Copy
  
C-DEBI Newsletter – August 16, 2021
A biweekly digest of deep biosphere news and opportunities
from the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations

 

Ongoing 2021 C-DEBI Virtual Meeting Series:

Mark your calendars for the next virtual meeting "The Future of MBIO in IODP" on September 3, 2021 (10:30AM – 12:00PM Pacific). Do you have questions about how deep biosphere/microbiology sampling is part of the international scientific ocean drilling program (the International Ocean Discovery Program, IODP), and how subseafloor samples are collected? Have you wondered how you can get more involved with IODP, or how proposals for drilling are handled? Are you curious about the future of IODP beyond the current program, and how deep biosphere/microbiology science can be part of that future?

This C-DEBI Virtual Meeting Series event will feature a panel of deep biosphere scientists highlighting these topics and answering your questions. Everyone is welcome to join – from experienced IODP users to those who have never been involved with IODP. Panelists will include Jennifer Biddle (University of Delaware), Stephanie Carr (Hartwick College), Steven D’Hondt (University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography), Jessica Labonté (Texas A&M University Galveston), Beth Orcutt (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences), and Jason Sylvan (Texas A&M University).

The virtual meeting series is held monthly during the first week of each month, with a regular rotation of science workshops and professional development workshops. Each workshop contains about 90 minutes of programming, including plenary presentations by invited speakers, a community building breakout session, and a plenary Q&A session.

Cheers,

C-DEBI Virtual Series Meeting Organizers:
Joy Buongiorno, Maryville College
James Bradley, Queen Mary University of London
Beth Orcutt, C-DEBI Senior Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Rosalynn Sylvan, C-DEBI Managing Director, University of Southern California

 

Publications & Press


mBio - Online First
Microbial diversity and function in shallow subsurface sediment and oceanic lithosphere of the Atlantis Massif - NEW!

Goordial J*, D’Angelo T, Labonté JM, Poulton NJ, Brown JM, Stepanauskas R, Früh-Green GL, Orcutt BN*
*C-DEBI Contribution 572

The marine lithospheric subsurface is one of the largest biospheres on Earth; however, little is known about the identity and ecological function of microorganisms found in low abundance in this habitat, though these organisms impact global-scale biogeochemical cycling. Here, we describe the diversity and metabolic potential of sediment and endolithic (within rock) microbial communities found in ultrasmall amounts (101 to 104 cells cm−3) in the subsurface of the Atlantis Massif, an oceanic core complex on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that was sampled on International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 357. This study used fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to enable the first amplicon, metagenomic, and single-cell genomic study of the shallow (<20 m below seafloor) subsurface of an actively serpentinizing marine system. The shallow subsurface biosphere of the Atlantis Massif was found to be distinct from communities observed in the nearby Lost City alkaline hydrothermal fluids and chimneys, yet similar to other low-temperature, aerobic subsurface settings. Genes associated with autotrophy were rare, although heterotrophy and aerobic carbon monoxide and formate cycling metabolisms were identified. Overall, this study reveals that the shallow subsurface of an oceanic core complex hosts a biosphere that is not fueled by active serpentinization reactions and by-products.
 

Chemical Geology
Bioenergetic potentials in terrestrial, shallow-sea and deep-sea hydrothermal systems - NEW!
Guang-Sin Lu*, Douglas E. LaRowe*, Jan P. Amend*
*C-DEBI Contribution 573

Chemolithotrophic microorganisms are key primary producers in hydrothermal environments. However, the complex thermal and compositional gradients that frequently describe these settings commonly obfuscate which reactions are fueling such complex ecosystems. Nonetheless, potential sources of microbial energy can be identified by combining analytical geochemical data from hydrothermal systems and thermodynamic calculations. This approach provides a quantitative assessment of how habitats are shaped by environmental conditions such as temperature, pressure, pH and the concentrations of electron donors and acceptors. In this study, we have calculated the Gibbs energy available from 730 redox reactions in 30 terrestrial, shallow-sea, and deep-sea hydrothermal systems around the world (326 geochemical datasets) to reveal trends in how energy availability can shape hydrothermal ecology. The most energy-yielding (exergonic) reactions were predominantly the reduction of O2, NO2, NO3, and MnO2 and the oxidation of Fe2+, pyrite, CO, and CH4. In contrast, the reduction of N2, CO, and CO2 and oxidation of N2, Mn2+, and NO2, though still often exergonic, yielded significantly less energy. Also, our results show that, in terms Gibbs energies of reactions, shallow-sea hydrothermal vent systems are more like terrestrial hot springs than deep-sea hydrothermal systems. Per kilogram of water in hydrothermal fluid, energy yields from inorganic redox reactions are much higher in deep-sea hydrothermal systems than in the other systems considered here. Our results provide a comprehensive view of the distribution of energy supplies from redox reactions in high-temperature ecosystems on a global scale.
 

