The colonisation of hydrothermal vents by complex life: a natural experiment in macroevolution
Lead Research Organisation:
Natural History Museum
Department Name: Life Sciences
Abstract
Our proposal unites a multidisciplinary team of researchers from mineralogy, palaeontology, deep-sea biology and genetics to provide an integrated picture of when and how some of the most remarkable environments on our planet were colonised by highly-specialised animals, and inform modern deep-sea conservation challenges.
The discovery of hydrothermal vents in the deep sea during the late 1970s revolutionised our understanding of the limits of life on our planet. These explorations uncovered incredibly lush ecosystems supported by chemosynthesis, a carbon-fixation process previously deemed insignificant, and faunas with many novel adaptations to surviving in this dark habitat characterised by the ejection of extremely hot, toxic fluids from the seafloor. Despite their seemingly-hostile conditions, we now know that animals have thrived around vents for at least 440 million years, and that diverse taxonomic lineages have continually adapted to this environment over the course of Earth's history. Surprisingly, rather than functioning as evolutionary refuges in which ancient relict faunas have survived in isolation from large-scale environmental changes, evolution at vents appears to have occurred numerous times. This suggests that vents have an intriguing role as incubators of evolutionary novelty, their importance in evolution also highlighted by theories that life itself originated within this setting.
Since their initial exploration, significant milestones have been achieved in surveying these ecosystems and in understanding the intimate interactions that modern vent faunas have with the microorganisms that support them. However, answers to fundamental questions of when animals first transitioned to occupy this environment, the processes driving the adaptation of new vent animals and the biological basis for vent colonisation are still lacking. A grasp of these principles is vitally important to understanding how animals adapt to unstable temperature regimes, and of how large-scale environmental changes affect the deep sea, the world's largest ecosystem. This is particularly pertinent today as the deep sea is increasingly affected by human activities, but how it responds to impacts such as climate change and mining operations is unknown.
To gain vital evolutionary insights into the colonisation of hydrothermal vents, both in the modern ocean and throughout Earth history, we propose a comprehensive research programme guided by four hypotheses: H1) animals colonised hydrothermal vent environments soon after the Cambrian Explosion of life; H2) new vent habitat formation has repeatedly driven vent animal evolution over time; H3) ancient vent animals exhibited similar associations with microorganisms to modern vent animals to survive within harsh vent environments; and H4) adaptation to vent environmental regimes is evolutionarily rapid.
We will assemble primary data for this project from field studies of key geological localities in Norway, Canada and Tasmania, which likely contain the oldest known bone-fide vent animals, and the southern Ural Mountains where a remarkable 100 million year fossil history of ancient vents is preserved. Together, these regions contain some of the best-preserved ancient hydrothermal vent deposits in the world. Collected fossil samples will be subjected to new detailed palaeontological investigations, and high resolution sulphur isotopic analyses. To investigate recent and ongoing adaptation at modern hydrothermal vents we will work on samples of traditional non-vent fauna that we can observe colonising new hydrothermal systems, using advanced DNA techniques.
The discovery of hydrothermal vents in the deep sea during the late 1970s revolutionised our understanding of the limits of life on our planet. These explorations uncovered incredibly lush ecosystems supported by chemosynthesis, a carbon-fixation process previously deemed insignificant, and faunas with many novel adaptations to surviving in this dark habitat characterised by the ejection of extremely hot, toxic fluids from the seafloor. Despite their seemingly-hostile conditions, we now know that animals have thrived around vents for at least 440 million years, and that diverse taxonomic lineages have continually adapted to this environment over the course of Earth's history. Surprisingly, rather than functioning as evolutionary refuges in which ancient relict faunas have survived in isolation from large-scale environmental changes, evolution at vents appears to have occurred numerous times. This suggests that vents have an intriguing role as incubators of evolutionary novelty, their importance in evolution also highlighted by theories that life itself originated within this setting.
Since their initial exploration, significant milestones have been achieved in surveying these ecosystems and in understanding the intimate interactions that modern vent faunas have with the microorganisms that support them. However, answers to fundamental questions of when animals first transitioned to occupy this environment, the processes driving the adaptation of new vent animals and the biological basis for vent colonisation are still lacking. A grasp of these principles is vitally important to understanding how animals adapt to unstable temperature regimes, and of how large-scale environmental changes affect the deep sea, the world's largest ecosystem. This is particularly pertinent today as the deep sea is increasingly affected by human activities, but how it responds to impacts such as climate change and mining operations is unknown.
To gain vital evolutionary insights into the colonisation of hydrothermal vents, both in the modern ocean and throughout Earth history, we propose a comprehensive research programme guided by four hypotheses: H1) animals colonised hydrothermal vent environments soon after the Cambrian Explosion of life; H2) new vent habitat formation has repeatedly driven vent animal evolution over time; H3) ancient vent animals exhibited similar associations with microorganisms to modern vent animals to survive within harsh vent environments; and H4) adaptation to vent environmental regimes is evolutionarily rapid.
We will assemble primary data for this project from field studies of key geological localities in Norway, Canada and Tasmania, which likely contain the oldest known bone-fide vent animals, and the southern Ural Mountains where a remarkable 100 million year fossil history of ancient vents is preserved. Together, these regions contain some of the best-preserved ancient hydrothermal vent deposits in the world. Collected fossil samples will be subjected to new detailed palaeontological investigations, and high resolution sulphur isotopic analyses. To investigate recent and ongoing adaptation at modern hydrothermal vents we will work on samples of traditional non-vent fauna that we can observe colonising new hydrothermal systems, using advanced DNA techniques.
Planned Impact
Our proposed research delivers wider societal benefits in two specific areas:
1) Informing and inspiring wider audiences through public engagement with deep-ocean and palaeontological research. We have established a programme of public engagement with our research that will raise awareness of our research insights and their context, delivering the wider societal benefits of engagement through three strands:
i) Presenting and discussing our research directly with public audiences through a series of talks and events. These "face-to-face" engagement activities target specific groups including: our local communities in the UK; recreational users of the marine environment and individuals with specific interests in palaeontology, at events such as Lyme Regis Fossil Festival; retirees / life-long learners, and school pupils and teachers. The NHM is an excellent platform to reach all of these groups.
ii) A network of resources for online engagement, including a dedicated project component of the NHM webpages, enabling people to follow "live" updates from our fieldwork; social media feeds enabling direct dialogue with individual research team members in the field; and blog and video content delivered through the NHM Discover channel. A core engagement website for JC's previous deep-sea research has received more than 300,000 visitors from 90+ countries, and been highlighted by RCUK as an example of "best practice" in generating impact impact through public engagement.
iii) Work with "traditional" media: at key milestones in our research (e.g. fieldwork and publication of papers), we will produce press releases and work with science journalists to generate extensive coverage of our work in print, online, and broadcast news outlets, thereby raising awareness of our research findings and their context among global non-academic audiences.
2) Providing answers to the fundamental question of the evolutionary significance of hydrothermal vent fauna, to inform relative deep-sea conservation priorities alongside traditional metrics such as biodiversity and ecosystem function. We will engage with key interest groups in this area to aid the development of international policy for environmental protection of the deep ocean. Interest groups include non-governmental organisations (NGOs), policy-makers, regulators and industry, which we will engage through a one-day workshop that aims to explore the key question of phylogenetic diversity at hydrothermal vents in a conservation perspective. More specifically:
i) Our results will help to underpin the formulation of regulations by national governments as well as international regulatory bodies such as the United Nations International Seabed Authority (ISA) for "exploitation phase" licensing of mineral resources in international waters, by contributing advanced understanding of the evolutionary novelty and therefore value of deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities.
ii) We will ensure that our results contribute to policy development through our engagement of stakeholder groups such as the Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) of the INDEEP program (International network for scientific investigation of deep-sea ecosystems), which provides input to that process.
