热液喷口生物体对成矿作用的影响

深海热液喷口及相关生物群体的发现是近20年来全球海洋科学取得的最重要的科学成就之一。在海底黑烟囱周围高温、高压、黑暗、缺氧、含硫等极端环境中,生活着特殊的深海生物群落,它们的初级生产者嗜热细菌和古细菌在其自身的生活史中不仅影响了喷口周围矿物的沉积,而且直接和间接影响了矿物元素的溶解、吸附、萃取、转化,生成包括Fe,Mn...     

深海热液生态系统特征及其对极端微生物的影响

深海是地球上最重要的极端环境之一,发育了数量巨大的极端微生物。它们独特的生存环境、生理结构、代谢机制和共生关系成为探讨生命起源及寻找外太空生命的关键。尽管从生物学角度对极端微生物已开展了大量研究,但深海热液系统对极端微生物演化的影响仍不甚清楚。因此,在总结深海极端的理化环境和地质环境特征的基础上,分析了海底热液活动的分布特征、形成机理及其对周围生物群落种类、分布和演替规律的巨大影响。重点探讨了热液环境下各种极端微生物的生命形式及其对深海营养物质循环和生态系统演化的重要意义。目前,极端环境与生命过程的研究仍处于初级阶段,亟待加强深海原位探测和分子生物学技术的研发以及多学科交叉研究。     

南太平洋东劳扩张中心表层沉积物氨基酸组成所揭示的生物地球化学意义

通过对南太平洋劳盆地东劳扩张中心(ELSC)表层沉积物进行水解氨基酸(THAA)分析、氨基酸对映异构体比值(D/L)分析及总有机碳(TOC)分析,对沉积物中氨基酸含量和来源、有机质降解程度和采样区域生物活动性及温度特征等问题进行了探讨。结果表明,ELSC区域样品中有机质含量较低,TOC含量为0.70～2.15 mg/g(干重),THAA含量为30～511μg/g(干重),热液活动区域原位化能合成作用对沉积物中氨基酸的相对富集有较大的贡献。沉积物中THAA含量和生物群落活动状况与分布范围有关,样品矿物组分对氨基酸的保存亦有一定的影响。由于各采样点热液活动、沉积物类型、生物群落的类型及分布均有所不同,样品中个体氨基酸的组成分布特征有较大差异。以TOC中氨基酸态碳所占百分比TAAC%作为指标对样品有机质活性进行了判别,热液喷口区域样品有机质新鲜程度要普遍高于非热液喷口区域样品,高温热液环境对氨基酸降解途径有一定的影响。样品中个体氨基酸D/L比值变化范围较大,天冬氨酸(Asp)为0.08～0.46,谷氨酸(Glu)为0.06～0.19,丝氨酸(Ser)为0.01～0.81,丙氨酸(Ala)为0.10～0.30。根据样品中THAA含量、TAAC%及个体氨基酸的D/L比值可以粗略判断生物活动性的大小及细菌对THAA的相对贡献,但并不能准确地区分热液活动活跃区域和非活跃区域在温度和生物活动性方面的差异。     

深海热液环境中的铁氧化菌及其矿化

深海热液系统极端的物理化学条件蕴育了完全不依赖于太阳光的独特生态系统,化能自养型微生物是支撑这些生态系繁荣的初级生产者.铁氧化菌是海底热液环境中常见的化能自养微生物之一,能够从低价态铁氧化成高价态铁的化学反应中获取代谢能量.它们对海底金属元素的地球化学循环过程、金属矿床的形成和堆积以及丰富热液生态系统功能等有重要的影响.介绍了深海热液环境中存在的铁氧化菌,以及它们的分类、氧化机理和与之伴生的生物矿化现象.     

深海真核微生物多样性研究进展

真核微生物是深海中数量占优势、多样性高且功能重要的微型生物类群。开展深海真核微生物多样性的研究,将为理解深海生态系统结构以及微型生物多样性及其地理分布提供科学依据。迄今,深海真核微生物多样性的研究明显滞后于原核微生物,对于其形态多样性的认识仍局限于有孔虫等无需培养且通过壳体可直接鉴定的少数类群。分子生物学技术的广泛应用,极大地拓展了对深海真核微生物群落结构和多样性的认识,发现了深海中存在的大量未知的新阶元,揭示了较之形态多样性更高的分子多样性。在综述国内外研究进展的基础上,针对真核微生物多样性的研究策略、存在的问题及未来研究应关注的问题提出了建议。     

