In her second talk, Dr. Huber describes her research, which integrates microbiology, molecular biology, and ocean sciences approaches to characterize the microbial ecosystem below Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano off the coast of Oregon. Dr. Huber outlines how her group used environmental DNA and RNA sequencing techniques to analyze the crustal fluids (mix of ocean water & hydrothermal vent fluid) leaking from underneath the sea floor at three deep-sea vents. Her group determined that the metabolic potential of organisms was similar across vents (as indicated by DNA sequencing) but that there were larger differences in the “activity” of the microbes across vents (as indicated by mRNA profiling). Furthermore, Dr. Huber’s group identified vent-specific subseafloor microbial populations.
View the full talk with additional resources on our website
Deep Sea Life: Studying Subseafloor Microbes
Julie Huber describes her research to better understand the microbes that dominate deep sea life in the rocky crust below the ocean floor. (Talk recorded in July 2018)
- Part 1: Microbes, Fluids, and RocksAudience:
- Student
- Researcher
- Educators of H. School / Intro Undergrad
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:16:18 - Part 2: Subseafloor Life at Axial SeamountAudience:
- Researcher
- Educators of H. School / Intro Undergrad
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:24:30 - Part 3: Combining Stable Isotopes and Sequencing to Understand Subseafloor LifeAudience:
- Researcher
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:15:48