1) Informing and inspiring wider audiences through public engagement with deep-ocean and palaeontological research. We have established a programme of public engagement with our research that will raise awareness of our research insights and their context, delivering the wider societal benefits of engagement through three strands:
i) Presenting and discussing our research directly with public audiences through a series of talks and events. These "face-to-face" engagement activities target specific groups including: our local communities in the UK; recreational users of the marine environment and individuals with specific interests in palaeontology, at events such as Lyme Regis Fossil Festival; retirees / life-long learners, and school pupils and teachers. The NHM is an excellent platform to reach all of these groups.
ii) A network of resources for online engagement, including a dedicated project component of the NHM webpages, enabling people to follow "live" updates from our fieldwork; social media feeds enabling direct dialogue with individual research team members in the field; and blog and video content delivered through the NHM Discover channel. A core engagement website for JC's previous deep-sea research has received more than 300,000 visitors from 90+ countries, and been highlighted by RCUK as an example of "best practice" in generating impact impact through public engagement.
iii) Work with "traditional" media: at key milestones in our research (e.g. fieldwork and publication of papers), we will produce press releases and work with science journalists to generate extensive coverage of our work in print, online, and broadcast news outlets, thereby raising awareness of our research findings and their context among global non-academic audiences.
2) Providing answers to the fundamental question of the evolutionary significance of hydrothermal vent fauna, to inform relative deep-sea conservation priorities alongside traditional metrics such as biodiversity and ecosystem function. We will engage with key interest groups in this area to aid the development of international policy for environmental protection of the deep ocean. Interest groups include non-governmental organisations (NGOs), policy-makers, regulators and industry, which we will engage through a one-day workshop that aims to explore the key question of phylogenetic diversity at hydrothermal vents in a conservation perspective. More specifically:
i) Our results will help to underpin the formulation of regulations by national governments as well as international regulatory bodies such as the United Nations International Seabed Authority (ISA) for "exploitation phase" licensing of mineral resources in international waters, by contributing advanced understanding of the evolutionary novelty and therefore value of deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities.
ii) We will ensure that our results contribute to policy development through our engagement of stakeholder groups such as the Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) of the INDEEP program (International network for scientific investigation of deep-sea ecosystems), which provides input to that process.
Organisations
- Natural History Museum (Lead Research Organisation)
- Strýtan DiveCenter (Collaboration)
- Federal University of Bahia (Collaboration)
- University of Bergen (Collaboration)
- Institute of Mineralogy, Miass (Collaboration)
- University of Victoria (Collaboration)
- Memorial University of Newfoundland (Collaboration)
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Nature Museum Senckenberganlage (Collaboration)
- Lomonosov Moscow State University (Collaboration)
- French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (Collaboration)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- University of Alcalá (Collaboration)
- UNSW Sydney (Collaboration)
- University of Bremen (Collaboration)
- Hong Kong Baptist University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL (Collaboration)
- Russian Academy of Sciences (Project Partner)
- Duke University (Project Partner)
Publications
Georgieva M
(2017)
Identification of fossil worm tubes from Phanerozoic hydrothermal vents and cold seeps
in Journal of Systematic Palaeontology
Eilertsen MH
(2018)
Genetic connectivity from the Arctic to the Antarctic: Sclerolinum contortum and Nicomache lokii (Annelida) are both widespread in reducing environments.
in Scientific reports
Georgieva MN
(2018)
Microbial-tubeworm associations in a 440 million year old hydrothermal vent community.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Georgieva M
(2019)
Discovery of an Extensive Deep-Sea Fossil Serpulid Reef Associated With a Cold Seep, Santa Monica Basin, California
in Frontiers in Marine Science
Magdalena N. Georgieva
(2019)
Are sponges living on the periphery of hydrothermal vents adapted to the vent environment?
Thomas E
(2020)
Chiridota heheva-the cosmopolitan holothurian
in Marine Biodiversity
Georgieva MN
(2020)
Evidence of Vent-Adaptation in Sponges Living at the Periphery of Hydrothermal Vent Environments: Ecological and Evolutionary Implications.
