Scientists say a third of Earth's organisms live in our planet's rocks and sediments - and the amount could even be greater than what we find on the surface. This week, microbiologist James Holden of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst along with colleagues shone a light on this dark work, reporting on the first detailed data on methane-exhaling microbes that live deep in the cracks of hot undersea volcanoes. Just as biologists studied the habitats and life requirements of giraffes and penguins when they were new to science, Holden says, 'for the first time we're studying these subsurface microorganisms, defining their habitat requirements and determining how they differ among species.' 'Evidence has built that there's an incredible amount of biomass in the Earth's subsurface, in the crust and marine sediments, perhaps as much as all the plants and animals on the surface,' says Holden. 'We're interested in the microbes in the deep rock, and the best place to study them is at hydrothermal vents at undersea volcanoes. Warm water there brings the nutrient and energy sources these microbes need.' The result will advance scientists' comprehension of biogeochemical cycles in the deep ocean, he and co-authors believe. Source: The Coming Crisis
