Microbial Ecology of Gulf of Mexico Shipwrecks

Summary

Microbiomes associated with wooden and steel shipwrecks were investigated using next generation sequencing.  Samples were derived from in situ biofilm monitoring platforms deployed for ~4 months, and sediment collected ~2-5 m from shipwrecks.  The goal of the investigation is to determine rates of recruitment and community structure at sites located within and outside of areas impacted by the Deepwater Horizon spill (DWHS). Sediments will elucidate the influence of shipwrecks on the geochemistry and biodiversity of the surrounding seafloor. Taxonomic classification of dominant and rare members of shipwreck microbiomes and metabolic information extracted from sequence data yield new understanding of microbial processes associated with site formation.  Physicochemical data helps describe features that shape shipwreck microbiomes.  The study provides novel information on the identity of microbial inhabitants of shipwrecks, their role in site preservation, and impacts of the DWHS on the primary colonizers of shipwrecks in the deep ocean.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Deepwater Shipwrecks and Oil Spill Impacts: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding Site Formation Processes...and in 3-D!   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 238