Mediterranean deep hypersaline anoxic basin
As part of the EU program BIODEEP we have been investigating four deep-sea hypersaline brines almost 4 km beneath the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, each with a different salt composition. In particular, we have focussed on the interface between seawater and a NaCl-rich brine (Bannock basin), and an almost saturated MgCl2-rich brine (Discovery basin). Notably, microbial growth and activity is greatly stimulated at the chemocline of Bannock basin by a meeting of complementary terminal electron acceptors, carbon and energy sources, nutrients, etc.; whereas in the Discovery basin, at a critical concentration the stressful effects of MgCl2 over-ride the benefits gained from redox couplings. We propose that the macromolecule-destabilising effects of MgCl2 are responsible for the observed effect. This work was recently published in Nature, Science and Environmental Microbiology
. . . . Return to the World Map
