Award: OCE-1357360

Award Title: Collaborative Research: Microbial carbon cycling and its interactions with sulfur and nitrogen transformations in Guaymas Basin hydrothermal sediments
Funding Source: NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE)
Program Manager: Michael E. Sieracki

Outcomes Report

Intellectual Merit: The Gulf of California is an active, young ocean that is undergoing early phases of rifting and seafloor spreading. Active hydrothermalism generates oil and the hot fluids that discharge from the seabed are enriched in energy rich substrates, like methane, ammonium, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and reduced metals, that are utilized as energy substrates for microbial communities. The geological setting in Guaymas Basin creates a diverse range of biogeochemical habitats that are exploited by diverse microbial populations. These areas provide a natural laboratory to study how seafloor processes shape the evolution, physiology, and activities of microbial communities that mediate key geochemical reactions. Our work revealed the pathways and dynamics of key processes – four different types of methanogenesis and the anaerobic oxidation of methane – that produce and consume methane, respectively, in sediments. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas so it is important to understand the factors that regulate its production and flux in the environment. Our findings advance the understanding of how environmental factors regulate the critical microbial processes that moderate methane fluxes in natural habitats. Broader Impacts: This project contributed to the training and professional development of six graduate students, two postdoctoral scientists, and one research professional. The young scientists involved in this program participated in highly interdisciplinary sea-going research expeditions utilizing human-occupied submersibles (the ALVIN), remotely operated vehicles, and the mapping autonomous vehicle SENTRY. At sea, these young scientists contributed to day-to-day vehicle operations and CTD sampling and learned to work seamlessly with a large science team. This program contributed significantly to public outreach and education. In addition to a project webpage and blogs from our research expeditions, we worked with cartoonist Jim Toomey to develop a cartoon "The Adventures of Zack and Molly: The Amazing Beggiatoa", describing some aspects of our work in Guaymas Basin. Finally, artist Rebecca Rutstein joined our 2018 expedition and generated a number of incredible paintings and sculptures for exhibition in the Georgia Museum of Art. While at sea, scientists and members of the ships crew and the Alvin and Sentry crews interacted with Rebecca and influenced her work. To date, over 70,000 people have viewed the sculptures and paintings on display at the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens Georgia. Last Modified: 05/24/2020 Submitted by: Samantha B Joye
DatasetLatest Version DateCurrent State
Sediment geochemistry from push cores collected during HOV Alvin dives during the R/V Atlantis cruise AT37-06 in Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California in December 20162020-07-21Final no updates expected
Acetate and methanol turnover rates from sediment push cores collected during HOV Alvin dives during the R/V Atlantis cruise AT37-06 in Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California in December 20162020-06-04Final no updates expected
Results from inhibition experiments conducted using sediment samples from push cores obtained using HOV Alvin dive 4869 during the R/V Atlantis cruise AT37-06 in Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California in December 20162020-06-04Final no updates expected
Sediment geochemistry from push cores collected during HOV Alvin dives during the R/V Atlantis cruise AT42-05 in Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California (27 00.00 N, -111 20.00 W) in November 20182020-07-02Final no updates expected
Geochemical measurements of CTD and Alvin Niskin samples collected in the Gulf of California on RV/Atlantis AT42-05 Alvin dives, Nov. 20182023-02-07Final no updates expected
CTD data collected in the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California from R/V Atlantis cruise AT42-05 in 2018 and R/V Falkor cruise FK190211 in 20192023-03-23Under revision
Sediment geochemistry summary from push cores collected during HOV Alvin dives during the R/V Atlantis cruise AT37-06 in the Guaymas Basin from December 20162020-07-21Final no updates expected
Water column radiotracer methane oxidation rates in the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California from R/V Atlantis cruise AT42-05 in 2018 and R/V Falkor cruise FK190211 in 20192023-07-23Final no updates expected
Geochemical measurements of CTD and Alvin Niskin samples collected in the Gulf of California during R/V Falkor cruise FK190211 in 20192023-01-20Final no updates expected
Geochemical measurements of porewater from sediment push core samples in the Gulf of California during R/V Falkor cruise FK190211 in 20192020-08-21Final no updates expected
Porewater methane concentrations and d13C-CH4 values in Alvin pushcore samples from Guaymas Basin hydrothermal sediments collected on R/V Atlantis cruise AT37-06 in December 20162021-03-11Final no updates expected
Porewater sulfate, sulfide, ammonia, phosphate, and silicate concentrations in Alvin pushcore samples from Guaymas Basin hydrothermal sediments collected on R/V Atlantis cruise AT37-06 in December 20162021-03-12Final no updates expected
Measurements of Radium isotopes (Ra-224 and Ra-223) collected aboard the R/V Falkor cruise FK190211 in the Guaymas Basin of the Gulf of California from February to March 2019.2024-04-30Preliminary and in progress

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Principal Investigator: Samantha B. Joye (University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc)