ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting 2009
"A Cruise Through Nice Waters"
25-30 January 2009, Nice, France
http://www.aslo.org/meetings/nice2009/
Abstract deadline: 3 October 2008.
With this third international ASLO Meeting in Europe and the only ASLO meeting in 2009, the picturesque coasts and towns of Southern France invite you to share and exchange your scientific findings and viewpoints with colleagues from all over the world with a touch of Mediterranean life style.
Session co-sponsored by InterRidge:
032. From molecules to organisms: Chemoautotrophic pathways and mechanisms of energy transfer in extreme marine environments
Organizers: Nadine Le Bris, nlebris[at]ifremer.fr; Michail Yakimov, michail.yakimov[at]iamc.cnr.it; Stefan Sievert, ssievert[at]whoi.edu
Extreme environments in the deep-sea, such as hydrothermal vents, hydrocarbon seeps, brine lakes or massive organic falls are characterised by steep chemical gradients at the interface between reducing fluids and seawater. Lower pH, high concentration of toxic gases (e.g., H2S, CO2) and dissolved metals constraint the ability of organisms to live at these interfaces. These environments however harbour some of the most productive marine communities. Chemolithoautotrophy and symbioses have been identified as key processes sustaining high biomass production in some particular contexts, but much remains to be known about the mechanisms of energy transfer from molecules to organisms in a wide range of oceanic settings and their role in ocean biogeochemistry. The aim of this session is to bring together microbiology, biochemistry, geochemistry and symbiosis biology to provide a more comprehensive view of the diverse mechanisms sustaining high biological activity at redox chemical interfaces in the deep ocean. Availability of chemical substrates, diversity of pathways related to carbon fixation and energy generation, metabolic preferences of prokaryotes, adaptability of symbioses and their interactions with biogeochemical processes, as well as the potential large-scale impacts of these processes will be considered. Submissions describing interdisciplinary work and/or new analytical capabilities will be particularly welcome.
Additional sessions of interest to InterRidge members:
034. Life in extreme environments: deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems
Organizers: François H. Lallier, lallier[at]sb-roscoff.fr; Charles R. Fisher, cfisher[at]psu.edu
In some deep-sea spots where sufficient and appropriate chemicals are available, chemotrophy may develop into a primary production comparable to phototrophy and sustain complex ecosystems. Hot vents, cold seeps, whale falls or mud volcanoes share a number of characteristics that support similar microbial and faunal assemblages. Exploration of the functional biodiversity of prokaryotic micro-organisms is rapidly developing and allows for an improved understanding of the symbiotic associations and biogeochemical interactions which dominate in these extreme environments.
061. Identifying potential model organisms from extreme marine and terrestrial aquatic environments
Organizers: Cynan Ellis Evans, jcel[at]bas.ac.uk; Ricardo Amils, ramils[at]cbm.uam.es
Model organisms are practical to study and work with and have allowed major scientific progress. A similar approach should be adopted when considering life processes in extreme environments. Some species are well adapted to their environment and may be considered as accurate representatives for understanding adaptation mechanisms and survival strategies in a given extreme environment. Such species may encompass a wide range of characteristics, and could provide new insights to life in extreme environments through studies at the molecular, cellular and organism level. Focusing and converging research on such model species at different stages of their life cycle would reveal a large amount of knowledge on the mechanisms and strategies developed to cope with extreme environments. The session would consider the issue of potential model organisms (microbes, algae, animals) evolving in extreme marine environments and extreme continental water systems (e.g. acidic rivers, hot springs, soda lakes). This session would be organised by the FP7 CAREX project (Coordination Action for Research Activities on life in Extreme Environments).
ASLO Meeting co-chairs:
Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche-sur-mer, gattuso[at]obs-vlfr.fr
Markus Weinbauer, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche-sur-mer, wein[at]obs-vlfr.fr
Peter Bossard, EAWAG, Peter.Bossard[at]eawag.ch
