Collaborative research: Regulation and dynamics of microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling in hydrothermally-influenced habitats in the Gulf of California

合作研究：加利福尼亚湾受热液影响的生境中微生物群落和生物地球化学循环的调节和动态

• 批准号: 2049439
• 负责人: Samantha Joye
• 金额: $ 77.85万
• 依托单位: University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-04-01 至 2025-03-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2049439&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; research; Regulation; dynamics; microbial

Oceanic hydrothermal ecosystems have captivated the imagination of scientists and the general public since their discovery ~40 years ago. These habitats are characterized by extremes in temperature and pH, low oxygen concentrations, and high concentrations of toxic metals. Despite this, these ecosystems support rich and abundant microbial communities that achieve high rates of biogeochemical cycling. This project supports unprecedented studies to identify the impact of chemical regimes on microbial and viral community composition, diversity, and activity in areas in the Gulf of California along a range of hydrothermalism and dissolve oxygen levels. The project provides training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Results are communicated through talks and lectures, publications, and data sharing through public repositories. The work will be shared through Ocean Discovery Camp and Clubs for diverse middle school students, displays at the Georgia Museum of Art, and a collaboration with the BBC Planet Earth III – Oceans team. Through these cumulative efforts, the project will forge a strong legacy in education and in fostering ocean literacy and promoting ocean advocacy in the general public.The Gulf of California is a system where hydrothermal fluids flow through and alter sediment prior to discharge into deep waters. In sediments, fluid flow modulates biological dynamics through changes in carbon loading and electron accepter availability. In the water column, inorganic and organic energy sources are injected into hypoxic deep waters, creating dynamic chemical niches. This project studies how gradients in geochemistry shape and modulate the microbial and viral communities that carry out key biogeochemical reactions in sediments and in the water column of Guaymas and Pescadero Basins. The research integrates data streams from biogeochemistry, genomics, and microbiology, including single-cell activity approaches, to achieve unprecedented insight into regulatory mechanisms and dynamics. The project includes experiments and observations in the laboratory and at sea during an expedition on the R/V Atlantis with the deep submergence vehicle ALVIN in 2022. Key topics for investigation include: (1) Do variations in geochemical regimes select for metabolically plastic microbial populations? (2) Do different microbes become active under specific geochemical conditions or do the same microbes adapt to changing geochemical conditions? (3) What is the role of viruses in shaping the microbial populations present in highly dynamic hydrothermal habitats?This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

海洋热液生态系统自40年前被发现以来，一直吸引着科学家和公众的想象力。这些生境的特点是极端的温度和pH值，低氧浓度和高浓度的有毒金属。尽管如此，这些生态系统支持丰富且丰富的微生物群落，从而实现高速率的生物地球化学循环。该项目支持前所未有的研究，以确定化学制度对微生物和病毒群落组成，多样性和活动的影响，在加州海湾沿着一系列的水热和溶解氧水平。该项目为本科生和研究生提供培训机会。通过讲座和讲座、出版物以及通过公共存储库共享数据来传播成果。这项工作将通过海洋探索营和俱乐部为不同的中学生分享，在格鲁吉亚艺术博物馆展出，并与英国广播公司行星地球三-海洋团队合作。通过这些累积的努力，该项目将在教育、培养海洋知识和促进公众对海洋的宣传方面形成强大的遗产。加州湾是一个系统，热液流经其中，并在排放到深沃茨之前改变沉积物。在沉积物中，流体流动通过碳负载和电子受体可用性的变化来调节生物动力学。在水柱中，无机和有机能源被注入缺氧的深水沃茨，创造动态的化学生态位。该项目研究地球化学梯度如何塑造和调节微生物和病毒群落，这些群落在沉积物以及瓜伊马斯和佩斯卡德罗盆地的水体中进行关键的生物地球化学反应。该研究整合了来自生物化学，基因组学和微生物学的数据流，包括单细胞活性方法，以实现对调控机制和动态的前所未有的洞察。该项目包括2022年在亚特兰蒂斯号R/V上与深潜器ALVIN一起进行探险期间在实验室和海上进行的实验和观察。研究的主要课题包括：（1）地球化学体系的变化是否选择代谢可塑性微生物种群？(2)是不同的微生物在特定的地球化学条件下变得活跃，还是相同的微生物适应不断变化的地球化学条件？(3)病毒在塑造高度动态的热液栖息地中存在的微生物种群中的作用是什么？该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。