Geology Bites
Steve D'Hondt on Reviving a 100-Million-Year-Old Bacterial Colony - NEW!
Podcast with Oliver Strimpel

Steve D’Hondt is Professor of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. He studies life beneath the sea floor, and was a part of the team that discovered bacterial cells living in 100-million-year-old sediment. He explains how the bacteria managed to eke out a living for such a long time with barely any access to nutrients. 

 

Meetings & Activities


MacArthur Foundation: MacArthur Fellows in the Sciences - NEW!
Mark your calendars for the first Digital Roundtable featuring MacArthur Fellows in the sciences.  Moderated by MacArthur's Jay Goodwin, stay tuned for C-DEBIer Victoria Orphan (Geobiologist, Class of 2016), Jerry Mitrovica (Theoretical Geophysicist, Class of 2019), and Damien Fair (Cognitive Neuroscientist, Class of 2020) on August 25, 2021 at 12 PM CST.

Joint Genome Institute: Genomics of Energy and Environment Meeting, August 30 - September 1, 2021
Registration is free and open now for the meeting August 30 - September 1, 2021.

C-DEBI Virtual Meeting Series: The Future of MBIO in IODP, September 3, 2021
Do you have questions about how deep biosphere/microbiology sampling is part of the international scientific ocean drilling program (the International Ocean Discovery Program, IODP), and how subseafloor samples are collected? Have you wondered how you can get more involved with IODP, or how proposals for drilling are handled? Are you curious about the future of IODP beyond the current program, and how deep biosphere/microbiology science can be part of that future? This C-DEBI Virtual Meeting Series event on Friday September 3 (10:30AM - 12:00PM Pacific) will feature a panel of deep biosphere scientists highlighting these topics and answering your questions. Everyone is welcome to join – from experienced IODP users to those who have never been involved with IODP. Panelists will include Jennifer Biddle (University of Delaware), Stephanie Carr (Hartwick College), Steven D’Hondt (University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography), Jessica Labonté (Texas A&M University Galveston), Beth Orcutt (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences), and Jason Sylvan (Texas A&M University). Register in advance for the meeting on September 3, 2021.

NSF MG&G: Geological Samples Repositories Virtual Town Hall - NEW!
The curators of the four NSF Marine Geological Samples Repositories (Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory Core Repository, Oregon State University Marine and Geology Repository, University of Rhode Island Marine Geological Samples Laboratory, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Seafloor Samples Repository), invite the community to a virtual Town Hall. Join the curators for an introduction and discussion of the sample repositories, and complete our survey to help shape our conversation on September 8, 2021 at 3:00-4:30 PM EDT.

Joint Genome Institute: 2021 New Lineages of Life (NeLLi) Symposium, September 16 - October 21, 2021
Registration is free and open now for the symposium September 16 - October 21, 2021.

NSF: Alan T. Waterman Award Call for Nominations
Nominations due September 20, 2021.

Goldschmidt2022: Call for Sessions and Workshops - NEW!
The call for session proposals for Goldschmidt2022 is now open, and we invite the entire geochemical community to submit suggestions for sessions to contribute to another high-quality science program. The organisers hope the conference will be held in-person in Honolulu, HI, on July 10-15, 2022. To enable participation by those who will not be traveling, virtual elements will be incorporated into the program. Deadline for submissions: September 30, 2021.

AGU: Apply to be an AGU Bridge Partner Institution - NEW!
If your institution is looking to increase diversity in its geoscience department and the larger Earth and space community, apply to be an AGU Bridge Partner organization for benefits and resources to recruit and retain underrepresented geoscience graduate students. Proposals are due October 15, 2021.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences: Course in Bioinformatics of Microbial Single Cells, April 3-9, 2022
Further details will be available and the registration will begin in October 2021.

Ongoing Activities:

 

Proposal Calls


NSF: Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions (ADVANCE)
Various deadlines.

NSF OCE: Chemical Oceanography
Full proposal target dates: August 16, 2021 and February 15, 2022.

