BFS-project - Studying a Hidden, Globally Significant Biosphere (2016-2022) - Steffen Leth Jørgensen

This project targets the immense microbial biosphere hidden beneath the ocean floor. Microbes in this region essentially control the partitioning of elements between Earth's surface and the deep subsurface, which has profound implications for the geochemical composition of the oceans and atmosphere - and thus also indirectly affects climate variability. However, most of the microbial organisms in this deep biosphere are unidentified and uncharacterized. How can we address this lack of knowledge so that we can interpret the empirical observations we make, and build an understanding of the fundamental processes and mechanisms involved in this vast system? Duration January 2016–January 2022