Iron and sulfur are important elements to all life on Earth. Some groups of bacteria use iron and sulfur as energy sources and make organic carbon (sugars) from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These bacteria, known as iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, are found in the sediments and waters of the ocean and on land. They are an important part to sustaining the biogeochemical cycles of iron and sulfur in the world’s oceans and continents. The researchers want to further understand the distribution and activity of these groups of bacteria in the sediments of the ocean and land, as they relate to Earth.
Proposer: Jake Beam, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Proposal: Emergent properties of marine and freshwater sediment chemolithoautotrophic microbial communities