in Frontiers in microbiology
Hryniewicz K
(2020)
Formation, diagenesis and fauna of cold seep carbonates from the Miocene Taishu Group of Tsushima (Japan)
in Geological Magazine
Georgieva M
(2021)
The history of life at hydrothermal vents
in Earth-Science Reviews
Title | 16 minute film and audio recording from Iceland fieldwork, June 2019 |
Description | This film outlines our experience of surveying and sampling shallow-water hydrothermal vent chimneys located in northern Iceland, giving a glimpse into the fauna of these environments, why we are investigating them, and what it is like to be a scientist doing fieldwork. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Impact | We have planned to show this footage to a range of audiences, such as families and scientific colleagues. These will be taking place from June 2020. |
Description | We have systematically reviewed the early evolution of life at hydrothermal vents, and made the first discoveries of microbial-tubeworm associations (probably symbiosis) at a 440 million year old hydrothermal vent. We have found the first fossilised cold seeps at depth of the California coast, and studied a strange animal that lives on chemosynthetic ecosystems at both poles, showing it to have a broad global distribution. We have studied animals that live on the periphery of active vents to investigate how animals made the evolutionary jump from rocky substrates to vents in deep time. We have reviewed the entire fossil history of vent tubeworms, and made the first discovery using sulfur isotopes of chemosynthesis in ancient fossil microbes - a method that could be used to study similar symbioses in future extra-terrestrial fossils. Most recently, we have made a taxonomic description of two new species of tubeworms from hydrothermal vents discovered by a NERC project in the Cayman Trough. Our project has shone a light on the early evolution of life in strange marine ecosystems called hydrothermal vents - underwater hot springs in the deep sea. Until recently we have not known when or how the first animals colonised vents but our new findings have shown that this happened not long after animals first evolved over 450 million years ago. Our research has cut across both the study of ancient fossils and modern hydrothermal vents - for example we have studied in detail a remarkable animal that we first found in Antarctica living on a hot vent site and have now shown it to be present throughout the world's oceans. Our most recent paper has described a completely new species of tubeworm found at a hydrothermal vent in the Caribbean sea. We are currently working on a set of samples we collected at the end of the project from a newly-discovered hydrothermal vent site on the north coast of Iceland. |
Exploitation Route | To date we have published 11 papers from this project and continue to work on several more. The work will be used widely by those working on hydrothermal vents and the evolution of all life in our oceans. We have used the project to leverage additional funding for example from the NERC isotope facility and the Researcher Co-I on the project has gone on to a fellowship position in the prestigious French oceanographic research institute, Ifremer. |
Sectors | Environment Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
URL | https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/our-work/origins-evolution-and-futures/exploring-the-evolution-of-animals-at-deep-sea-hot-springs |
Description | To date we have published 11 papers from this project and continue to work on several more. The work will be used widely by those working on hydrothermal vents and the evolution of all life in our oceans. We have used the project to leverage additional funding for example from the NERC isotope facility and the Researcher Co-I on the project has gone on to a fellowship position in the prestigious French oceanographic research institute, Ifremer. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Environment,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | Attendance at the International Seabed Authority Council Session, July 2019 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | By attending this session, a member of our project team was able to provide scientific input to environmental regulations for seabed mining. |
Description | Membership of UK Cross-Government Working Group on Deep-Sea Mining |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | NERC Ion Microprobe Facility (IMF) |
Amount | ÂŁ1,200 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 03/2020 |
Description | NERC Ion Microprobe Facility, University of Edinburgh, UK |
Amount | ÂŁ15,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | IMF672/1118 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Department | NERC Ion Micro-Probe Facility |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2019 |
End | 08/2019 |
Description | NERC Isotope Community Support Facility (ICSF) |
Amount | ÂŁ25,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | IP-1755-1117 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 04/2019 |
Description | Science Exploration Education (SEE) Initiative, Open Explorer Project, National Geographic. https://openexplorer.nationalgeographic.com/expedition/icelandvents |
Amount | $2,000 (USD) |
Organisation | National Geographic |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 01/2019 |
Title | Application of high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to the analysis of metabolism in ancient hydrothermal vent fossils |
Description | During this project, we for the first time high-resolution sulphur isotopes to investigate the metabolism of ancient hydrothermal vent organisms. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | We are in the process of publishing a manuscript which will outline the method we implemented, therefore it has not yet had impact. |
Title | Collection of deep-sea hydrothermal vent sponges |
Description | Collection of deep-sea hydrothermal vent sponges preserved specifically for genomics and fluorescence in-situ hybridisation. Although the study using these samples is not yet published, the samples are available for others to use, and the genomic data will be as well. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | These samples helped Magdalena Georgieva with their training in new laboratory techniques and the use of these samples also fosters a collaboration with Ocean Networks Canada. |
