C-DEBI Newsletter – August 16, 2019

Publications & Press

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Nature Communications
Subseafloor life and its biogeochemical impacts – NEW!
Steven D’Hondt*, Robert Pockalny, Victoria M. Fulfer, Arthur J. Spivack
*C-DEBI Contribution 454

Subseafloor microbial activities are central to Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. They control Earth’s surface oxidation and major aspects of ocean chemistry. They affect climate on long timescales and play major roles in forming and destroying economic resources. In this review, we evaluate present understanding of subseafloor microbes and their activities, identify research gaps, and recommend approaches to filling those gaps. Our synthesis suggests that chemical diffusion rates and reaction affinities play a primary role in controlling rates of subseafloor activities. Fundamental aspects of subseafloor communities, including features that enable their persistence at low catabolic rates for millions of years, remain unknown.

The ISME Journal
High proportions of bacteria and archaea across most biomes remain uncultured – NEW!
Andrew D. Steen*, Alexander Crits-Christoph, Paul Carini, Kristen M. DeAngelis, Noah Fierer, Karen G. Lloyd*, J. Cameron Thrash
*C-DEBI Contribution 482

A recent paper by Martiny argues that “high proportions” of bacteria in diverse Earth environments have been cultured. Here we reanalyze a portion of the data in that paper, and argue that the conclusion is based on several technical errors, most notably a calculation of sequence similarity that does not account for sequence gaps, and the reliance on 16S rRNA gene amplicons that are known to be biased towards cultured organisms. We further argue that the paper is also based on a conceptual error: namely, that sequence similarity cannot be used to infer “culturability” because one cannot infer physiology from 16S rRNA gene sequences. Combined with other recent, more reliable studies, the evidence supports the conclusion that most bacterial and archaeal taxa remain uncultured.
 

Meetings & Activities

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IODP: New Science Plan Structure & Road Map open for community comment through 26 August – NEW!
In July 2019, eighteen international delegates comprising the Science Plan Working Group met to produce a Science Plan Structure and Road Map document highlighting the commonalities in the workshop outcomes and indicating a potential way forward towards a new science plan. This Science Plan Structure and Road Map document is now available for community commenting before it will be discussed at the annual meeting of the IODP Forum in Osaka in September 2019. Now is a key moment in which the IODP community can provide input, in particular to the overall new structure of the proposed science plan. In January and March 2020 there will be two other commenting cycles, when successive drafts of the future science plan will be made available to the community on the IODP.org website. As this is a new plan in support of the future generations of scientific ocean drilling researchers, we especially seek input from early- and mid-career scientists. Please respond before August 26, 2019.

UNOLS: Deep Submergence Science Committee (DeSSC) Call for Nominations – NEW!
The UNOLS Deep Submergence Science Committee (DeSSC) is seeking nominations to fill one membership vacancy that will become open in the fall of 2019. The DESSC is the UNOLS Committee charged with providing oversight and advice to the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) operator on matters concerning utilization, upgrades, and long-term planning of its vehicles (Alvin, Jason, and Sentry). The Committee strives to maintain awareness of the needs of the users for new sensors and equipment to address important scientific questions, and to provide this information to the NDSF operator and the federal agencies. Additionally the Committee works to engage early career scientists and promote outreach initiatives on the use of NDSF vehicles in deep submergence research. Candidates should be experienced in the use of deep submergence vehicles. For additional information about DeSSC, visit the Committee website. For information about committee responsibilities contact the DESSC Chair, Anna-Louise Reysenbach at bwar@pdx.edu or Alice Doyle (alice@unols.org). Terms of office are three years, with the possibility of re-appointment for a second term. The DeSSC has a spring meeting at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and then there is a community meeting prior to the annual AGU meeting each year. Applicants or nominees should submit a brief statement of interest in serving on DeSSC along with a CV to Alice Doyle of the UNOLS office by email (alice@unols.org). Experience using deep submergence facilities should be highlighted in the statement of interest. Committee members are appointed by the UNOLS Chair based on the recommendation of the DeSSC and with the concurrence of the UNOLS Council. Applications due September 13, 2019.

ISSM: Submit your abstracts to the 11th ISSM conference, June 14-19, 2020, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Abstracts due in September 2019.

UCSD: Guaymas Science Symposium, September 16, 2019, Scripps Forum

Ongoing Activities:

• C-DEBI: Rolling call for Community Workshop support
• C-DEBI: Protocols.io Group Page
• C-DEBI: Subseafloor Cultures Database
• C-DEBI: Join us on LinkedIn

 

Best, 

 

Matt

 

— 

Matthew Janicak

Data Manager

Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI)

Exploring life beneath the seafloor and making transformative discoveries that advance science, benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins.

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