Yellowstone Biocomplexity:Yellowstone Biocomplexity:Microbe-Water-Mineral DynamicsMicrobe-Water-Mineral Dynamics

Bruce W. FoukeBruce W. FoukeDepartment of GeologyDepartment of GeologyDepartment of MicrobiologyDepartment of MicrobiologyInstitute for Genomic BiologyInstitute for Genomic BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

Co-Principle InvestigatorsNigel Goldenfeld (Illinois Physics)Alison Murray (DRI Nevada Micro)

ColleaguesAbigail Salyers (Illinois Microbiology)Carl Woese (Illinois Microbiology)Robert Sanford (Res. Sci. Geology)Barbara Hug (Illinois Education)

CollaborationsNational Park ServiceYellowstone Association

Funding (Hot Springs)NSF Biocomplexity in the EnvironmentAmerican Chemical SocietyIllinois Critical Research Initiative

Co-Principle InvestigatorsNigel Goldenfeld (Illinois Physics)Alison Murray (DRI Nevada Micro)

ColleaguesAbigail Salyers (Illinois Microbiology)Carl Woese (Illinois Microbiology)Robert Sanford (Res. Sci. Geology)Barbara Hug (Illinois Education)

CollaborationsNational Park ServiceYellowstone Association

Funding (Hot Springs)NSF Biocomplexity in the EnvironmentAmerican Chemical SocietyIllinois Critical Research Initiative

Current Fouke Lab (Hot Springs)Roy Johnson (Res. Sci. Vet. Med.)Mike Kandianis (Ph.D. Geology)Tom Schickel (M.Sc./Ph.D. Geology)John Veysey (Ph.D. Physics)Patrick Chan (Ph.D. Physics)Ana Houseal (Ph.D. Education/Geol) Kelly Zimmerman (M.Sc. Geology)Shane Butler (M.Sc. Geology)

Recent Members (Hot Springs)George T. Bonheyo (Postdoc Micro)Hector Garcia (Ph.D. Physics)David Fike (B.Sc. Physics/Geol)Johanna Metz (B.Sc. Physics/Geol)Beth Sanzenbacher (B.Sc. Micro/Geol)

Current Fouke Lab (Hot Springs)Roy Johnson (Res. Sci. Vet. Med.)Mike Kandianis (Ph.D. Geology)Tom Schickel (M.Sc./Ph.D. Geology)John Veysey (Ph.D. Physics)Patrick Chan (Ph.D. Physics)Ana Houseal (Ph.D. Education/Geol) Kelly Zimmerman (M.Sc. Geology)Shane Butler (M.Sc. Geology)

Recent Members (Hot Springs)George T. Bonheyo (Postdoc Micro)Hector Garcia (Ph.D. Physics)David Fike (B.Sc. Physics/Geol)Johanna Metz (B.Sc. Physics/Geol)Beth Sanzenbacher (B.Sc. Micro/Geol)

Biocomplexity in a Geological ContextBiocomplexity in a Geological Context

• Definition:Definition: Complexity arising from the interplay of biological, Complexity arising from the interplay of biological, physical, chemical and social systems across multiple spatial physical, chemical and social systems across multiple spatial (angstroms to thousands of kilometers) and temporal (angstroms to thousands of kilometers) and temporal (nanoseconds to eons) scales(nanoseconds to eons) scales

• Context:Context: Collected within process-oriented geological, Collected within process-oriented geological, ecological, and evolutionary systems.ecological, and evolutionary systems.

• Big Picture:Big Picture: Research on individual (context void) components Research on individual (context void) components of a complex system provides only limited information about of a complex system provides only limited information about the behavior of a system as a wholethe behavior of a system as a whole

• Are terraced carbonate mineral deposits Are terraced carbonate mineral deposits primaprima faciesfacies evidence for microbial activity? evidence for microbial activity?

Primary Question of StudyPrimary Question of Study

• The presence and activity of microbes is required The presence and activity of microbes is required to create terraced carbonate mineral deposits.to create terraced carbonate mineral deposits.

