C-DEBI Newsletter – October 16, 2013
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The International Ocean Discovery Program seeks researchers with expertise in geochemistry, microbiology, and observatories, specifically with experience using CORK, osmosampler data, and sample recovery, to participate in a contingency GeniusPlug recovery operation aboard the Chikyu during Expedition 348: NanTroSEIZE Plate Boundary Deep Riser. A SmartPlug system was recovered and replaced with the GeniusPlug system during Expedition 332, which includes a set of geochemical and biological experiments, in addition to pressure and temperature sensors. If time allows during Expedition 348, this temporary instrument will be recovered and replaced with a new GeniusPlug. Expedition 348 is currently underway, scheduled to remain at sea until 20 January 2014. The exact timing of the launch of the contingency plan will be announced any time between 1 month and 2 weeks prior to operations; therefore applicants must have a flexible boarding window in order to participate. CDEX will ensure that selected participants are kept informed of the schedules changes and operation details as they become available. The full scientific plan for this expedition is presented in the Scientific Prospectus – available at: http://publications.iodp.org/scientific_prospectus/348/index.html. The application deadline closes on Wednesday, October 23. U.S. affiliated scientists interested in participating on this expedition should apply to sail through the U.S. Science Support Program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. To apply, please visit: http://usssp-iodp.org/expeditions/srv/bindings/f0978f5a03ed4907826b7fa42ba9b99c/home/474207.cloudwaysapps.com/xgnadywkjx/public_htmlly-to-sail/srv/bindings/f0978f5a03ed4907826b7fa42ba9b99c/home/474207.cloudwaysapps.com/xgnadywkjx/public_htmllication-form/.
IODP: Apply to Sail: Two Indian Ocean Expeditions
- Indian Monsoon Rainfall (29 November 2014 – 29 January 2015) seeks to obtain sediment sections from within the core region of Indian monsoon precipitation. Four sites in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea will target Late Cretaceous to Holocene sediments to better understand the physical and climatological mechanisms underlying changes in monsoonal precipitation, erosion, and run-off across multiple timescales.
- Bengal Fan (29 January 2015 – 31 March 2015) seeks to drill a transect of sites across the middle Bengal Fan to obtain a Neogene and Late Paleogene record of Himalayan orogeny and climate. The objectives are to investigate interactions among the growth of the Himalaya and Tibet, the development of the Asian monsoon, and processes affecting the carbon cycle and global climate.
IODP: Apply Today: Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellowship
NSF: Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OCE-PRF)
The Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE) offers postdoctoral research fellowships to provide opportunities for scientists early in their careers to work within and across traditional disciplinary lines, develop partnerships, and avail themselves of unique resources, sites and facilities. Full proposal target date: January 13, 2014.
NSF: Discovery Research K-12 (DRK-12)
Publications
The fluids emanating from active submarine hydrothermal vent chimneys provide a window into subseafloor processes and, through mixing with seawater, are responsible for steep thermal and compositional gradients that provide the energetic basis for diverse biological communities. Although several models have been developed to better understand the dynamic interplay of seawater, hydrothermal fluid, minerals and microorganisms inside chimney walls, none provide a fully integrated approach to quantifying the biogeochemistry of these hydrothermal systems. In an effort to remedy this, a fully coupled biogeochemical reaction-transport model of a hydrothermal vent chimney has been developed that explicitly quantifies the rates of microbial catalysis while taking into account geochemical processes such as fluid flow, solute transport and oxidation-reduction reactions associated with fluid mixing as a function of temperature. The metabolisms included in the reaction network are methanogenesis, aerobic oxidation of hydrogen, sulfide and methane and sulfate reduction by hydrogen and methane. Model results indicate that microbial catalysis is generally fastest in the hottest habitable portion of the vent chimney (77-102oC), and methane and sulfide oxidation peak near the seawater-side of the chimney. The fastest metabolisms are aerobic oxidation of H2 and sulfide and reduction of sulfate by H2 with maximum rates of 140, 900 and 800 pmol cm-3 d-1, respectively. The maximum rate of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis is just under 0.03 pmol cm-3 d-1, the slowest of the metabolisms considered. Due to thermodynamic inhibition, there is no anaerobic oxidation of methane by sulfate (AOM). These simulations are consistent with vent chimney metabolic activity inferred from phylogenetic data reported in the literature. The model developed here by C-DEBI Postdoctoral Fellow D. LaRowe et al. provides a quantitative approach to describing the rates of biogeochemical transformations in hydrothermal systems and can be used to constrain the role of microbial activity in the deep subsurface.
Genetic and Functional Properties of Uncultivated MCG Archaea Assessed by Metagenome and Gene Expression Analyses in The ISME Journal
The Miscellaneous Crenarchaeota group (MCG) Archaea is one of the predominant archaeal groups in anoxic environments and may have significant roles in the global biogeochemical cycles. However, no isolate of MCG has been cultivated or characterized to date. In this study, Meng et al. investigated the genetic organization, ecophysiological properties and evolutionary relationships of MCG archaea with other archaeal members using metagenome information and the result of gene expression experiments. A comparison of the gene organizations and similarities around the 16S rRNA genes from all available MCG fosmid and cosmid clones revealed no significant synteny among genomic fragments, demonstrating that there are large genetic variations within members of the MCG. Phylogenetic analyses of large-subunit+small-subunit rRNA, concatenated ribosomal protein genes and topoisomerases IB gene (TopoIB) all demonstrate that MCG constituted a sister lineage to the newly proposed archaeal phylum Aigarchaeota and Thaumarchaeota. Genes involved in protocatechuate degradation and chemotaxis were found in a MCG fosmid 75G8 genome fragment, suggesting that this MCG member may have a role in the degradation of aromatic compounds. Moreover, the expression of a putative 4-carboxymuconolactone decarboxylase was observed when the sediment was supplemented with protocatechuate, further supporting the hypothesis that this MCG member degrades aromatic compounds.
Monday, November 4 – Friday, November 15, 2013
COSEE: Professional Development Workshop for Early Career Scientists
IODP: Education & Outreach Opportunities
Deep Earth Academy is compiling a list of enthusiastic IODP scientists and graduate students interested in sharing their science and career history with audiences of all kinds at one of the many events in which we participate or host. Opportunities may include:
- Working at booths and co-facilitating teacher workshops at conferences, such as the National Science Teacher’s Association annual events (http://www.nsta.org/),
- Engaging families in interactive activities at the USA Science & Engineering Festival (http://www.usasciencefestival.org/),
- Submitting a workshop proposal to present at the National Marine Educators Association Meeting (http://www.nmea2014.com/),
- Serving as an instructor for one of our professional development programs such as the School of Rock (http://joidesresolution.org/node/3298) or Regional Rocks,
- Helping out at our informal events at museums, and
- More!
Please email a CV to Jennifer Collins (jcollins@oceanleadership.org) if you would like to join the team or if you have questions. We will let you know when there is an opportunity in your region. Thank you in advance for your time and commitment!
DeSSC: Applications for the Student/Early Career Scientist DeSSC Program Now Being Accepted
ISSM 2014: Ninth International Symposium on Subsurface Microbiology
Registration deadline is Feb 28, 2014.
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences: Two Principal Investigator Positions
For full consideration, the application should be received by 25 October 2013.
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