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For over 3.5Ga microbial activities have profoundly altered planetary geochemistry. In particular, sulfur-cycling hydrothermal vent communities have been important players in shaping biogeochemistry and the habitability of Earth. However, the remote nature of deep-sea vents makes investigations challenging. Using the White Point (WP) shallow-sea hydrothermal vent field as a proxy, I employed molecular sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and 35S-radiotracer assays to investigate the diversity and function of chemoautotrophic microbial mats. This study revealed a highly active and diverse sulfur-cycling microbial community. Potential epibiotic associations between sulfur-oxidizing (SOxB) and sulfate/sulfur-reducing bacteria (SRB) were identified using FISH. Comparative analyses of 16S rRNA sequences revealed the WP sulfur vent microbial mat community to be similar to deep-sea microbial communities from hydrothermal vents in a range of biotopes and lithologic settings and supported the relevancy of the WP hydrothermal sulfur-vent microbial mats as an excellent model for studying "thiobiotic" vent communities.
Advisor: | Stevens, Lora R. |
Commitee: | Dillon, Jesse G., Whitcraft, Christine R. |
School: | California State University, Long Beach |
Department: | Geological Sciences |
School Location: | United States -- California |
Source: | MAI 54/06M(E), Masters Abstracts International |
Source Type: | DISSERTATION |
Subjects: | Microbiology, Biogeochemistry, Geobiology |
Keywords: | Fish, Hydrothermal vents, Microbial mats, Sulfur-cycling, Sulfur-reducing bacteria, White point |
Publication Number: | 1592649 |
ISBN: | 978-1-321-88143-1 |