NSF OCE: Physical Oceanography
Full proposal target dates: August 16, 2021 and February 15, 2022.

NSF: Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Full proposal deadline date: August 25, 2021.

NSF: Research Traineeship (NRT) Program
Full proposal deadline date: September 6, 2021.

NSF OISE: International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)
Track I: IRES Sites (IS) due date: September 21, 2021. Track II: Advanced Studies Institutes (ASI) due date: September 28, 2021.

IODP: Call for Proposals - NEW!
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) explores Earth’s climate history, structure, mantle/crust dynamics, natural hazards, and deep biosphere as described in the IODP Science Plan: Illuminating Earth's Past, Present, and Future. IODP facilitates international and interdisciplinary research on transformative and societally relevant topics using the ocean drilling, coring, and down-hole measurement facilities JOIDES Resolution, Chikyu, and Mission-Specific Platforms (MSP). The deadline is October 1, 2021.

NSF: Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES)
Letter of intent deadline date: October 4, 2021.

AGU: Sharing Science Grants for Science Communication and Outreach - NEW!
AGU will be offering grants (averaging $1,000 or less) to scientists around the world to encourage and jump-start outreach and engagement activities that will share science and its value with wider communities, from journalists to policymakers to students to members of the public. The deadline is October 11, 2021.

NSF: Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet)
Full proposal deadline: October 11, 2021.

IODP-USSSP: Novel Projects in Support of Scientific Ocean Drilling - NEW!
The U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP) invites members of the U.S. IODP community to submit proposals for novel projects and activities that will enhance and advance the goals of scientific ocean drilling. With this request for proposals, USSSP aims to foster innovative, out-of-the box projects that may address elements of the current IODP Science Plan or focus on the future of scientific ocean drilling (2050 Science Framework). Novel Projects proposals may explore a range of topics, including (but not limited to): Legacy Data and Cores, Outreach and Communication, and Career Development. This Novel Projects RFP is intended to stimulate new ideas, foster opportunities for unique projects and collaborations, and encourage community engagement related to scientific ocean drilling. Proposal deadline: October 15, 2021.

NSF: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Full proposal deadlines vary by discipline: October 18-22, 2021.

NASA: Postdoctoral Program
Current cycle deadline: November 1, 2021.

NSF GEO: Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (EAR-PRF) - NEW!
The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) awards Postdoctoral Fellowships to recent recipients of doctoral degrees to conduct an integrated program of independent research and professional development. Fellowship proposals must address scientific questions within the scope of EAR disciplinary programs and must align with the overall theme for the postdoctoral program. Because the fellowships are offered only to postdoctoral scientists early in their career, doctoral advisors are encouraged to discuss the availability of EAR postdoctoral fellowships with their graduate students early in their doctoral programs. Full proposal deadline: November 3, 2021.

NSF GEO: Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OCE-PRF)
Full proposal deadline: November 12, 2021.

NSF HRD: Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP)
See the program solicitation for proposal windows and deadlines through 2021.

NSF BIO: Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO)
Full proposal deadline date: January 25, 2022.

NSF: Mid-Career Advancement (MCA)
Full proposal target date: February 7, 2022.

NSF BIO / NIH: Enabling Discovery through GEnomics (EDGE)
Full proposal deadline: February 17, 2022.

Rolling Calls:



Employment


University of St. Andrews: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Hydrothermal Vent Geochemistry
The deadline for applications is August 16, 2021.

University of St. Andrews: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Early Earth and Hydrothermal Vent Phylogenomics
The deadline for applications is August 20, 2021.

University of Lausanne: Postdoctoral Researcher in Microbial Geochemistry
The deadline for applications is August 20, 2021.

NSF OCE: Science Analyst
The deadline for applications is August 23, 2021.

UCSD Scripps: Postdoctoral Researcher Microbial Oceanography/Molecular Biogeochemistry
The deadline for applications is August 31, 2021.

Texas A&M University: Assistant Professor in Oceanography
Initial review of applications will begin on September 1, 2021 and continue until the position is filled.

University of Lausanne: PhD Position in Microbial Geochemistry (17814)
The deadline for applications is September 1, 2021.

University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD): Term Assistant Professor in Earth & Environmental Sciences
Review of applications is expected to begin on September 7, 2021, and will continue until the position is filled.

NSF OCE: Division Director in the Division of Ocean Sciences
The deadline for applications is September 10, 2021.