Title | Samples of Cladorhiza and Paulasterias collected during PS119 research expedition to the Southern Ocean |
Description | New samples were collected from Southern Ocean hydrothermal vents that are currently being used to assess how sponges living in the vent periphery benefit from being near to vents. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | These samples will be placed in the collections of the Natural History Museum, UK, where they will be made available to other researchers. |
Title | Samples of fauna from shallow-water hydrothermal vent chimneys in Iceland |
Description | These samples will be used to investigate whether shallow-water marine fauna living around hydrothermal vent chimneys also show adaptations to these environments. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | These samples will also be used to support a Masters research project. The analysis of these samples is still ongoing therefore other impact so far has been limited, but these samples will be placed in the collections of the Natural History Museum, UK, to make them available to other researchers. |
Title | DNA and RNA sequence data of both deep-sea and shallow-water marine hydrothermal vent fauna. |
Description | Transcriptomes, as well as data from single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and DNA barcoding for both deep-sea and shallow-water marine hydrothermal vent fauna have been generated during this project. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | These data are currently being used for publications, and are predicted to start generating impact soon. |
Title | Data from: Microbial-tubeworm associations in a 440 million year old hydrothermal vent community |
Description | Microorganisms are the chief primary producers within present-day deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems, and play a fundamental role in shaping the ecology of these environments. However, very little is known about the microbes that occurred within, and structured ancient vent communities. The evolutionary history, diversity, and the nature of interactions between ancient vent microorganisms and hydrothermal vent animals are largely undetermined. The oldest known hydrothermal vent community that includes metazoans is preserved within the Ordovician-early Silurian Yaman Kasy massive sulphide deposit, Ural Mountains, Russia. This deposit contains two types of tube fossil attributed to annelid worms. A re-examination of these fossils using a range of microscopy, chemical analysis and nano-tomography techniques reveals the preservation of filamentous microorganisms intimately associated with the tubes. The microfossils bear a strong resemblance to modern hydrothermal vent microbial filaments, including those preserved within the mineralised tubes of the extant vent polychaete genus Alvinella. The Yaman Kasy fossil filaments represent the oldest animal-microbial associations preserved within an ancient hydrothermal vent environment. They allude to a diverse microbial community, and also demonstrate that remarkable fine-scale microbial preservation can also be observed in ancient vent deposits, suggesting the possible existence of similar exceptionally-preserved microfossils in even older vent environments. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.8171kv1 |
Title | Extensive ROV video and SCUBA-diver video survey data of Iceland shallow vent chimneys |
Description | We performed extensive video surveys of shallow water vent chimneys located in northern Iceland, which will allow their fauna and its zonation to be characterised. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This data will be made available for Masters student training, and eventually published as part of a manuscript outlining the fauna of Iceland's shallow-water vent chimneys and its zonation. |
Title | Updated database on hydrothermal vent fossils throughout Earth history |
Description | The last compilation of hydrothermal vent fossils throughout Earth history was completed in 1998. We are preparing an update publication which will include a database of all known hydrothermal vent fossils to date, incorporating the many recent finds from the Ural mountains region. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This database is still in preparation, therefore has not yet had impact. |
Description | Amphipod microbial symbionts from Icelandic shallow water vent chimneys |
Organisation | French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea |
Country | France |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Magdalena Georgieva contributed the idea for the project, laboratory work, and the preparation of a manuscript. |
Collaborator Contribution | Providing training in new laboratory techniques. |
Impact | A manuscript is about to be submitted. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Collaboration with Cristina Diez-Vives, Natural History Museum UK and University of New South Wales, Australia |
Organisation | University of New South Wales |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We provided samples, DNA sequencing and data analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our collaborator taught us a 16S rRNA sequencing technique, from the library preparation to the data analysis and interpretation. |
Impact | The main output of this work is a paper, which is currently in preparation. Other outputs include scientific training and application of the technique to additional research questions. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Fernanda Cavalcanti, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil |
Organisation | Federal University of Bahia |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of samples for taxonomic description, DNA sequencing and analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Preparation of taxonomic description of the above samples. |
Impact | A taxonomic description manuscript currently in preparation. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Hong Kong Baptist University |