现代海底热液微生物群落及其地质意义

现代海底黑烟囱周围生活着密集的生物群落,它们一般以黑烟囱喷口为中心向四周呈带状分布。热液生态系统的初级生产者嗜热细菌和古细菌,其初级能量来源于地球深部上升喷出流体提供的化学能,它们氧化热液中硫化物（如H2S、FeS）和甲烷获得能量,还原CO2制造有机物,而不依赖光合作用。作为食物链源头的细菌类和古细菌类与其他动物有2种生存关系:①直接作为其他动物的食物;②与其他动物之间的共生关系。这些嗜热微生物不仅依存于海底热液活动,同时在热液成矿作用中起着重要的作用。它们可能来源于地下深部生物圈,海底黑烟囱是研究深部生物圈的窗口,对其周围嗜热微生物的研究,对于理解生命起源和生物成矿都有重要的理论意义。     

热液喷口生物群的研究现状

深海热液喷口生物群的研究已取得了一些进展，其研究内容主要包括两方面：一是现代热液喷口生物群的地理分布、种类划分、生态习性与食物来源及其对海底的依存性等；二是古海底热液喷口生物群化石的个体大小、化学成分、形态分布、矿化方式以及与现代海底生物群的比较。     

“四深”微生物的地质作用——从气候环境变化到生态灾难

“四深”微生物是指深海、深地、深空和深时环境的微生物,特别是细菌、古菌、真菌、病毒等。人们对“四深”微生物的了解非常有限,是亟待突破的地球生物学前沿领域。“四深”微生物的研究对理解地球生命起源、界定生物圈的边界条件、促进地球科学与生命科学以及行星科学之间的交叉融合具有不可替代性的贡献。随着我国深海、深空、深地等重大工程计划的推进,一系列与“四深”微生物有关的前沿科学问题不断提出,包括地质微生物与气候环境的相互作用、地质微生物的生物安全与生态安全、地质微生物参与的隐匿地质过程等。特别是,“四深”环境活性氧自由基对微生物的影响、地质病毒对生物演化和地质过程的影响等前沿领域都亟待突破。活性氧自由基能对生物分子、细胞、组织和器官,乃至整个生物圈的演化以及微生物地质作用都产生重要影响。病毒引发了现代和近代诸多全球性疫情爆发,地质病毒则可能对生物的背景灭绝和大灭绝以及一些地质过程产生影响。     

“四深”微生物的地质作用：从气候环境变化到生态灾难

“四深”微生物是指深海、深地、深空和深时环境的微生物,特别是细菌、古菌、真菌、病毒等。人们对“四深”微生物的了解非常有限,是亟待突破的地球生物学前沿领域。“四深”微生物的研究对理解地球生命起源、界定生物圈的边界条件、促进地球科学与生命科学以及行星科学之间的交叉融合具有不可替代性的贡献。随着我国深海、深空、深地等重大工程计划的推进,一系列与“四深”微生物有关的前沿科学问题不断提出,包括地质微生物与气候环境的相互作用、地质微生物的生物安全与生态安全、地质微生物参与的隐匿地质过程等。特别是,“四深”环境活性氧自由基对微生物的影响、地质病毒对生物演化和地质过程的影响等前沿领域都亟待突破。活性氧自由基能对生物分子、细胞、组织和器官,乃至整个生物圈的演化以及微生物地质作用都产生重要影响。病毒引发了现代和近代诸多全球性疫情爆发,地质病毒则可能对生物的背景灭绝和大灭绝以及一些地质过程产生影响。     

深海化能合成生态系统研究进展

深海化能合成生态系统(ChEss)是当前最大的国际海洋生物多样性研究计划--国际海洋生物普查计划的现场研究项目之一.深海化能合成生态系统主要包括热液、冷泉、鲸骨生态系统以及由其他高度还原型生境形成的生态系统.确定上述系统动物区系间的进化和生态学关系,对于了解全球尺度上化能合成生态系统物种分布的形成过程至关重要.重点介绍深海化能合成生态系统科学计划发起的背景、研究内容和目标、研究区域、研究技术与方法以及当前在该领域的研究进展和展望,综合国际上在深海化能合成生态系统生物地理学和生物多样性方面的最新进展,了解其中的驱动过程,以期为我国在深海化能合成生态系统、极端环境下的生物多样性和生物地理学研究提供参考.     

