Collaborative Proposal: Characterizing Microbial Activity and Diversity in Hawaiian Basalt Aquifers

作为预期的IODP深层生物圈研究的测试案例，该项目将在夏威夷希洛附近的夏威夷科学钻探计划(HSDP)场地通过钻孔进入的玄武岩深层含水层中研究系统发育多样性和刺激微生物活动。使用推拉技术，研究人员将向钻孔中注入测试溶液，允许溶液孵化，然后提取样本进行各种微生物和地球化学测试。在回收样本后，研究人员将完成微生物的视觉计数和基因指纹分析。在测试期间，将使用一种保守的示踪剂来跟踪污染并量化与地下水的混合，研究人员打算评估取回的样本中的本地微生物和污染微生物。这项研究的更广泛影响包括对博士生和本科生的培训，以及未被充分代表的群体参与尖端研究。这项研究服务于IODP的深层生物圈目标，并将为稍后在海洋环境中实施的程序提供具有成本效益的测试。

As a test case for anticipated IODP deep biosphere research, this project will study phylogenetic diversity and stimulate microbial activity in a deep basaltic aquifer accessible through a borehole at the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Program (HSDP) site near Hilo, Hawaii. Using the push-pull technique, the researchers will inject a test solution into the borehole, permit the solution to incubate, and then extract the sample for a variety of microbiological and geochemical tests. After recovery of the samples, the researchers will complete visual counts for microbes and genetic fingerprinting. During testing, a conservative tracer will be used to track contamination and quantify mixing with groundwater, and researchers intend to assess both indigenous and contaminant microbes in the retrieved samples. Broader impacts of this research include training of PhD students and undergraduates and involvement of underrepresented groups in cutting edge research. The study serves the deep biosphere goals of IODP and will provide a cost-effective test for procedures that could be implemented later in the marine setting.