeps, to identify the environmental controls on these microbial activities and distributions, to trace carbon and sulfur flow through the microbial food web using stable isotope biomarkers, DNA and RNA and to分离物和表征这些盐水渗漏的新型微生物。 该项目将包括各种外展活动的组合。该研究将包括本科生和研究生以及博士后科学家。我们之间，德国和丹麦合作者之间的交流计划将允许美国研究生在不来梅，德国或丹麦的Odense生活和工作。中学或高中科学老师将通过与海洋科学教育卓越卓越计划中心合作参加研究巡游。 科学老师将在PI的一个实验室中工作，以开发用于中学和/或高中的课程材料。 PI将具有研究巡游的交互式网络演员，并在该项目的第一年为科学界和公众提供一个项目网页。