古热液生物群的研究进展及意义

随着现代海底热液生物群研究工作的深入,开展地质历史时期的古热液生物群研究的必要性也日益凸现。近年来古热液生物群研究已取得一定的进展,结合前人的工作,总结了所发现的古热液生物群的时空分布、产出地质背景、化石壳体保存特征、化石组合特征等内容。简述了开展古热液生物群研究工作的一般方法有:描述法、比较法与地球化学方法。最后,从现代热液生物群研究意义的角度出发,讨论了古热液生物群研究在生物起源、热液活动和板块构造、环境治理以及生物成矿等方面的重要意义,并提出当前古热液生物群研究存在的问题及今后的工作重点。     

深海洋底热泉生态系和冷泉生物研究综述

现代海洋学、微生物学和生物学的研究表明，在深海火山活动和板块消减带所形成的地质背景下分别可能有海底热泉和冷泉的存在。在这种海底热泉和冷泉区的特殊环境中能够能海底热泉生态系的冷泉生物。它们能够依靠体内共生化学厌氧合成细菌产生营养，因而可能存在于完全缺氧的还原环境。海底热泉和冷泉生物学研究是对传统的生物学和地质学的挑战，人们还可能通过古代海底热泉和冷泉生态系的识别和分析，对涉及生命发生、生物演化、生物     

World's largest known Precambrian fossil black smoker chimneys and associated microbial vent communities, North China: Implications for early life

Black smoker chimneys and biological vent communities have been identified at many sites on the deep seafloor, particularly along oceanic spreading centers. We report the largest and oldest known, microbe-rich sub-meter-sized black smoker chimneys and mounds from a 1.43 billion-year old sulfide deposit in a continental graben in northern China. These chimneys are especially well preserved, with characteristic morphology, internal textures and internal cylindrical mineralogical zonation. Four main types of chimneys are distinguished on textural and mineralogical criteria, exhibiting either Zn–Fe-sulfide or Pb–Zn–Fe-sulfide internal cylindrical mineralogical zones. The chimneys mark vent sites in submarine grabens indicating focused flow-venting processes. The fossil chimneys have mineralogical and geological evolutionary features similar to their counterparts on the modern seafloor and other submarine hydrothermal vents. Black smoker vent fluids and seafloor tectonism played important roles for formation of the massive sulfide deposits in the Mesoproterozoic.We also report the first known, remarkably diverse assemblage of fossil microbialites from around and inside Precambrian vent chimneys, demonstrating that Proterozoic life flourished around submarine hot vents and deep within the chimney vent passages. Filamentous, spherical, rod, and coccus-shaped fossil microbes are preserved preferentially on sulfide precipitates. Based on the depth and setting of the fossil biota, the organisms that produced the microbialites were likely sulfate-reducing chemosynthetic and thermophyllic microbes. Textural and mineralogical evidence shows that biomineralization processes enhanced chimney growth and sulfide precipitation.Close association of microorganisms with sulfide chimneys in modern deep-sea hydrothermal vents and younger ophiolites has sparked speculation about whether life may have originated at similar vents. However, little is known about fossil equivalents of vent microfossils and black smoker chimneys from Earth's early evolution. The fossilized microorganisms from the Gaobanhe black smoker chimney sulfide deposits include thread-like filaments with branching and twisted forms and preserved organic carbon, representing fossilized remnants of microbial mats metabolized at high temperatures characteristic of venting fluids. The preservation of fossil microorganisms provides evidence that microbial populations were closely associated with black smoker chimneys in Earth's early history. The microbial population clearly constitutes the site for mediating mineral formation. These ancient microbial fossils lead to a much better understanding of early life on the deep seafloor. The discovery of the Mesoproterozoic microfossils within black-smoker hydrothermal chimneys indicates that hydrothermal activity around sea-floor vents supported dense microbial communities, and supports speculation that vent sites may have hosted the origin of life.     

Intracellular and extracellular mineralization of a microbial community in the Edmond deep-sea vent field environment

Microbial biomineralization in submarine hydrothermal environments provides an insight into the formation of vent microfossils and the interactions between microbes, elements and minerals throughout the geological record. Here, we investigate microbial biomineralization of a deep-sea vent community in the Edmond vent field and provide ultrastructural evidence for the formation of microfossils and biogenic iron-rich minerals related to Archaea and Bacteria. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis shows that filamentous and spiral microbes are encrusted by a non-crystalline silica matrix and minor amounts of iron oxides. Examination by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals acicular iron-rich particles and aggregates that occur either intracellularly or extracellularly. A culture-independent molecular phylogenetic analysis demonstrates a diverse range of Bacteria and Archaea, the majority of which are related to sulfur metabolism in the microbial mats. Both Archaea and Bacteria have undergone silicification, in a similar manner to microorganisms in some terrestrial hot springs and indicating that silicification may be driven by silica supersaturation and polymerization. Formation mechanisms of intracellular and extracellular iron oxides associated with microbes are discussed. These results enhance our understanding of microbial mineralization in extreme environments, which may be widespread in the Earth's modern and ancient hydrothermal vent fields.     

