034 - Deep biosphere with Mandy Joye

On this month’s episode, we wanted to go deeper and darker than we’ve ever gone before… prepare the enter: the deep biosphere!

We talk with Professor Mandy Joye about the vast microbial wonderland which is the deep biosphere. This ecosystem, which exists deep under the seabed, has only recently been discovered and research is just starting to reach some interesting conclusions. We lean about the importance of deep sea microbes and how they cycle through our planet. We also discuss the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as Mandy was a key researcher in understanding it’s widespread effects on the microbial community in the Gulf of Mexico.

Professor Alan has been very busy this month with another world record to add to the collection. Not only did Thom and Alan break the world record for the world deepest fish back in 2014 (with a Mariana snailfish (Pseudoliparis swierei) being observed at 8143m in the Mariana trench). But, Alan beat his own record with this new snailfish seen at 8336m in the Izu-Ogasawara trench near Japan!

We’ve also got newly discovered whalefalls, interesting uses for polymetallic nodules and historic oceanic treaty’s being agreed upon in this month in the news! Talk about a busy month, ey!

We’re really trying to make this project self-sustaining so we have started looking for ways to support the podcast. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show.

Thanks again for tuning in, we’ll deep-see you next time!

Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

podcast@armatusoceanic.com

We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!

We are also on

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO

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Keep up with the team on social media

Twitter:

Alan - @Hadalbloke (https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke)

Thom - @ThomLinley (https://twitter.com/ThomLinley)

Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://twitter.com/geeinthesea)

Instagram:

Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://www.instagram.com/geeinthesea/)

Read the show notes and find out more about us at:

www.armatusoceanic.com

Glossary

Archaea - Microorganisms similar to bacteria in size and simplicity, but are very different molecularly. They’re thought to be the ancient intermediate group between bacteria and eukaryotes.

Asgardarchaeota (Asgards)- a type of archaea in which eukaryotes are thought to have first emerged.

Astrophysics - Astrophysics is a branch of space science that applies the laws of physics and chemistry to seek to understand the universe.

Deep biosphere - The expansive ecosystem of microbes which exist deep under the seabed.

Niche - A species' niche encompasses both the physical and environmental conditions it requires (e.g. temperature) and the interactions it has with other species (like predation or competition).

Deepwater Horizon - An offshore drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated by BP which exploded in 2010, causing the worst oil spill in American history.

Eukaryotes - A organism which is made of cells where the DNA is contained in a nucleus. (All living organisms other than archaea and eubacteria).

Flagellated - Having flagella (a slender threadlike structure which allows microorganisms to swim (e.g. bacteria or sperm).

Genome - The genome is the entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell.

Geochemistry - The study of the chemistry of geological materials such as rock, sediment, soil and water.

Intraterrestrials - species living within the earth

Metabolism - The conversion of the energy in food to the energy available to run cellular processes.

Methanogens - a methane-producing bacterium, especially an archaean which reduces carbon dioxide to methane.

NASA - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.

Turnover rate - How quickly bacteria reproduce and die.

Links

Mandy’s lab group website

https://joyelab.org/

Mandy collaborated with Jim Toomey on a series of "deep ocean" educational cartoons.

Watch a summary of the deep biosphere

Watch this cartoon explaining the microbes at hydrothermal vents

Goblin shark embryo or toy?

Alan’s new record for the world's deepest fish

Forgotten subsea cables

A polymetallic nodule has been used to estimate historic climate records. Here’s a news article explaining it, and the scientific paper.

Circulation slowdown

A whalefall has been found by a friend of the show, Kat Bolstad.

After 10 years of discussions, The High Seas Treaty has been agreed upon.

Metalocalypse: Dethklok - Go Into the Water

Youtube

Spotify

Credits

Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel

Logo image: Viola Krukenberg

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