Organisation | Hong Kong Baptist University |
Country | Hong Kong |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have started a collaboration to study the genome of the animal Sclerolinum that we worked on as part of the LifeFromVents project. |
Collaborator Contribution | Additional genomic sequencing. |
Impact | Collaboration ongoing on joint publications. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Collaboration with Marum, Germany |
Organisation | University of Bremen |
Department | MARUM |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Participation in PS119 research cruise to the Southern Ocean hydrothermal vents, April-May 2019. |
Collaborator Contribution | Invitation to participate in PS119 research cruise to Southern Ocean hydrothermal vents, collection and appropriate preservation of samples for further scientific analysis. |
Impact | Analysis of DNA of PS119 collected samples, currently included in manuscript in preparation. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Collaboration with Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada. |
Organisation | Memorial University of Newfoundland |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Samples of potential vent fossils were analysed by our team using micro-CT scanning, scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe and secondary-ion mass spectrometry. |
Collaborator Contribution | Samples from the Tally Pond volcanic belt, central Newfoundland were collected by the partner and made available for our project. The partner had done some sample preparation and provided access to instruments at Memorial University. |
Impact | Data are being analysed for forthcoming publications. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Nadezda Rimskaya-Korsakova, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia |
Organisation | Moscow State University |
Country | Russian Federation |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are analysing samples provided by our collaborator. We have sequenced transcriptomes and performed single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping, and are currently analysing the data from these appraoches. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our collaborator provided samples from Sognefjord, Norway for the above work, in an appropriate preservation medium. |
Impact | We are currently preparing a manuscript which includes the provided samples, and this collaboration has also led to us working together on a further manuscript. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Ocean Networks Canada |
Organisation | University of Victoria |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have undertaken DNA barcoding of a new sponge species collected by the University of Victoria Ocean Networks Canada team on a research expedition to the Endeavour hydrothermal vents in July 2018. Samples are now being processed for microbiome sequencing. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Victoria Ocean Networks Canada (led by ONC staff scientist Dr Fabio De Leo) collected samples of a new sponge species from the Endeavour hydrothermal vent for us in July 2018 using the deep ocean remotely operated vehicle ROV Hercules. We requested these samples as part of a new collaboration and the ship-time provided by ONC is equivalent to approximately 10,000 USD. |
Impact | Samples are being analysed for forthcoming publications. Genetic sequences have been obtained and data suggest the animals collected are new to science. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Pilar Rios and Javier Cristobo, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain |
Organisation | University of Alcalá |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have analysed the microbiomes of samples provided by our collaborators, and are preparing a manuscript based on these results. We have also made additional samples available to them for taxonomic description. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of sponge samples from off Spain and Patagonia, taxonomic characterisation of vent-peripheral sponges from the North-East Pacific. |
Impact | Two manuscripts currently in preparation. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Collaboration with Queen Mary University, London. |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We provided samples of ancient vent microbial fossils to this project and analysed data for publication. |
Collaborator Contribution | Queen Mary provided access to their Focussed-Ion-Beam (FIB) scanning electron microscope (SEM) for this part of the project. |
Impact | Data were published in Georgieva et al., (2018) as listed in the publications outputs. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Rachel Jeffreys, University of Liverpool, UK |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Department | School of Environmental Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We provided samples of vent-peripheral sponges for the analysis of carbon and nitrogen isotopes. We are preparing a manuscript which includes these results. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our collaborators prepared samples for analysis, performed the carbon and nitrogen isotopic measurements, and are assisting with the interpretation of the data. |
Impact | The work of this collaboration is still ongoing. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Collaboration with Senckenberg Institute, Germany. |
Organisation | Senckenberg Research Institute and Nature Museum Senckenberganlage |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | We have undertaken DNA barcoding on a new sponge species collected from the East Scotia Ridge hydrothermal vents in the Southern Ocean. |
Collaborator Contribution | Senckenberg are providing material for study from the vent sites and undertaking taxonomic descriptions. |
Impact | Data are being analysed for forthcoming publications. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Strytan Dive Center, Hjalteyri, Iceland |
Organisation | Strýtan DiveCenter |
