Abstract
I presented a poster at the GRS and GRC titled “Metagenomic evidence for primary production fueled by serpentinization” that summarizes my ongoing work to identify autotrophic organisms in serpentinite-hosted subsurface ecosystems. The particular focus of this poster was to identify intriguing connections between several marine and continental sites of serpentinization in order to gain greater insight into biogeochemical process in ultramafic subseafloor habitats, which are currently inaccessible to the large-scale metagenomic techniques we are employing. This conference represented an opportunity to share my research with a community of researchers who are mostly unaware of our work but share common interests. In addition to the many techniques that we have in common, the questions of microbial biogeography that are inherent to our research direction also drive the work by many other marine microbial ecologists who do not necessarily study the subseafloor.