MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM
Abstract MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM Quinn Woodruff May 21, 2010 Chair: Dr. Jeffrey McKinnon Major Department: Biology The goal of this project was to characterize the taxonomic and functional diversity and document biogeographic patterns of microbial comm...
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ftunivnorthcag:oai:libres.uncg.edu/6391 2024-02-11T10:04:31+01:00 MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM NC DOCKS at East Carolina University Woodruff, Quinn 2010 http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/ecu/f/0000-embargo-holder.txt unknown http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/ecu/f/0000-embargo-holder.txt 2010 ftunivnorthcag 2024-01-27T23:44:38Z Abstract MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM Quinn Woodruff May 21, 2010 Chair: Dr. Jeffrey McKinnon Major Department: Biology The goal of this project was to characterize the taxonomic and functional diversity and document biogeographic patterns of microbial communities in an ecosystem influenced by active serpentinization. Serpentinization is a geochemical process which occurs when ultramafic rocks characteristic of the Earth's mantle undergo aqueous alteration to produce altered mineral compositions (referred to as serpentines). This reaction results in highly-reduced, high pH fluids enriched in hydrogen, methane, and small organic acids, and depleted in dissolved carbonate. Serpentinization is common in environments such as slow-spreading mid-ocean ridges, where tectonic activity on the seafloor results in exposure of ultramafic rocks, and in ophiolites (sites where oceanic crust has been displaced onto continental margins). Environments associated with pervasive serpentinization tend to be anaerobic and highly alkaline (pH 10-12) and creates a range of unique niches for microbial colonization and diversification. While the process of serpentinization provides abundant fuels to support the growth of chemotrophic microorganisms, the highly alkaline, highly reducing environmental conditions challenge the limits of microbial physiology. This work focuses upon the analysis of microbial communities that inhabit diverse niches within the Tablelands Ophiolite Complex, a serpentinizing environment located within Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland, Canada. A key element of this research was to assess the overall diversity of prokaryotic populations in a terrestrial serpentinite-hosted ecosystem and to evaluate how this diversity varies in relation to habitat characteristics. These analyses provided insight into the range of microorganisms that are able to exist in these settings, and provide a basis to explore their physiological and metabolic adaptations. A widely ... Other/Unknown Material Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland University of North Carolina: NC DOCKS (Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship) Canada Gros Morne National Park ENVELOPE(-57.531,-57.531,49.613,49.613) |
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Open Polar |
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University of North Carolina: NC DOCKS (Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnorthcag |
language |
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description |
Abstract MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM Quinn Woodruff May 21, 2010 Chair: Dr. Jeffrey McKinnon Major Department: Biology The goal of this project was to characterize the taxonomic and functional diversity and document biogeographic patterns of microbial communities in an ecosystem influenced by active serpentinization. Serpentinization is a geochemical process which occurs when ultramafic rocks characteristic of the Earth's mantle undergo aqueous alteration to produce altered mineral compositions (referred to as serpentines). This reaction results in highly-reduced, high pH fluids enriched in hydrogen, methane, and small organic acids, and depleted in dissolved carbonate. Serpentinization is common in environments such as slow-spreading mid-ocean ridges, where tectonic activity on the seafloor results in exposure of ultramafic rocks, and in ophiolites (sites where oceanic crust has been displaced onto continental margins). Environments associated with pervasive serpentinization tend to be anaerobic and highly alkaline (pH 10-12) and creates a range of unique niches for microbial colonization and diversification. While the process of serpentinization provides abundant fuels to support the growth of chemotrophic microorganisms, the highly alkaline, highly reducing environmental conditions challenge the limits of microbial physiology. This work focuses upon the analysis of microbial communities that inhabit diverse niches within the Tablelands Ophiolite Complex, a serpentinizing environment located within Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland, Canada. A key element of this research was to assess the overall diversity of prokaryotic populations in a terrestrial serpentinite-hosted ecosystem and to evaluate how this diversity varies in relation to habitat characteristics. These analyses provided insight into the range of microorganisms that are able to exist in these settings, and provide a basis to explore their physiological and metabolic adaptations. A widely ... |
author |
NC DOCKS at East Carolina University Woodruff, Quinn |
spellingShingle |
NC DOCKS at East Carolina University Woodruff, Quinn MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM |
author_facet |
NC DOCKS at East Carolina University Woodruff, Quinn |
author_sort |
NC DOCKS at East Carolina University |
title |
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM |
title_short |
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM |
title_full |
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM |
title_fullStr |
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM |
title_full_unstemmed |
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A SERPENTINITE-HOSTED ECOSYSTEM |
title_sort |
microbial diversity and biogeography in a serpentinite-hosted ecosystem |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/ecu/f/0000-embargo-holder.txt |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-57.531,-57.531,49.613,49.613) |
geographic |
Canada Gros Morne National Park |
geographic_facet |
Canada Gros Morne National Park |
genre |
Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland |
genre_facet |
Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland |
op_relation |
http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/ecu/f/0000-embargo-holder.txt |
_version_ |
1790601143004430336 |