Country | Iceland |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have provided images and video footage of shallow-water marine fauna associated with the hydrothermal vents located in Eyjafjörður, Iceland. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our partners have assisted with access to the Eyjafjörður vent chimneys, and are providing ongoing support with data related to the site. |
Impact | Updated photography of Eyjafjörður shallow marine fauna on the websites http://sjavarlif.is and http://sealife.is |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Collaboration with University of Bergen, Norway. |
Organisation | University of Bergen |
Country | Norway |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Samples of the hydrothermal vent worm Sclerolinum are being analysed by our team for transcriptomics and SNP genotyping. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Bergen partners collected samples of these hydrothermal vent tubeworms for us in July 2018 from vent sites Loki's castle and Håkon Mosby mud volcano in the Arctic. |
Impact | Data are being analysed for forthcoming publications. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with Valeriy Maslennikov, Federal State Institution of Science of South Ural Federal Research Center, and Environmental Geoscience Mineralogy of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Miass, Russia |
Organisation | Institute of Mineralogy, Miass |
Country | Russian Federation |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Visit to the Institute of Mineralogy in Miass to look through collections of hydrothermal vent fossils from Urals deposits, October 2019. Planning of a review manuscript to provide a new look into the state of knowledge on hydrothermal vent fossils. |
Collaborator Contribution | Valeriy's team made all of their samples available for us to look at, hosted us in Miass, and are providing ongoing contributions to the planned manuscript. |
Impact | Work resulting from this collaboration is ongoing. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | A shorthand story (media-rich rendered web pages for mobile and desktop) on #LifeFromVents project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The NHM online team made a beautiful story using the Shorthand story platform using the rich media from the Iceland fieldwork, describing that and also the project in general. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://nhm.shorthandstories.com/life-on-hydrothermal-vents/index.html |
Description | Advice to Dr Thomas Halliday to create the book 'Otherworlds' published by Penguin, featuring fossil hydrothermal vents from Yaman-Kasy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We provided advice to Dr Thomas Halliday to create his bestselling popular science book 'Otherworlds' which features the remarkable Yaman Kasy hydrothermal vents. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
Description | BBC Radio 4 Inside Science and BBC World Service programs on Iceland fieldwork, 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | These BBC radio programmes talked about the research that we are conducting at Iceland's shallow-water hydrothermal vents - why they are so interesting to study and the ways that we are going about researching the life around them. These programs reached millions of people worldwide. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000766s |
Description | Development of NHM webpages on hydrothermal vents |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We created a website describing our NERC project research as part of the NHM webpages [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/our-work/origins-evolution-and-futures/exploring-the-evolution-of-animals-at-deep-sea-hot-springs.html], and Magdalena Georgieva was also consulted during the development of NHM webpages on hydrothermal vents [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/survival-at-hydrothermal-vents.html]. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/our-work/origins-evolution-and-futures/exploring-the-evolution-of-a... |
Description | Development of a National Geographic Open Explorer blog about Iceland's shallow hydrothermal vents research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A blog was created by Magdalena Georgieva outlining the planned fieldwork to shallow hydrothermal vents in Iceland. This blog is currently followed by over 30 people from around the world, who are interested in the research that we will conduct at this intriguing site. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://openexplorer.nationalgeographic.com/expedition/icelandvents |
Description | Hydrothermal vent fossils exhibit at Yorkshire Fossil Festival 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | For this festival, we exhibited a stand centring on hydrothermal vent fossils, displaying examples of the oldest known vent fossils to the public and talking to them about vents, what it is like to research modern vent environments, and the remarkable adaptations that vent animals have to life in these environments. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://yorkshirefossilfestival.co.uk/ |
Description | Interview for BBC News Online article about hydrothermal vent animals |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Magdalena Georgieva was interviewed by Jonathan Amos from the BBC about the adaptations of hydrothermal vent animals for a BBC News Online article titled "Marvels of the deep and their superpowers". |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45400954 |
Description | Lecture on YouTube on Ore Deposits including LifeFromVents information |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Lecture on ore deposits by Prof Richard Herrington featuring NERC LifeFromVents research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2dHkP-f3ro&t=2287s |
Description | Life From Vents - a film released by Natural History Museum on this project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | As part of our Pathways to Impact we commissioned a professional film to be made about the project, which was released in the summer of 2020. It focussed on the fieldwork at the hydrothermal vents of Iceland a major part of this grant, but also talked about the more general aspects of the project. The film was seen by thousands on youtube and on twitter feeds of the Natural History Museum. It continues to be present on the NHM youtube channel. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfyAgl9uhos |
