User:Rachelso2020/Dallol
Dallol Hydrothermal System
Overview
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By Rachel So
(Introduce environment. Give key information relevant to the microbial ecology of the environment.)
The Dallol hydrothermal system is located in the northern part of the Danakil Depression in the Afar Triangle of northeastern Ethiopia.[1][2] Dallol receives less than 200 mm of rainfall a year and holds the record as the hottest location on the planet (mean annual temperature of 34.5°C).[3][4] Its hydrothermal pools form a unique hyperthermal (25-110°C), hypersaline (33% to > 50% salinity), and hyperacidic (pH < -1.5 to 6.0) polyextreme environment that pushes the limits of life.[5] In addition, the pools contain high concentrations of chlorides and dissolved iron (both Fe2+ and Fe3+), the latter giving them their colorful appearance.[1]
Detailed Environmental Description
(Describe the physical and geochemical environment that you are reporting on. How well is has this been studied? Is it current or is most of the work from the 80s? What are the geochemical characteristics? Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.)
Located at the junction of the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates, the Danakil Depression experiences high tectonic, geothermal, and hydrothermal activity.[3] The Depression is within the Afar Rift which has produced a line of Holocene-age active volcanoes running north-northwest to south-southeast.[3] While not a proper volcano, its physical appearance, geothermal activity, and location along this volcanic range has caused the Dallol dome to sometimes be referred to as the "Dallol volcano" or "Dallol protovolcano".[1][3] Despite its occasional designation as a volcano, the Dallol dome does not experience eruptions or have volcanic outcrops.[5]
The Danakil Depression is approximately 120 m below sea level with the Dallol dome rising up about 40 m from the Depression. [5] Much of the Dallol region is covered in 2 km thick evaporite deposits, formed from
Overview of Microbial Ecology as it is known
Discuss the alpha and beta diversity of the system. Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.
Expansion topic 1-3
How you expand upon the basics will depend on your environment. Pick a couple or three of interesting subtopics and describe them in detail. Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.
Volcanic Evolution
Analog for Extraterrestrial Environments
The Dallol hydrothermal system has been proposed as an analogue for the environment of Mars.[6]
Anthropological Significance
Key Microbial Players
In all of your systems there will be at least a couple of key microbial players. Describe these in detail. Where do they fall on the tree of life? Are they cultured? What do they do in general and as it relates to your target environment?
Conclusion
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Kotopoulou, E., Huertas, A. D., Garcia-Ruiz, J. M., Dominguez-Vera, J. M., Lopez-Garcia, J. M., Guerra-Tschuschke, I., & Rull, F. (2019). A Polyextreme Hydrothermal System Controlled by Iron: The Case of Dallol at the Afar Triangle. Acs Earth and Space Chemistry, 3(1), 90-99. Article.
- ↑ Gomez, F., Cavalazzi, B., Rodriguez, N., Amils, R., Ori, G. G., Olsson-Francis, K., et al. (2019). Ultra-small microorganisms in the polyextreme conditions of the Dallol volcano, Northern Afar, Ethiopia. Scientific Reports, 9, 9. Article.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lopez-Garcia, J. M., Moreira, D., Benzerara, K., Grunewald, O., & Lopez-Garcia, P. (2020). Origin and Evolution of the Halo-Volcanic Complex of Dallol: Proto-Volcanism in Northern Afar (Ethiopia). Frontiers in Earth Science, 7, 24. Article.
- ↑ Pedgley, D. E. (1967). AIR TEMPERATURE AT DALLOL ETHIOPIA. Meteorological Magazine, 96(1142), 265-&. Article.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Belilla, J., Moreira, D., Jardillier, L., Reboul, G., Benzerara, K., Lopez-Garcia, J. M., et al. (2019). Hyperdiverse archaea near life limits at the polyextreme geothermal Dallol area. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3(11), 1552-+. Article.
- ↑ Cavalazzi, B., Barbieri, R., Gomez, F., Capaccioni, B., Olsson-Francis, K., Pondrelli, M., et al. (2019). The Dallol Geothermal Area, Northern Afar (Ethiopia)-An Exceptional Planetary Field Analog on Earth. Astrobiology, 19(4), 553-578. Review.
Authored for Earth 373 Microbial Ecology, taught by Magdalena Osburn, 2020, NU Earth Page.
