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

自40年前发现热液生态系统以来，一直吸引着科学家和公众的想象力。热液栖息地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的微生物群落，实现了高速率的生物地球化学循环。该项目支持前所未有的研究，以确定化学制度对加利福尼亚湾地区微生物和病毒群落组成、多样性和活动的影响，这些地区受到热液作用和不同底水氧气水平的不同影响。该项目为本科生和研究生提供培训机会。结果通过讲座、出版物和公共存储库的数据共享进行交流。这些作品将通过海洋探索营和面向不同中学生的俱乐部分享，在乔治亚艺术博物馆展出，并与BBC行星地球III -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留下强有力的遗产。加利福尼亚湾是一个热液流经并改变沉积物的系统，然后排放到深水中。在沉积物中，流体流动通过碳负荷和电子受体有效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中，创造出动态的化学生态位。该项目研究地球化学梯度如何塑造和调节Guaymas和Pescadero盆地沉积物和水柱中进行关键生物地球化学反应的微生物和病毒群落。该研究整合了来自生物地球化学、基因组学、微生物活动和微生物学（~单细胞活动）的数据流，以实现对调控机制和动力学的前所未有的深入了解。该项目包括在2022年乘坐R/V亚特兰蒂斯号深潜器ALVIN进行的一次探险期间在实验室和海上进行的实验和观察。研究的关键议题包括：(1)地球化学制度的变化是否会选择代谢可塑性的微生物种群？(2)不同的微生物是在特定的地球化学条件下变得活跃，还是同一种微生物适应变化的地球化学条件？(3)病毒在形成高动态热液栖息地中存在的微生物种群中的作用是什么？该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

Hydrothermal ecosystems have captivated the imagination of scientists and the general public since their discovery ~40 years ago. Hydrothermal 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 along areas in the Gulf of California differently influenced by hydrothermalism and varying bottom water 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, microbial activity, and microbiology (~single-cell activity) 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.