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East Pacific Rise — Current Experiment Coordination — Responses [ISS]

Sievert: Subsurface Microbiology and Biogeochemistry Vent Experiments

1. PI-Project Information

Name: Stefan Sievert
Institution: WHOI
Email address: ssievert@whoi.edu
Project Title: Microbiology and Biogeochemistry of Autotrophic Microbes in the Subsurface at Hydrothermal Vents: Filamentous-Sulfur Producing Bacteria
NSF-OCE number: OCE-0452333
Upcoming cruise ID and dates: 12/27/07 — 01/14/08, Fall 2008

2. Planned Sampling Requirements

  • 2.1. Types of Samples:

    • Microbes from diffuse flow sites with a range of temperatures; samples needed for incubations, isolations, and lipid/nucleic acid extractions
    Basalt samples w/ and w/o biofilms
    Microbial mats
    Sulfides

  • 2.2. Type of Sample Locality:

    • We would definitely go back to the RESET06 Mk8/Mk11 diffuse flow site (if it is still active then); this is where we focused our activities during RESET06 and we are planning to document the changes occurring in the microbial communities at this site over time.

    Other sites will certainly be sampled, but these sites are currently not known; the selection of sites will also depend on information obtained in cruises prior to ours.

    Our objective is to better define the subsurface biosphere at EPR 9N, and so being able to sample various sites differing in temperature and geochemistry will be essential to achieve our goals. Sampling would include taking basalts, sulfides as well as taking water samples (see 2.3)

  • 2.3. Seafloor Collection Devices to be Used:

    • Water samples will be taken with Majors and McLane large volume pump (deployed from elevator). The latter will only be a short-term deployment (<2 days).

    Possibly we would use in situ incubation devices (size currently not known, but relatively small)

    Basalt pieces, sulfides etc. will be taken with Alvin and put in bioboxes.

    Biofilms/microbial mats will be taken using slurp gun.

  • 2.4. Seafloor Experiments to be Deployed:

    • Currently no long-term deployments are planned. Possibly colonization experiments would be carried out in collaboration with Shank and Vetriani.

3. Planned Duration of Seafloor Experiments:

See 2.4.

4. Constraints on Your Deployment Plans:

  • 4.1. Will vehicle operations be allowable in your experiment area? If so, with what restrictions for sampling or imaging (e.g., non-invasive observations or mapping).

    • N/A

  • 4.2. What is the proximity (meters distant) from your experiment(s) that future sampling can be done.

    • N/A

  • 4.3. What is the proximity (meters distant) to which other in-situ instrument deployments can be made.

    • N/A

  • 4.4. Will you be using acoustic devices or moorings?

    • Acoustic releases might be used for the elevator deployment.

  • 4.4. Are you looking for other experiments that can be co-located with your experiments?

    • N/A

  • 4.5. Does your experiment require site protection? To what level of tolerance?

    • N/A

5. Other Issues?

Sievert experiment photo

McLane large volume pump