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Abundance and diversity of microbial life in ocean crust

Author

Listed:
  • Cara M. Santelli

    (MIT/WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography and Ocean Engineering and,
    Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA)

  • Beth N. Orcutt

    (Geomicrobiology Group, Marine Environmental Biology, University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90089-0371, USA)

  • Erin Banning

    (MIT/WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography and Ocean Engineering and,)

  • Wolfgang Bach

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
    Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, Postfach 33 04 40, D-28334 Bremen, Germany)

  • Craig L. Moyer

    (Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington 98225, USA)

  • Mitchell L. Sogin

    (Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA)

  • Hubert Staudigel

    (Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, La Jolla, California 92037, USA)

  • Katrina J. Edwards

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
    Geomicrobiology Group, Marine Environmental Biology, University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90089-0371, USA)

Abstract

Microbial diversity: Life under the ocean waves The oceans are rich in life, from the plankton-filled surface waters to the bottom feeders on sea floor. And even below that it seems. In recent years, several lines of evidence have suggested that microbial life may be abundant in and on basaltic ocean crust; and in theory basaltic alteration reactions could provide sufficient energy for chemolithoautotrophic growth. Now a survey of seafloor ocean crust from two sites reveals an unexpected microbial abundance and diversity. Microbial life in this bare-rock substrate is dominated by bacteria. Surprisingly, the bacterial diversity of the ocean crust is comparable to that of terrestrial soil.

Suggested Citation

  • Cara M. Santelli & Beth N. Orcutt & Erin Banning & Wolfgang Bach & Craig L. Moyer & Mitchell L. Sogin & Hubert Staudigel & Katrina J. Edwards, 2008. "Abundance and diversity of microbial life in ocean crust," Nature, Nature, vol. 453(7195), pages 653-656, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:453:y:2008:i:7195:d:10.1038_nature06899
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06899
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    Cited by:

    1. Yunru Chen & Liang Dong & Weikang Sui & Mingyang Niu & Xingqian Cui & Kai-Uwe Hinrichs & Fengping Wang, 2024. "Cycling and persistence of iron-bound organic carbon in subseafloor sediments," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

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