Soil microbial community changes as a result of long-term exposure to a natural CO2 vent

The capture and geological storage of CO₂ can be used to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. To assess the environmental impact of potential CO₂ leakage from deep storage reservoirs on the abundance and functional diversity of microorganisms in near-surface terrestrial environments, a natural CO₂ vent (>90% CO₂ in the soil gas) was studied as an analogue. The microbial communities were investigated using lipid biomarkers combined with compound-specific stable carbon isotope analyses, the determination of microbial activities, and the use of quantitative polymerase chain reactions (Q-PCR). With this complementary set of methods, significant differences between the CO₂-rich vent and a reference site with a normal CO₂ concentration were detected. The δ¹³C values of the plant and microbial lipids within the CO₂ vent demonstrate that substantial amounts of geothermal CO₂ were incorporated into the microbial, plant, and soil carbon pools. Moreover, the numbers of Archaea and Bacteria were highest at the reference site and substantially lower at the CO₂ vent. Lipid biomarker analyses, Q-PCR, and the determination of microbial activities showed the presence of CO₂-utilising methanogenic Archaea, Geobacteraceae, and sulphate-reducing Bacteria (SRB) mainly at the CO₂ vent, only minor quantities were found at the reference site. Stable carbon isotopic analyses revealed that the methanogenic Archaea and SRB utilised the vent-derived CO₂ for assimilatory biosynthesis. Our results show a shift in the microbial community towards anaerobic and acidophilic microorganisms as a consequence of the long-term exposure of the soil environment to high CO₂ concentrations.     

南海北部九龙甲烷礁邻区沉积物层中垂向细菌群落结构特征研究

本研究应用微生物16S rRNA-DGGE和T-RFLP技术,结合环境参数,对我国天然气水合物潜在区南海九龙甲烷礁附近973-4柱状样沉积物中3个层位12个不同深度(表层20 cm至382 cm,中层552 cm至796 cm,深层862 cm至1 196 cm)细菌群落结构及其分布进行了对比研究.其中T-RFLP实验表明,细菌丰度、香农指数和均匀度变化趋势相同,由深层到716 cm处先降后升,中层716 cm深度范围处微生物群落丰度、均匀度、香农指数相对较高,716 cm至表层先降后升.DGGE图谱和T-RFLP色谱峰聚类分析表明:表层20 cm至192 cm相似性较高,表层236 cm至382 cm与深层1 082 cm、1 196 cm群落结构相似性较高,但中层沉积物中微生物群落结构与表层及深层均有较大差异.环境参数表明中层甲烷含量较高,推测甲烷是影响微生物群落结构差异的主要因素之一.T-RFLP色谱峰与微生物数据库比对及DGGE条带测序也表明了:本区变形杆菌(Proteobacteria)为优势菌群,其中α-、γ-、δ-变形杆菌(Proteobacteria)为主要的细菌亚群,其他细菌包括放线菌(Actinobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)为次优势菌群.甲烷含量较高的中层,甲烷氧化菌(Methanotrophs),硫还原菌(Sulfate-reducing bacteria)等与甲烷密切相关的细菌均有被检测到,表明该区域存在与天然气水合物的分解释放相关的微生物群落.     

红壤中微生物群落对半导体矿物日光催化作用的响应

本研究选取天然红壤作为研究对象,分析其中的含铁半导体矿物光催化作用对本源微生物群落结构的影响。采用聚 合酶链式反应/变性梯度凝胶电泳（PCR-DGGE）,研究了不同原始光照条件的红壤中微生物群落在外源电子作用下群落结 构的改变。DGGE图谱的主成分分析表明,两个不同原始光照环境的土壤样品的微生物群落结构由于原始环境的差异而不同： 原始环境为强光照的样品中微生物群落结构受外源电子影响较小;原始环境为弱光照的样品中微生物群落结构受外源电子 影响较大。这一群落结构改变的差异可能由于原始环境为强光照时半导体矿物光催化作用产生光生电子传递到环境中持续 影响周围的微生物群落,而原始弱光照环境中则缺少光生电子的作用。     

