Chemolithotrophic life in ultramafic rocks: carbon substrates and pathways enabled by water-rock reactions using field and experimental hydrothermal investigations

超镁铁质岩石中的化能营养生命：通过现场和实验热液研究通过水-岩石反应实现的碳底物和途径

• 批准号: 371696-2009
• 负责人: Morrill, Penny
• 金额: $ 4.23万
• 依托单位: Memorial University of Newfoundland
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2011-01-01 至 2012-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=483696
• 关键词: Chemolithotrophic; life; ultramafic; rocks; carbon

Methane and other hydrocarbons have been detected in Earth's oldest rocks, meteorites, and the atmospheres of other planets. On Earth, these hydrocarbons are often thought to be products of biological activities, and thus can indicate the presence of life today or billions of years ago. Therefore the investigation of hydrocarbons has implications for the study of the origin and evolution of life on early Earth, and the search for life in extreme environments and on other planets. Hydrocarbons, however, can also be produced by non-biological (abiogenic) reactions, yet the conditions under which these hydrocarbons are synthesized are not well understood. To differentiate between the biogenic and abiogenic hydrocarbons, the geologic conditions for creating abiogenic hydrocarbons and reaction inhibitors must be determined. Subsequently, unique geochemical indicators must be identified for abiogenic hydrocarbons. In natural settings, there is added difficulty identifying abiogenic hydrocarbons. Reactions between groundwater and the rock it flows through, such as serpentinization (the hydration of ultramafic rock), produce conditions amendable for abiogenic hydrocarbon production as well as chemolithotrophic life. Biological reactions can modify or overprint abiogenic signatures. Therefore, studying carbon cycling in locations favourable for abiogenic hydrocarbon production and chemolithotrophic life must be examined to determine these modifications, to identify life that can survive in extreme pH conditions that are created during serpentinization, and to determine the dependence of life in these systems on products of serpentinization. The research into early life and water-rock reactions in ultramafic rocks will benefit Canadians through the advancement of knowledge of life's evolution on Earth and the production of abiogenic hydrocarbons.

在地球上最古老的岩石、陨石和其他行星的大气中发现了甲烷和其他碳氢化合物。在地球上，这些碳氢化合物通常被认为是生物活动的产物，因此可以表明今天或数十亿年前存在生命。因此，对碳氢化合物的研究对研究早期地球上生命的起源和演化，以及在极端环境和其他行星上寻找生命具有重要意义。然而，碳氢化合物也可以通过非生物（非生物）反应产生，但这些碳氢化合物的合成条件尚不清楚。为了区分生物源烃和非生物源烃，必须确定生成非生物源烃和反应抑制剂的地质条件。因此，必须为非生物烃确定独特的地球化学指标。在自然环境中，识别非生物烃的难度更大。地下水与其流经的岩石之间的反应，如蛇纹石化（超镁铁质岩石的水化作用），为非生物成因的油气生产和趋化岩石营养生命创造了有利条件。生物反应可以修改或覆盖非生物特征。因此，必须在有利于非生物烃生产和化化岩石营养生命的位置研究碳循环，以确定这些修饰，确定可以在蛇纹石化过程中产生的极端pH条件下生存的生命，并确定这些系统中生命对蛇纹石化产物的依赖性。对超镁铁质岩石中早期生命和水岩反应的研究将通过提高对地球上生命进化和非生物烃生产的认识而使加拿大人受益。