Abstract
A research team led by scientists from the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech sunk to great depths last month in the name of microbial ecology. The team used a four-person submersible called the Johnson Sea Link II to reach methane vents and brine pools in the Gulf of Mexico. The submersible's robot arm was used to collect sediment cores for analysis. Little is known about the microorganisms that live in either of these extreme environments. A better understanding of the microbiology of the cold seeps, where methane bubbles out from fractures in the ocean floor, could provide valuable clues about global warming. Methane that escapes to the surface of the water without being oxidized could contribute to the greenhouse effect. However, the methane oxidation rate in the water column above the vents has never been measured. The team's progress while stationed aboard the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute's research vessel Seward Johnson was webcast in July. AV http://www.eurekalert.com
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