University of Lausanne: PhD Position in Microbial Geochemistry (17822)
The deadline for applications is September 15, 2021.

NOAA: Director of the Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
The deadline for applications is September 16, 2021.

LUMCON: Assistant Professors in Coastal or Marine Science
Review of applicants will begin September 20, 2021, and continue until the positions are filled.

UCSD Scripps: Assistant, Associate, or Full Researcher in Oceans and Atmosphere
The deadline for applications is September 30, 2021.

MBARI: Principal Investigator (Focus on Seafloor Processes)
Initial review of applications will begin on October 1, 2021 and continue until the position is filled.

Boston College: Assistant Professor in Sedimentary Processes - NEW!
The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Boston College invites applications for Earth systems scientists in the field of Sedimentary Processes. We seek a geoscientist whose research in sedimentary processes highlights connections among surficial processes, the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and/or lithosphere. Broad research areas of interest include, but are not limited to, sediment transport in coastal and river systems, as influenced by anthropogenic and geologic processes; sedimentary basin evolution; human-climate-environment interactions; sea-level rise and related human displacement and justice issues; and critical transitions in sedimentary processes throughout Earth history. We are particularly interested in individuals whose research uses field investigation, innovative computational, geophysical, geochemical, geochronological methods, and/or other analytical techniques. Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2021.

West Texas A&M University: Assistant Professor in Geology - NEW!
West Texas A&M University, a Member of The Texas A&M University System located in Canyon, Texas, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Geology to begin in August 2022. This full-time (9 month) position at West Texas A&M University will include responsibilities in teaching (60%), research (35%), and service supportive of the Environmental Science, Biology, Wildlife Biology, and Science/Life Science Education programs (5%). Candidates with expertise in sedimentary geology, basin analysis, hydrogeology, paleontology, and/or petroleum/economic geology are encouraged to apply, but other areas may be considered. Apply by October 15, 2021 to guarantee full consideration.

Rice University: Assistant Professor in Planetary and Environmental Sciences - NEW!
The Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Rice University is seeking applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position. We seek candidates across the broad spectrum of planetary and environmental sciences, areas where the department anticipates growth, and who complement our department. Some of the research areas of interest include, but are not limited to: surface processes, climate and all related sciences; astrobiology, planetary habitability of the solar system and beyond using observational approaches such as cosmochemistry and remote sensing and modeling. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2021.

MBL: Postdoctoral Position in Molecular Microbial Ecology (POSTD01360) - NEW!
A postdoctoral position in molecular microbial ecology is available at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole. This NSF-funded collaborative project with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution seeks to identify the nature of microbial predator-prey interactions using laboratory chemostats combined with RNA stable isotope probing, sequencing, and trait-based modeling. We are seeking an individual with expertise in molecular microbial ecology, including those with interests in microbial, viral, and eukaryotic dynamics, microbial food webs, and theoretical ecology. While the primary focus of the work will be in research, the Postdoctoral Scientist will have an opportunity to participate in educational and outreach activities associated with the project. Please email Joe Vallino (jvallino@mbl.edu) or Julie Huber (jhuber@whoi.edu) with any questions about the position.

University of Toronto: Postdoctoral Position(s) in Fluid-Rock Interactions & Investigation of Deep Subsurface Life

Consortium for Ocean Leadership: Program Associate for Ocean Observing

St. Mary's College of Maryland: Open Rank Faculty Position in Marine Science

Carnegie Institution (Stanford): Postdoctoral in Microbial Ecological Modeling of the Marine Nitrogen Cycle

Carnegie Institution (Stanford): Postdoctoral in Ecological Modeling of Marine Microheterotrophic Communities

Pennsylvania State University: Postdoctoral Researcher on Microbial Metabolic Networks

2021-2022 Earth and Environmental Science Jobs List - NEW!
The Earth and Environmental Science Jobs List is now co-hosted by the Earth Science Women's Network! This crowd-sourced list includes pages for Tenure Track/Permanent jobs, Non-Tenure Track Faculty, and Postdoc positions. Graduate student positions are co-moderated by Geoscience Education Mentoring Support (GEMS).


Email me with any items you'd like to share in future newsletters. You are what makes our deep biosphere community!

 
Rosalynn Sylvan
C-DEBI Managing Director
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0371
rosalyyl@usc.edu

Connect with C-DEBI on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter (@deepbiosphere | #CDEBI)
Exploring life beneath the seafloor and making transformative discoveries that advance science, benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins.
 
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp