Zonation of Microbial Communities by a Hydrothermal Mound in the Atlantis II Deep (the Red Sea).
In deep-sea geothermal rift zones, the dispersal of hydrothermal fluids of moderately-high temperatures typically forms subseafloor mounds. Major mineral components of the crust covering the mound are barite and metal sulfides. As a result of the continental rifting along the Red Sea, metalliferous sediments accumulate on the seafloor of the Atlantis II Deep. In the present study, a barite crust was identified in a sediment core from the Atlantis II Deep, indicating the formation of a hydrothermal mound at the sampling site. Here, we examined how such a dense barite crust could affect the local environment and the distribution of microbial inhabitants. Our results demonstrate distinctive features of mineral components and microbial communities in the sediment layers separated by the barite crust. Within the mound, archaea accounted for 65% of the community. In contrast, the sediments above the barite boundary were overwhelmed by bacteria. The composition of microbial communities under the mound was similar to that in the sediments of the nearby Discovery Deep and marine cold seeps. This work reveals the zonation of microbial communities after the formation of the hydrothermal mound in the subsurface sediments of the rift basin.
Sanya Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, San Ya, China; Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China.
Yong
Y
Wang
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Jiang Tao
JT
Li
Sanya Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, San Ya, China.
Li Sheng
LS
He
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China.
Bo
B
Yang
Sanya Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, San Ya, China.
Zhao Ming
ZM
Gao
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China.
Hui Luo
HL
Cao
Computational Biosciences Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
Zenon
Z
Batang
Computational Biosciences Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulaziz
A
Al-Suwailem
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China.
Pei-Yuan
PY
Qian
D001105:Archaea / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D019156:Indian Ocean; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*