Project Details
Projekt
Biosignatures in precipitates and altered rocks at hydrothermal systems of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: organic geochemistry, microbiology and petrography
Applicants
Professorin Dr. Mirjam Perner; Dr. Sven Petersen; Dr. Richard Seifert (†)
Subject Area
Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
Term
from 2007 to 2012
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 54781537
The proposed study aims to gain insight into the chemolithoautotrophic life associated to hydrothermal precipitates and rocks by combining the information from detailed organicgeochemical, microbiological, and mineralogical/petrographical investigations on identical samples. Three goals are in focus (i) to describe the composition and specific biomarker inventory of the microbial community present in hydrothermal precipitates and altered rocks (ii) to relate these findings to the characteristics of the substrate (mineral assemblage, geochemistry, porosity) (iii) to obtain insight into the metabolism of rock associates and their possible effect on precipitation - alteration - weathering. It is envisaged to develop an inventory of lipid biomarkers characteristic for the distinct groups of microbiota by investigation of field samples from a variety of hydrothermal areas along the MAR and in vitro cultures. Thus, a tool is to be established allowing for a qualitative and semi-quantitative estimation of microbial associations in hydrothermal rocks by lipid biomarker investigation combined with compound specific analysis of stable isotope signatures.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
Participating Persons
Professor Dr. Wolfgang Bach; Dr. Martin Blumenberg; Professorin Dr. Nicole Dubilier; Dr. Carl-Dieter Garbe-Schönberg; Dr. Michael Hügler; Dr. Robin Keir; Professorin Dr. Andrea Koschinsky; Dr. Jan Kuever; Dr. Klas S. Lackschewitz; Dr. Anke Meyerdierks; Professor Dr. Harald Strauß
