A model for the production of sulfur floc and “snowblower” events at mid‐ocean ridges

Crowell, B. W.; Lowell, R. P.; Damm, K. L. Von

doi:10.1029/2008gc002103

Cited by 15 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…At Axial snowblower vents, the Methanococci and other thermophiles are likely present due to flushing, while the Sulfurovum and Sulfurimonas are likely residents of shallower subsurface layers and experiencing a secondary bloom just below the seafloor. Modeling of the biogenic production of white floc after the 1991 eruption at 9°N East Pacific Rise suggested that the source of material for snowblower vents may be a combination of microbial bloom and a flushing of accumulated floc within the seafloor (Crowell et al, 2008). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological characterization of post-eruption “snowblower” vents at Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge

Meyer¹,

Akerman²,

Proskurowski³

et al. 2013

Front. Microbiol.

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Microbial processes within the subseafloor can be examined during the ephemeral and uncommonly observed phenomena known as snowblower venting. Snowblowers are characterized by the large quantity of white floc that is expelled from the seafloor following mid-ocean ridge eruptions. During these eruptions, rapidly cooling lava entrains seawater and hydrothermal fluids enriched in geochemical reactants, creating a natural bioreactor that supports a subseafloor microbial “bloom.” Previous studies hypothesized that the eruption-associated floc was made by sulfide-oxidizing bacteria; however, the microbes involved were never identified. Here we present the first molecular analysis combined with microscopy of microbial communities in snowblower vents from samples collected shortly after the 2011 eruption at Axial Seamount, an active volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. We obtained fluid samples and white flocculent material from active snowblower vents as well as orange flocculent material found on top of newly formed lava flows. Both flocculent types revealed diverse cell types and particulates when examined by phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Distinct archaeal and bacterial communities were detected in each sample type through Illumina tag sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and through sequencing of the sulfide oxidation gene, soxB. In fluids and white floc, the dominant bacteria were sulfur-oxidizing Epsilonproteobacteria and the dominant archaea were thermophilic Methanococcales. In contrast, the dominant organisms in the orange floc were Gammaproteobacteria and Thaumarchaeota Marine Group I. In all samples, bacteria greatly outnumbered archaea. The presence of anaerobic methanogens and microaerobic Epsilonproteobacteria in snowblower communities provides evidence that these blooms are seeded by subseafloor microbes, rather than from microbes in bottom seawater. These eruptive events thus provide a unique opportunity to observe subseafloor microbial communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological characterization of post-eruption “snowblower” vents at Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge

Meyer¹,

Akerman²,

Proskurowski³

et al. 2013

Front. Microbiol.

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“…However, recent rRNA gene surveys show that SUP05 are also widely distributed in pelagic environments, raising the question of whether the connection between plumes and subsurface is physical (i.e., transport only) or ecological (i.e., actively operating in similar niches in both environments) in nature. An extreme example of the physical transport of seafloor and/or subsurface material to the water column is “snowblower” vents that discharge elemental sulfur and bacterial filaments (Haymon et al, 1993; Crowell et al, 2008). Thermophilic microbes derived from the subsurface have also been observed in eruptive event plumes (Summit and Baross, 1998).…”

Section: Microbial Communities In Deep-sea Hydrothermal Plumesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The microbiology of deep-sea hydrothermal vent plumes: ecological and biogeographic linkages to seafloor and water column habitats

et al. 2013

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Hydrothermal plumes are an important yet understudied component of deep-sea vent microbial ecosystems. The significance of plume microbial processes can be appreciated from three perspectives: (1) mediation of plume biogeochemistry, (2) dispersal of seafloor hydrothermal vent microbes between vents sites, (3) as natural laboratories for understanding the ecology, physiology, and function of microbial groups that are distributed throughout the pelagic deep sea. Plume microbiology has been largely neglected in recent years, especially relative to the extensive research conducted on seafloor and subseafloor systems. Rapidly advancing technologies for investigating microbial communities provide new motivation and opportunities to characterize this important microbial habitat. Here we briefly highlight microbial contributions to plume and broader ocean (bio)geochemistry and review recent work to illustrate the ecological and biogeographic linkages between plumes, seafloor vent habitats, and other marine habitats such as oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), cold seeps, and oil spills. 16S rRNA gene surveys and metagenomic/-transcriptomic data from plumes point to dominant microbial populations, genes, and functions that are also operative in OMZs (SUP05, ammonia-oxidizing Archaea, and SAR324 Deltaproteobacteria) and hydrocarbon-rich environments (methanotrophs). Plume microbial communities are distinct from those on the seafloor or in the subsurface but contain some signatures of these habitats, consistent with the notion that plumes are potential vectors for dispersal of microorganisms between seafloor vent sites. Finally, we put forward three pressing questions for the future of deep-sea hydrothermal plume research and consider interactions between vents and oceans on global scales.

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“…additional energy and biomass enter vent food webs through photosynthetic organics and detritus, chemosynthetic organics and detritus, and abiotic organics. (Taylor and Wirsen, 1997;Huber et al, 2003;Crowell et al, 2008). Immediately following an eruption, the microbial biomass and sulfur floc is expelled in a "bloom" of productivity (Haymon et al, 1993;Tunnicliffe et al, 1997).…”

Section: Food Web Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Transfer Through Food Webs at Hydrothermal Vents: Linking the Lithosphere to the Biosphere

Govenar¹

2012

oceanog

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A model for the production of sulfur floc and “snowblower” events at mid‐ocean ridges

Cited by 15 publications

References 23 publications

Microbiological characterization of post-eruption “snowblower” vents at Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge

Microbiological characterization of post-eruption “snowblower” vents at Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge

The microbiology of deep-sea hydrothermal vent plumes: ecological and biogeographic linkages to seafloor and water column habitats

Energy Transfer Through Food Webs at Hydrothermal Vents: Linking the Lithosphere to the Biosphere

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