microbes

Observing the development of a deep-sea greenhouse gas filter

28 September, 2018

Source: Science Daily
Author: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology

Large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane are stored in the seabed. Fortunately, only a small fraction of the methane reaches the atmosphere, where it acts as a climate-relevant gas, as it is largely degraded within the sediment. This degradation is carried out by a specialized community of microbes, which removes up to 90 percent of the escaping methane. Thus, these microbes are referred to as the “microbial methane filter.” If the greenhouse gas were to rise through the water and into the atmosphere, it could have a significant impact on our climate.

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Fueling a deep-sea ecosystem: Surprisingly productive microbes are a key source of food in the abyss

11 June, 2018

Source: Phys Org
Author: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Miles beneath the ocean’s surface in the dark abyss, vast communities of subseafloor microbes at deep-sea hot springs are converting chemicals into energy that allows deep-sea life to survive—and even thrive—in a world without sunlight. Until now, however, measuring the productivity of subseafloor microbe communities—or how fast they oxidize chemicals and the amount of carbon they produce—has been nearly impossible.

Continue reading Fueling a deep-sea ecosystem: Surprisingly productive microbes are a key source of food in the abyss