Collaborative Research: Integration of Deep Ocean Benthic Sampler Technology with Microbial Biogeochemistry of Methane Seeps and Isolation of Piezophilic Deep-Sea Sediment Microbes

合作研究：深海底栖采样技术与甲烷渗漏微生物生物地球化学和亲压深海沉积物微生物的分离相结合

• 批准号: 1031302
• 负责人: Craig Taylor
• 金额: $ 74.9万
• 依托单位: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-01 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1031302&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Integration; Deep; Ocean

Bacteria and archaea account for half the biomass on Earth and drive major biogeochemical cycles, due to their ability to catalyze a broad spectrum of chemical reactions. They form the basis of various ecosystems, yet our understanding of the functioning of the microbial communities in many of these environments is still limited.This is particularly true for deep ocean sediments, which harbor a significant portion of the microbial biosphere existing under elevated hydrostatic pressure (up to 110 MPa; 1086 atm) and low temperatures. This prevents many, if not most microorganisms from these environments from being cultured in the laboratory, suggesting that we have only scratched the surface of the metabolic potential and the extent of physiological diversity of the microbial communities inhabiting these environments. From a biogeochemical standpoint, hydrostatic pressure can also dramatically influence chemical gradients within microbial ecosystems, in particular in gas- and gas-hydrate bearing deep-sea sediments. Preservation of sediment samples from these environments is a particular challenge in that the time between sampling and retrieval can be hours and changes in pressure, temperature can result in substantial out-gassing that destroys the structural integrity of the retrieved sediment sample as well as changes the composition and activity of the contained microbial communities. The Deep Ocean Benthic Sampler (DOBS) possesses a capability that is unique to the fields of deep-sea microbial ecology and biogeochemistry, the ability to obtain a contamination-free core and preserve in situ conditions of pressure and temperature upon retrieval to the ship. The PI?s propose to develop Deep Ocean Benthic Sampler (DOBS) into a routine instrument that can be used by the oceanographic community to obtain undisturbed sediment cores maintained under in situ conditions for biogeochemical and microbiological analyses.Broader Impacts: This is a novel technology that is of interest for a broad range of researchers from several fields of science. The knowledge gain will not remain in a distinct community of scientists but will be of interest for a wide variety of scientists as well as or the public. Given that the deep sea is the largest ecosystem on earth, our knowledge about deep sea habitats is very limited at present. The authors take good care of educational programs for undergraduate and graduate students including females and minorities. Ample public outreach of the exciting science will be achieved.

细菌和古生菌占地球生物量的一半，并驱动着主要的地球化学循环，因为它们能够催化广泛的化学反应。它们构成了各种生态系统的基础，但我们对这些环境中微生物群落功能的了解仍然有限，尤其是深海沉积物，其中含有大量存在于高静水压力（高达110 MPa; 1086 atm）和低温下的微生物生物圈。这阻止了来自这些环境的许多（如果不是大多数）微生物在实验室中培养，这表明我们只触及了栖息在这些环境中的微生物群落的代谢潜力和生理多样性的表面。从生物地球化学的角度来看，静水压力也可以显著影响微生物生态系统内的化学梯度，特别是在含有气体和气体水合物的深海沉积物中。从这些环境中保存沉积物样品是一个特别的挑战，因为取样和回收之间的时间可能长达数小时，压力和温度的变化可能导致大量的放气，破坏回收的沉积物样品的结构完整性，并改变所含微生物群落的组成和活性。深海底栖取样器具有深海微生物生态学和海洋地球化学领域独有的能力，能够获得无污染的岩心，并在收回船上后保持原地的压力和温度条件。私家侦探？我们建议将深海底栖取样器发展成海洋学界可用来获取在原位条件下保持的原状沉积物岩心进行生物地球化学和微生物分析的常规仪器。 这是一项新技术，引起了来自多个科学领域的广泛研究人员的兴趣。所获得的知识不会只限于某一特定的科学家群体，而是会引起各种科学家以及公众的兴趣。鉴于深海是地球上最大的生态系统，目前我们对深海栖息地的了解非常有限。作者很好地照顾了包括女性和少数民族在内的本科生和研究生的教育计划。这一激动人心的科学将得到广泛的公众宣传。