Hydrothermal vents submarine

Life evolved soon after Earth s formation, befiare any continents were present, during a time when the oceans were chemically and thermally controlled by tectonic processes. Thus, it has been proposed that the life evolved in hot anaerobic submarine environments similar to present-day hydrothermal vent systems. This hypothesis is supported by the observation of structures, thought to be the remains of protocells, in rocks formed by hydrothermal processes 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago. Thus, the first organisms on Earth were probably anaerobic hyperthermophiles. Hydrothermal vent habitats probably offered an additional benefit by providing a stable environment relatively isolated from the catastrophic effects of bolide impacts. In other words, submarine hydrothermal vents coifld have acted as refugia enabling survival of early life forms. 

Canet, C., Prol-Ledesma, R.M., Rubio-Ramos, M.A. et al. (2003) Mn-Ba-Hg mineralization related to the shallow submarine hydrothermal vents of Bahia Concepcion, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Abstracts with Programs. The Geological Society of America, 35(6), 579. 

There are three environments on Earth where microbes have been identified with temperature tolerances in a range of 100°C to 121 °C, namely, submarine hydrothermal vents, the subterranean deep biosphere, and terrestrial hot springs (Table 4.1). The highest temperature tolerances (110-121 °C) are found in microbes from marine hydrothermal vents and the subterranean deep biosphere high pressures prevent these waters from boiling at 100 °C, the normal boiling point of water at 1.01 bar (1 atm) pressure. From terrestrial hot springs, microbes have been isolated that can tolerate temperatures up to 103°C (Table 4.1). 

Pledger RJ, Baross JA (1991) Preliminary description and nutritional characterization of a chemoorganotrophic archaeobacterium growing at temperatures of up to 110 °C isolated from a submarine hydrothermal vent environment. J Gen Microbiol 137 203-211... 

Amino Acid Formation in Submarine Hydrothermal Vents. 78... 

Toxic heavy metals Cd 2-5 mM, bacteria and archaeans Ni 2.5 mM, Co 20 mM, Zn 12 mM, Cd 2.5mM, Ralstonia eutrophus Algae, e.g., Euglena and Chlorella can grow in Cd, Zn, and Co at mM concentrations Submarine hydrothermal vent fluids and sulfides some high-metal-containing lakes... 

From submarine hydrothermal vent environments, extremely thermophilic anaerobic archaea are capable of sulfur respiration with hydrogen gas ... 

Typical habitats are anoxic sediments or bottom waters of freshwater, marine, or hypersaline aquatic environments thermophilic species occur in hot springs and submarine hydrothermal vents. 

A micrograph of the extremophile Archaeoglobus fulgidis, an organism that lives in the hot sediments near submarine hydrothermal vents. 

Stoffers P., Hannington M., Wright 1., Herzig P., and de Ronde C. (1999) Elemental mercury at submarine hydrothermal vents in the Bay of Plenty, Taupo volcanic zone. New Zealand. Geology 27(10), 931-934. 

McCollom, T.M. (2000) Geochemical constraints on primary productivity in submarine hydrothermal vent plumes. Deep-Sea Research I, 47, 85-101. 

In addition to submarine hydrothermal manganese crasts formed near submarine hydrothermal vents,... 

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