Data from Chicxulub crater (NERC grant NE/P006736/1)
Cell count data from the Chicxulub crater. Grant abstract: The deep subsurface is recognised to be an environment that supports a large and diverse microbial biosphere, and yet we still know very little about how microorganisms grow in this environment, what their spatial diversity is and how this diversity is controlled by subsurface geochemical conditions. Previous research has primarily focused on deep-ocean sediments. Work in these environments has shown that geochemical interfaces are important for determining the diversity of the subsurface biosphere. Little is known about how the subsurface biosphere in marine environments compares to that in continental subsurface environments. Our laboratory will acquire core samples collected from the peak ring of the 66 million-year old Chicxulub impact structure buried beneath the Gulf of Mexico in April-May 2016 during IODP Expedition 364. This end-Cretaceous impact structure is hypothesised to have been responsible for causing the extinction of the dinosaurs and ~75% of all other life at this time. The drill core will be retrieved with microbiological contamination control to ~1.5 km depth. Thus, the drill core offers the opportunity to investigate the subsurface microbiology of a continental site and also how the microbial diversity relates to a unique, but well-defined subsurface lithologic sequence. In this project we propose to use these cores to gain new insights into the diversity of microorganisms in the subsurface. In this project we will: 1) Quantify the biomass of microorganisms through the core and correlate it to the lithologies to understand how microbial life in the continental deep subsurface is influenced by lithology, 2) Specifically investigate how microbial abundance and diversity is correlated to impact lithologies to understand how impacts can disrupt the deep subsurface biosphere, 3) Culture and use '-omics' methods such as metagenomics to understand how the functional capabilities and metabolisms of organisms correlate to the environment and lithology through the core to gain a better understanding of microbial biogeochemical processes in the deep subsurface in general and specifically in an impact crater, 4) Use the above data to understand more generally how life recolonises impact craters and how craters might provide a habitat for life despite otherwise catastrophic effects on large surface dwelling life.
INSPIRE
Identification
- File identifier
- 78815d18-4d54-6f3e-e054-002128a47908 XML
- Resource type
- dataset
Online resource
Resource identifier
- Metadata Language
- English (en)
Encoding
- Format
- MS Excel
Projection
Classification of data and services
- Topic category
-
- Geoscientific information
Classification of data and services
Coupled resource
Coupled resource
Classification of data and services
Coupled resource
Coupled resource
Keywords
- GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
- BGS Thesaurus of Geosciences
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- Microorganisms
- NGDC Deposited Data
- Impact structures
- Core samples
Geographic coverage
N
S
E
W
Temporal reference
Temporal extent
Temporal extent
- Dataset Reference Date ()
- 2018-10-11
Quality and validity
- Lineage
- Staining and counting. See: Morgan J. et al. Proceedings of the International Ocean Discovery Program: Chicxulub: Drilling the K-Pg Impact Crater. Volume 364, IODP (2018).
Conformity
Conformity
Conformity
Conformity
Conformity
Conformity
- Explanation
- See the referenced specification
Restrictions on access and use
- Access constraints
- no limitations
- Access constraints
- The dataset is made freely available for access, e.g. via the Internet. Either no third party data / information is contained in the dataset or BGS has secured written permission from the owner(s) of any third party data / information contained in the dataset to make the dataset freely accessible.
- Access constraints
- The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.
- Access constraints
- Available under the Open Government Licence subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced NERC materials "Contains NERC materials ©NERC [year]"
Responsible organization (s)
Contact for the resource
- Organisation name
- University of Edinburgh
- not available
- Organisation name
- University of Edinburgh
- not available
Responsible organization (s)
Contact for the resource
- Organisation name
- University of Edinburgh
- not available
- Organisation name
- University of Edinburgh
- not available
Metadata information
Contact for the metadata
- Organisation name
- British Geological Survey
- enquiries@bgs.ac.uk
- Metadata Date
- 2024-04-17
- Metadata Language
- English (en)