Central Hypothesis of StudyCentral Hypothesis of Study

Physical•Water Temperature

•Pressure•Flow rate/velocity

•Seasonal differences•Diurnal differences

•Weather

TimeGeological

• Sediment(s) composition• Stratigraphy

• Geochemistry • Crystal structure

• Porosity / Induration • Precipitation rates

• Diagenesis

Microbiological• Population(s) constituency

• Colonization and succession• Biochemistry / gene expression

• Colony macrostructure• Transport/ Mobility

• Growth rates • Evolution

Abiotic versus Biotic HierarchyAbiotic versus Biotic Hierarchy

• Scale 1:Scale 1: Cm-to-Meter Cm-to-Meter

dominanted by abiotic mineralization?dominanted by abiotic mineralization?

• Scale 2:Scale 2: Mm-to-Cm Mm-to-Cm

mixture of biologically-influenced andmixture of biologically-influenced and

abiotic mineralization?abiotic mineralization?

• Scale 3:Scale 3: Micron-to-Mm Micron-to-Mm

dominated by biologically-influenced?dominated by biologically-influenced?

Waters derived from Norris Basin

from Sorey et al. (1991)from Sorey et al. (1991)

Sedimentary Depositional Sedimentary Depositional FaciesFacies• Sediment/crystalline deposit representing the sum physical, Sediment/crystalline deposit representing the sum physical,

chemical, and biological attributes of an environment of chemical, and biological attributes of an environment of

sediment accumulation (Gressley, 1838; Walther, 1893)sediment accumulation (Gressley, 1838; Walther, 1893)

Fouke et al. (2000)Fouke et al. (2000)

Travertine Facies ModelTravertine Facies Model

Constructed independent of microbial analysesConstructed independent of microbial analyses

1 - 5 mm/day“Living Geology”

Fouke et al. (2000)Fouke et al. (2000)

Travertine Facies ModelTravertine Facies Model

Constructed independent of microbial analysesConstructed independent of microbial analyses

0.25 cm

Comparison of Facies Average 12 Hour Washers

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

Facies Location

CaCO

3 (mg/cm

2 )/hr

Day Night

Vent ApronChannel

Ponds and Lips ProximalSlope

DistalSlope

Deterministic Physical Modelling of Carbonate PrecipitationDeterministic Physical Modelling of Carbonate Precipitation

• Physical model of carbonate Physical model of carbonate precipitation in shallow water flow precipitation in shallow water flow formulatedformulated

• theory applied to travertine observed theory applied to travertine observed in Mammoth Hot Springsin Mammoth Hot Springs– 1D damming instability explained the 1D damming instability explained the

emergence of scale free structure, e.g. emergence of scale free structure, e.g. terracesterraces

– 2D circularly symmetrical domes 2D circularly symmetrical domes predicted deterministicallypredicted deterministically

Fouke et al. (2000)Fouke et al. (2000)

Travertine Facies ModelTravertine Facies Model

Constructed independent of microbial analysesConstructed independent of microbial analyses

90% partitioned within facies

Two occur in all 5 faciesAquificales pBBOPB30 -Proteobacteria

Gene VentApron

ChannelPond

Proximal Slope

Distal Slope

nifH *? - *+ *+ -dsrA * * * - -

RuBisCo L - - + + -RuBisco M *? * + *? -cpn60 + + + + +

Substrate Samples

Gene VentApron

ChannelPond

Proximal Slope

Distal Slope

nifH *- -dsrA * * *

RuBisCo L - -RuBisco M + + - -

Water Samples

"-" = Negative result"-" = Negative result"+" = appropriate amplicon observed"+" = appropriate amplicon observed"*" = length variability in amplicon, sequence analysis required to "*" = length variability in amplicon, sequence analysis required to verify correct geneverify correct geneblank cell = sample has not yet been screenedblank cell = sample has not yet been screened

Results of genomic DNA screening for Results of genomic DNA screening for water and travertine substrate samples.water and travertine substrate samples.

• InIn situsitu crystallization experiments under crystallization experiments under natural conditions versus filter sterilized and natural conditions versus filter sterilized and UV-irradiated conditions.UV-irradiated conditions.

• Document associations between crystal Document associations between crystal growth and water chemistry with microbial growth and water chemistry with microbial communities and activities.communities and activities.

• Physical modeling of the system to describe Physical modeling of the system to describe combined geological and biological effects.combined geological and biological effects.

Project MilestonesProject Milestones