Microbial Aspects of Biogeochemistry Journal Club
Coordinated by Klaus Nüsslein, Steven Petsch, and Anna Martini

This week: December 7 Dickens, G.R. (2003) Rethinking the global carbon cycle with a large, dynamic and microbially mediated gas hydrate capacitor. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 213, 169-183 Emily

Fall 2005 1 credit
Wed 2:30-3:20 317 Morrill-I

This seminar is interdisciplinary and cotaught together with Dr. Steven Petsch, Dept. of Geosciences (cross listed as Geosci 715), and Dr. Anna Martini, Dept. of Geology, Amherst College (AM 42).

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will cover a series of critical reviews and discussions of the current literature dealing with MICROBIAL ASPECTS OF BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, in particular with studies of the active subsurface biosphere in sedimentary basins. The subject of this course is both biological and non-biological, and explores the interface between Geology and Biology. Geoscientists and bioscientists alike have discovered that microorganisms influence the Earth's environment through an astonishing array of chemical processes. This course offering recognizes the extraordinary growth of inquiry that has occurred at the interface of the biological and geological sciences, as well as the intellectually stimulating and challenging frontiers that lie ahead. We will explore how organisms influence and are influenced by the Earth's environment. The emergence of the field of Biogeochemistry is characterized by conceptual and technological advances opening new avenues of research and the development of shared methods, paradigms and vocabulary that are bridging disciplinary differences. We can only understand the co-evolution of the geosphere and biosphere if we better understand the impact of microbes on biogeochemical processes.

GOALS FOR THIS COURSE

To better understand microbiological life forms interfacing with their non-living environment. In particular, to advance the understanding of
· the forms of metabolic processes employed by subsurface populations, and limits on their activity
· the origin, survival and dormancy of slowly-growing subsurface microorganisms far removed from earth surface influences
· the geochemical, mineralogical and molecular signatures that subsurface organisms may imprint on rocks and sediments
· the impact that active modern populations may have on overprinting of paleoenvironmental signatures preserved in ancient sediments and rocks.
· biogeochemical processes related to natural gas production.

READING LIST AND PRESENTERS FALL 2005

9/14 D'Hondt, S., et al. (2004) Distributions of Microbial Activities in Deep Subseafloor Sediments. Science 306(5705), 2216-2221. (Group)

9/21 Oremland, R.S. (2000) Bacterial dissimilatory reduction of arsenate and sulfate in meromictic Mono Lake, California. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 64, 3073–3084. (group)

9/28 Wellsbury, P., Mather, I., and Parkes, R. J. (2002) Geomicrobiology of deep, low organic carbon sediments in the Woodlark Basin, Pacific Ocean. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 42, 59-70. Teresa Coneely

10/5 Whiticar, M. J. (1999) Carbon and hydrogen isotope systematics of bacterial formation and oxidation of methane. Chemical Geology 161, 291-314. Sarah S.

10/12 Hoehler, T. M., Alperin, M. J., Albert, D. B., and Martens, C. S. (2001) Apparent minimum free energy requirements for the methanogenic Archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria in an anoxic marine sediment. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 38, 33-41. Eric G.

10/19 Zengler, K., Richnow, H. H., Rossello-Mora, R., Michaelis, W., and Widdel, F. (1999) Methane formation from long-chain alkanes by anaerobic microorganisms. Nature 401(6750), 266-269. Jeff

10/26 Orphan, V.J., House, C.H., Hinrichs, K.-U., McKeegan, K.D., and DeLong, E.F. (2001) Methane-Consuming Archaea Revealed by Directly Coupled Isotopic and Phylogenetic Analysis. Science 293, 484-487 Sarah T.

11/2 Pancost, R.D. and Sinninghe Damsté, J.S. (2004) Carbon isotopic compositions of prokaryotic lipids as tracers of carbon cycling in diverse settings. Chemical Geology 195, 29– 58 Andy

11/9 Krumholz, L. R., Harris, S. J., and Suflita, J. M. (2002) Anaerobic microbial growth from components of Cretaceous shales. Geomicrobiology Journal 19, 593-602. Roger

11/16 Wilhelms, A., Larter, S. R., Head, I., Farrimond, P., di-Primio, R., and Zwach, C. (2001) Biodegradation of oil in uplifted basins prevented by deep-burial sterilization. Nature 411(6841), 1034-1037. Austin Tim

11/23 Ward, J. A., et al. (2004) Microbial hydrocarbon gases in the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa: Implications for the deep biosphere. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 68, 3239-3250. Caryl

11/30 Kotsyurbenko, O.R. (2005) Trophic interactions in the methanogenic microbial community of low-temperature terrestrial ecosystems. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 53, 3-13. Trevor

12/7 Dickens, G.R. (2003) Rethinking the global carbon cycle with a large, dynamic and microbially mediated gas hydrate capacitor. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 213, 169-183 Emily

12/14 Aravena, R., Harrison, S. M., Barker, J. F., Abercrombie, H., and Rudolph, D. (2003) Origin of methane in the Elk Valley coalfield, southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Chemical Geology 195(1-4), 219-227. Roger