Quantifying the rates of biogeochemical processes in marine sediments is essential for
understanding global element cycles and climate change. Because organic matter …

The majority of life on Earth—notably, microbial life—occurs in places that do not receive
sunlight, with the habitats of the oceans being the largest of these reservoirs. Sunlight …

Water plays a critical role in erosion and sediment transport and this relationship is most
evident in the hyperarid Atacama Desert of Northern Chile, a region characterized by …

Environmental conditions unsuitable for microbial growth are the rule rather than the
exception in most habitats. In response to this, microorganisms have developed various …

As the most abundant aromatic polymers on the Earth, lignin has great potential to produce
biofuels and aromatic chemicals due to their high carbon content and low oxygen content …

Gram-positive spore-forming sulfate reducers and particularly members of the genus
Desulfotomaculum are commonly found in the subsurface biosphere by culture based and …

Microbial biogeography is influenced by the combined effects of passive dispersal and
environmental selection, but the contribution of either factor can be difficult to discern. As …

Marine sediments host an unexpectedly large microbial biosphere, suggesting unique
microbial mechanisms for surviving burial and slow metabolic turnover. Although dormancy …

Shallow geothermal systems are increasingly being used to store or harvest thermal energy
for heating or cooling purposes. This technology causes temperature perturbations …

Patterns of microbial biogeography result from a combination of dispersal, speciation and
extinction, yet individual contributions exerted by each of these mechanisms are difficult to …