Open AccessThe influence of ultramafic rocks on microbial communities at the Logatchev hydrothermal field, located 15°N on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge
Author(s) -
Perner Mirjam,
Kuever Jan,
Seifert Richard,
Pape Thomas,
Koschinsky Andrea,
Schmidt Katja,
Strauss Harald,
Imhoff Johannes F.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2007.00325.x
Subject(s) - hydrothermal circulation , biology , ultramafic rock , microorganism , hydrothermal vent , microbial population biology , mid atlantic ridge , bacteria , seawater , ridge , methane , ecology , hydrogen , environmental chemistry , chemistry , paleontology , organic chemistry
The ultramafic‐hosted Logatchev hydrothermal field (LHF) on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge is characterized by high hydrogen and methane contents in the subseafloor, which support a specialized microbial community of phylogenetically diverse, hydrogen‐oxidizing chemolithoautotrophs. We compared the prokaryotic communities of three sites located in the LHF and encountered a predominance of archaeal sequences affiliated with methanogenic Methanococcales at all three. However, the bacterial composition varied in accordance with differences in fluid chemistry between the three sites investigated. An increase in hydrogen seemed to coincide with the diversification of hydrogen‐oxidizing bacteria. This might indicate that the host rock indirectly selects this specific group of bacteria. However, next to hydrogen availability further factors are evident (e.g. mixing of hot reduced hydrothermal fluids with cold oxygenated seawater), which have a significant impact on the distribution of microorganisms.