海洋沉积物中现存微生物化学标志物完整极性膜脂研究进展

完整极性膜脂作为活的微生物细胞的化学标志物,能够反映海洋沉积物中现存微生物群落结构和生物量等信息.与生物学方法相比,完整极性膜脂分析技术具有无需培养、快速和普适性等特点.综述了海洋沉积物中细菌和古菌的细胞膜完整极性膜脂的组成特点及其在生物地球化学和微生物生态学等研究中的应用,重点评述了在生物地球化学循环中有特殊作用的微生物,如厌氧氨氧化细菌、甲烷氧化古菌、氨氧化古菌、具有四醚膜脂结构的海洋泉古菌等,或者是一些特殊生态系统,如冷泉、海底深部生物圈等研究中完整极性膜脂应用的进展.还简要介绍了完整极性膜脂的分析方法,并对其应用前景进行了展望.     

Lipid biomarkers and carbon-isotopes of modern travertine deposits (Yellowstone National Park, USA): Implications for biogeochemical dynamics in hot-spring systems

Lipid biomarkers and ¹³C fractionation patterns were used to understand the dynamics of carbon cycling during microbial metabolisms in different environments of travertine precipitation (called facies) at Spring AT-1 on Angel Terrace in the Mammoth Hot Springs complex of Yellowstone National Park, USA. Microbial mats that encrust travertine deposits were collected for analyses of lipid biomarkers and carbon isotopes along the continuous drainage outflow system of Spring AT-1. The spring water exhibits a continuous temperature drop from 71°C in the vent at top to 24°C in the distal slope at bottom. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and glycolipid fatty acids (GLFA) exhibit distinctly different compositions in each of the facies, which are consistent with partitioning of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences in the Spring AT-1 travertine facies (Fouke et al., 2003).The δ¹³C composition of total biomass within the microbial mats decreases from −16.1‰ in the vent to −23.5‰ in the distal slope. However, lower values occur in the pond (−26.0‰) and the proximal slope (−28.0‰) between the vent and the distal slope. Isotopic compositions of PLFA and GLFA have variations similar to those of total biomass. The average δ¹³C values of PLFA are −12.4 ± 5.2‰ (n = 10 individual fatty acids, same below) in the vent, −33.0 ± 3.1‰ (n = 11) in the pond, −33.7 ± 3.8‰ (n = 16) in the proximal slope, and −22.4 ± 3.4‰ (n = 10) in the distal slope; the average δ¹³C values of GLFA are −19.6 ± 3.0‰ (n = 3) in the vent, −30.4 ± 4.7‰ (n = 8) in the pond, −36.9 ± 2.8‰ (n = 12) in the proximal slope, and −27.9 ± 3.1‰ (n = 13) in the distal slope. In particular, fatty acids in the vent are enriched in ¹³C relative to the total biomass, which is consistent with the notion that the biosynthetic pathways of the extant microbial community in the vent may be dominated by Aquificales using the reversed tricarboxylic acid cycle. Fractionations between fatty acids and total biomass in the pond, the proximal slope and the distal slope suggest the involvement of other biosynthetic pathways for CO₂ fixation by extant microbial populations. The results indicate that lipid biomarkers provide valuable information on the changing diversity and activity of microbial communities in different depositional environments. Carbon-isotope fractionations, on the other hand, can provide insight into the operating biosynthetic pathways associated with different organisms in the changing environment. This integrated approach may serve as a powerful tool for identifying functional metabolism within a community and identify shifts in microbial community structure in modern hot-spring systems.     

Distribution characteristics and factors influencing microbial communities in the core soils of a seawater intrusion area in Longkou City,China

Microbes live throughout the soil profile. Microbial communities in subsurface horizons are impacted by a saltwater–freshwater transition zone formed by seawater intrusion (SWI) in coastal regions. The main purpose of this study is to explore the changes in microbial communities within the soil profile because of SWI. The study characterizes the depth-dependent distributions of bacterial and archaeal communities through high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons by collecting surface soil and deep core samples at nine soil depths in Longkou City, China. The results showed that although microbial communities were considerably impacted by SWI in both horizontal and vertical domains, the extent of these effects was variable. The soil depth strongly influenced the microbial communities, and the microbial diversity and community structure were significantly different (p < 0.05) at various depths. Compared with SWI, soil depth was a greater influencing factor for microbial diversity and community structure. Furthermore, soil microbial community structure was closely related to the environmental conditions, among which the most significant environmental factors were soil depth, pH, organic carbon, and total nitrogen.