Description | Media interview for BBC Radio Solent Breakfast Show, February 2020 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A member of our project team talked about our project during a studio guest slot at BBC Radio Solent. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | NHM Nature Live, February 2019 half term |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Magdalena Georgieva participated in a Natural History Museum Nature Live public event, whereby she was interviewed about hydrothermal vent environments, the animals living there and what it is like to work on scientific research vessels. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Natural History Museum - Family Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Researcher Co-I Dr Georgieva hosted an event in the Flett Theatre, Natural History Museum, talking to families about taking part in fieldwork on the project, including recently-conducted first fieldwork to Tasmania. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.nhm.ac.uk/events/family-festival-oceans.html |
Description | Natural History Museum Nature Live - Attenborough Studio |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Researcher Co-Investigator Dr Georgieva gave a public presentation on the project at the Natural History Museum's Attenborough Studio to an audience of general public, with significant international and demographic range. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Natural History Museum Science Uncovered 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Georgieva and Dr Glover presented the project at the large annual Natural History Museum Science Uncovered event at a packed stand where we displayed specimens, videos of hydrothermal vents and papers related to the project. This was a special Oceans Night for Science Uncovered.The museum was open until late in the evening with several thousand people in attendance. Our stand was packed throughout the night. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.nhm.ac.uk/events/science-uncovered.html |
Description | Nature Live meet-a-scientist show, Natural History Museum, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | During the Nature Live session, a colleague and myself talked about what it is like to do research in the deep sea, the amazing samples we have collected, the research we are doing on them and our career pathways. This meet-a-scientist event was attended by approximately 50 people, who included parents and children and other museum attendees interested in natural history. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Participation in NHM Late event, November 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | During this event, Magdalena Georgieva showed hydrothermal vent specimens to the general public and discussed her research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Participation in NHM Live event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | During August 2018, Adrian Glover took part in an NHM Live event during which he discussed his hydrothermal vents research. During these events, a scientist is interviewed about their research and the show is streamed live on the internet. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9wt1hh-pC0 |
Description | Participation in ORT Jump mentoring programme |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | As part of the ORT JUMP mentoring programme, Magdalena Georgieva has mentored two 6th-form college students. These students attend meetings with the mentor to learn about what the mentor's job and working environment is like, the types of careers that exist in the field, and gain practical advice about how to work in this field if interested. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
URL | http://ortuk.org/who-we-support/uk/ort-jump/ |
Description | Participation in commonwealth heads of state events during their summer 2018 London meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | As part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London during summer 2018, Adrian Glover participated in an evening event at the Natural History Museum during which he showcased deep sea and hydrothermal vent research to the visiting politicians. At a further day event for the spouses of the politicians, Adrian Glover and Magdalena Georgieva also discussed their research with them. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Participation in content for Life in the Dark exhibition, Natural History Museum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | For the Natural History Museum's 'Life in the Dark' exhibition, Adrian Glover and Magdalena Georgieva participated in films on deep sea and hydrothermal vent environments. As part of the film on hydrothermal vents, our NERC project research was highlighted. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
URL | http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/life-in-the-dark.html |
Description | Presentation on tracing the spread and adaptation of a deep-sea weed |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation titled "A 16,000 km connection under the sea? Tracing the spread and adaptation of a deep-sea weed: the chemosymbiotic siboglinid Sclerolinum contortum" delivered by Magdalena Georgieva at the 2021 Deep-Sea Biology Society meeting in Brest |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Surprising Science video and tweet, Natural History Museum, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In this short video for Twitter, we talk about hydrothermal vent tubeworms and the amazing adaptations they have to life within this setting. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://twitter.com/NHM_London/status/1213399854648610817 |
Description | Tweets with pictures and videos of Iceland fieldwork |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | During our Iceland fieldwork in 2019, we posted lots of videos, pictures and updates to communicate to our followers the research that we were doing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://twitter.com/search?q=%23lifefromvents&src=typed_query |