LIFE IN AMICROBIALWORLD:THEECOLOGYOFMICROBESATHYDROTHERMALVENTSPETERR.GIRGUISHARVARDUNIVERSITYCAMBRIDGE,MAMONTEREYBAYAQUARIUMRESEARCHINSTITUTEMOSSLANDING,CAPGIRGUIS@OEB.HARVARD.EDU
Life in a Microbial World: The ecology of microbes at Hydrothermal vents Peter R. Girguis Harvard University Cambridge, MA Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Moss Landing, CA Pgirguis@oeb.harvard.edu Courtesy of D. Kelley, UW
How Alvin helped solve a long-standing mysterySeafloorplatetectonics:is it real?.Duringthelate1960sscientistsbecameinterestedinexploringtheseafloorInparticular,theywantedtofind signs of plate tectonics.This includes:OceanicPhysiographicMap(Heezen&Tharp,1977)VolcanoesEarthguakefaultsMountainsHot springs?
Seafloor plate tectonics: is it real? •During the late 1960s, scientists became interested in exploring the seafloor. In particular, they wanted to find signs of plate tectonics. This includes: Volcanoes Earthquake faults Mountains Hot springs? Oceanic Physiographic Map (Heezen & Tharp, 1977) How Alvin helped solve a long-standing mystery
DSV Alvin:·Carriesthree peopletotheseafloor2110MoTrsftir.Dives to nearly two milesvideoLehviteounderwaterLighteaslastpheres.Has beenfeaturedin over2,000scientificpublicationsCETAPCXirtrotewotor fay trelhre:Hasbeentotheseafloorve1Watarosartotatteriesmorefimesthananyothersubmersible.eaitetereargEHelped leadto thepiloVevportwuipriatordiscovery of hydrothermalFaskevents
DSV Alvin: •Carries three people to the seafloor • Dives to nearly two miles underwater •Has been featured in over 2,000 scientific publications • Has been to the seafloor more times than any other submersible. Helped lead to the discovery of hydrothermal vents
DSV A/vin:Deployed from its hangarinto the ocean by a giantrope...: Alvin is completelyuntethered,meaningthere'snophysical linktothesupport ship
DSV Alvin: •Deployed from its hangar into the ocean by a giant rope. • Alvin is completely untethered, meaning there’s no physical link to the support ship
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Discovering underwater “"hot springs
Discovering underwater “hot springs
What is an underwater hot spring, or hydrothermal vent?Seawaterpercolates364throughthecrust3660Getschemicallyaltereo3680BlackbeunsSmokerGainshydrogen sulfide3700ComplexMgmetals, and heat3720Whitesmokers("Kremlin")Hotseawaterisbuoyant3740andemergesthroughthe3760crust as a"smoker"3780-Over200ventfieldshavebeendefecfedMassivePyriteFarfewerhavebeenBrecciaPyrite-Anhydrite Brecciavisited88CPyrite-SilicaAnhydriteBrecciaPyrite-Sillica BrecciaSilicifiedWall-RockBrecciaChforitized Basalt BrecciaBasalt050m
Seawater percolates through the crust Gets chemically altered Gains hydrogen sulfide, metals, and heat Hot seawater is buoyant, and emerges through the crust as a “smoker” Over 200 vent fields have been detected Far fewer have been visited What is an underwater hot spring, or hydrothermal vent?
From volcanoes to microbesWhen firstdiscoveredgeologistswereexcited aboutthese vents..Geochemistswere excitedaboutthesevents...Biologists..well,BiologistsWereFLOOREDby what theyfound
When first discovered, geologists were excited about these vents. Geochemists were excited about these vents. Biologists. well, Biologists were FLOORED by what they found. From volcanoes to microbes
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