Geomicrobes: Life in Terrestrial Deep SubsurfaceMalin Bomberg, Lasse Ahonen Frontiers Media SA, Jul 17, 2017 The deep subsurface is, in addition to space, one of the last unknown frontiers to human kind. A significant part of life on Earth resides in the deep subsurface, hiding great potential of microbial life of which we know only little. The conditions in the deep terrestrial subsurface are thought to resemble those of early Earth, which makes this environment an analog for studying early life in addition to possible extraterrestrial life in ultra-extreme conditions. Early microorganisms played a great role in shaping the conditions on the young Earth. Even today deep subsurface microorganisms interact with their geological environment transforming the conditions in the groundwater and on rock surfaces. Essential elements for life are richly present but in difficultly accessible form. The elements driving the microbial deep life is still not completely identified. Most of the microorganisms detected by novel molecular techniques still lack cultured representatives. Nevertheless, using modern sequencing techniques and bioinformatics the functional roles of these microorganisms are being revealed. We are starting to see the differences and similarities between the life in the deep subsurface and surface domains. We may even begin to see the function of evolution by comparing deep life to life closer to the surface of Earth. Deep life consists of organisms from all known domains of life. This Research Topic reveals some of the rich diversity and functional properties of the great biomass residing in the deep dark subsurface. |
Contents
Geomicrobes Life in Terrestrial Deep Subsurface | 5 |
Profiling bacterial diversity in a limestone cave of the western Loess Plateau of China | 7 |
Bacterial diversity differences along an epigenic cave stream reveal evidence of community dynamics succession and stability | 17 |
Nitrate and ammonia as nitrogen sources for deep subsurface microorganisms | 33 |
The origin source and cycling of methane in deep crystalline rock biosphere | 49 |
Marinobacter subterrani a genetically tractable neutrophilic FeIIoxidizing strain isolated from the Soudan Iron Mine | 65 |
Diversity and role of plasmids in adaptation of bacteria inhabiting the Lubin copper mine in Poland an environment rich in heavy metals | 76 |
Microbiome composition and geochemical characteristics of deep subsurface highpressure environment Pyhäsalmi mine Finland | 88 |
Microbially induced corrosion of carbon steel in deep groundwater environment | 104 |
Revealing the unexplored fungal communities in deep groundwater of crystalline bedrock fracture zones in Olkiluoto Finland | 117 |
Deep subsurface mine stalactites trap endemic fissure fluid Archaea Bacteria and Nematoda possibly originating from ancient seas | 128 |
Back cover | 142 |
Common terms and phrases
16S rRNA gene abiotic abundance accession numbers Acidobacteria Ahonen AMEC amplicon anaerobic analysis aquifers archaea Ascomycota bacterial 16S rRNA bacterial communities bacterial diversity Bio-TrapR biofilm Bomberg borehole carbon steel cave stream cells concentration corrosion crystalline bedrock cycling deep biosphere deep crystalline deep groundwater deep subsurface deposits depth detected DGGE drill hole dsrB Ecol ecosystems environments extracted Fe(II FEMS Microbiol Fennoscandian Shield Figure filter Finland fracture zones fungal fungal communities fungi genetic genome genus geochemical groundwater hydrogen incubation isolated isotopic isotopic composition Itävaara karst Marinobacter metabolism methane methanogenesis methanogens methanotrophic microbial microbial communities Microbiology microcosms microorganisms module narG nematodes nitrate Nucleic Acids Nyyssönen Olkiluoto original groundwater OTUs Outokumpu oxidation parvella Pedersen phylogenetic plasmids Posiva primers protein Pseudomonas Pyhäsalmi pyrosequencing qPCR Raghukumar reactions RNA fraction rock saline samples sediment sequence reads Sherwood Lollar Sordariomycetes species stalactite strain JG233 substrates surface Table temperature