skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Long term biosustainability in a high energy, low diversity crustal biome

Journal Article · · Science

Geochemical, microbiological, and molecular analyses of alkaline saline groundwater at 2.8 kilometers depth in Archaean metabasalt revealed a microbial biome dominated by a single phylotype affiliated with thermophilic sulfate reducers belonging to Firmicutes. These sulfate reducers were sustained by geologically produced sulfate and hydrogen at concentrations sufficient to maintain activities for millions of years with no apparent reliance on photosynthetically derived substrates.

Research Organization:
COLLABORATION - PrincetonU.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
920334
Report Number(s):
LBNL-60468; SCEHDK; TRN: US200818%%1138
Journal Information:
Science, Vol. 314, Issue 5798; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 10/20/2006; ISSN 0193-4511
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English