Biology faculty Anna-Louise Reysenbach is on a research cruise in the Pacific ocean.
The two primary objectives of this research cruise are:
1.
To study the microbial ecology of actively venting sulfide deposits
along the Eastern Lau Spreading Center. This will include exploring
the patterns of functional and phylogenetic diversity associated with
sulfides, and culturing a range of different thermophiles, including
thermoacidophiles.
2. Investigate the
temporal and spatial microbial colonization of sulfides. This will
involve deploying thermocouple arrays on hydrothermal vents, and
collecting the fresh deposits at different periods of time for
microbial characterization.
