Basalt-Hosted Microbial Communities in the Subsurface of the Young Volcanic Island of Surtsey, Iceland

Research on Surtsey, a volcanic island formed between 1963 and 1967, reveals diverse and distinct microbial communities thriving in its subsurface basaltic crust, including thermophilic species such as Thermaerobacter, BRH-c8a (Desulfallas-Sporotomaculum), Thioalkalimicrobium, and Sulfurospirillum. These findings, derived from 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and scanning electron microscopy, highlight the island's potential as a model for studying microbial colonization in newly formed oceanic crust. The study also identifies uncharacterized taxonomic lineages, suggesting rich metabolic diversity. To distinguish endemic microbes from contaminants, rigorous methodological and computational strategies were employed during the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program expedition.

Bergsten, P., Vannier, P., Klonowski, A. M., Knobloch, S., Gudmundsson, M. T., Jackson, M. D., & Marteinsson, V. T. (2021). Basalt-Hosted Microbial Communities in the Subsurface of the Young Volcanic Island of Surtsey, Iceland. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.728977