Microbial diversity and biogeochemical interactions in the seismically active and CO2- rich Eger Rift ecosystem

Abstract

The Eger Rift subsurface is characterized by frequent seismic activity and consistently high CO2 concentrations, making it a unique deep biosphere ecosystem and a suitable site to study the interactions between volcanism, tectonics, and microbiological activity. Pulses of geogenic H2 during earthquakes may provide substrates for methanogenic and chemolithoautotrophic processes, but very little is currently known about the role of subsurface microorganisms and their cellular processes in this type of environment. To assess the impact of geologic activity on microbial life, we analyzed the geological, geochemical, and microbiological composition of rock and sediment samples from a 238 m deep drill core, running across six lithostratigraphic zones. We evaluated the diversity and distribution of bacterial and archaeal communities. Our investigation revealed a distinct low-biomass community, with a surprisingly diverse archaeal population, providing strong support that methanogenic archaea reside in the Eger subsurface. Geochemical analysis demonstrated that ion concentrations (mostly sodium and sulfate) were highest in sediments from 50 to 100 m depth and in weathered rock below 200 m, indicating an elevated potential for ion solution in these areas. Microbial communities were dominated by common soil and water bacteria. Together with the occurrence of freshwater cyanobacteria at specific depths, these observations emphasize the heterogenous character of the sediments and are indicators for vertical groundwater movement across the Eger Rift subsurface. Our investigations also found evidence for anaerobic, autotrophic, and acidophilic communities in Eger Rift sediments, as sulfur-cycling taxa like Thiohalophilus and Desulfosporosinus were specifically enriched at depths below 100 m. The detection of methanogenic, halophilic, and ammonia-oxidizing archaeal populations demonstrate that the unique features of the Eger Rift subsurface environment provide the foundation for diverse types of microbial life, including the microbial utilization of geologically derived CO2 and, when available, H2, as a primary energy source.