来自老化的海洋地的液体支持微生物生命.
James P Cowen1, Stephen J Giovannoni, Fabien Kenig
1Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. jcowen@soest.hawaii.edu
概括
微生物生活在深海地液体中壮成长. 这些来自350万年前海洋地的65°C液体支持各种细菌和古生物,表明活跃的地下生态系统.
科学领域:
- 地质微生物学的生物.
- 海洋学 海洋学 海洋学
- 微生物生态学 微生物生态学
背景情况:
- 深层生物圈在很大程度上仍未被探索,特别是在中海山脊侧面和海洋盆地地内的低温 (<100°C) 流体储.
- 了解这些环境中的微生物生命对于理解地球地下生物圈和生物地化学循环至关重要.
研究的目的:
- 研究地热加热地层液体中微生物生命的潜力.
- 描述这些深层地下环境中存在的微生物群落.
主要方法:
- 在压力过高的钻井中部署实验密封体 (CORK),以获取和采样地液体.
- 使用核糖体RNA基因测序分析流体化学和微生物群体组成.
主要成果:
- 发现来自350万年前的海洋地的65°C地液支持微生物生长.
- 鉴定了多种细菌和古生物,包括与酸盐降解剂,硫酸盐降解剂和发酵异构体相关的序列.
- 微生物群体的组成与分析的流体化学相一致.
结论:
- 海洋深层地有着可行的多样化微生物生态系统.
- 地下流体循环系统可以维持微生物生命,为全球生物地化学过程做出贡献.
- 这项研究为深层,低温地环境的可居住性提供了关键的见解.
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