Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations stc annual Report 2014


Performance With Respect to the Strategic Implementation Plan



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3. Performance With Respect to the Strategic Implementation Plan

Our primary research goal is to produce transformative, synergistic research through an inclusive collaborative culture that crosses disciplinary and institutional boundaries and is embedded throughout the Center’s activities. C-DEBI was established with a focus on three deep subseafloor biosphere projects (“Major Programs”), helping to coordinate activities associated with these projects in collaboration with U.S. and international partners. Each of these projects seeks to complete an integrated, scientific mission to resolve the nature, diversity, extent, and activity of the subseafloor biosphere in the deep sea. C-DEBI research projects address questions applied to two distinct subseafloor biosphere environments, igneous ocean crust and overlying sediments, that have historically been studied independently. C-DEBI is led by co-PIs from five U.S. universities, but seeks to build and leverage scientific, educational, and technological partnerships with numerous U.S. and international institutions (educational, research, outreach, engineering, not-for-profit). In addition, C-DEBI seeks to develop a community of multidisciplinary collaborators, to identify promising topics, and to develop new projects that will help to advance the Center's objectives.


Target 1: The initial three Major Programs are managed, and momentum is developed in new areas, to transform understanding of subsurface life.


Metric

Status/Problems

Support initial Major Programs

i. Hydrogeologic Properties and Processes on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge (IODP Expedition 327 and related expeditions and studies)

ii. South Pacific Gyre (IODP Expedition 329 and related expeditions and studies)

iii. North Pond Subseafloor Microbiology and Hydrogeology (IODP Expedition 336 and related expeditions and studies)



Met

Support 1 new Major Program

i. Discovery, Sampling and Quantification of Flows from Cool Yet Massive Ridge Flank Hydrothermal Springs on Dorado Outcrop



Met

Submit five additional proposals (supporting Major Programs or to complete other C-DEBI related research, education, and/or outreach)

Met

Publish 5 (in aggregate) peer-reviewed papers per Major Program

Exceeded

Publish 6 (in aggregate) method/instrument papers demonstrating new techniques and tools developed and/or applied

Exceeded


Target 2: The research theme areas are developed in order to grow and cross fertilize between Major Programs and facilitate the development of new projects that would not have been realized without the mechanism of the STC.


Metric

Status/Problems

Develop 3 new themes based on past workshop reports and results to encourage synthesis and integration across themes and sites

  1. Fluxes, Connectivity, and Energy: centering on subseafloor environmental conditions

  2. Activities, Communities, and Ecosystems: emphasizing resident microbial communities

  3. Metabolism, Survival, and Adaptation: concentrating on the actions and traits of individual activity in the deep subseafloor biosphere

Met


Target 3: Cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional training are developed and implemented through grants programs helping to expand the community of deep biosphere researchers, technologists, and educators.


Metric

Status / Problems

Award 6-8 research small grants in semiannual RFPs

Pending: 3 already awarded, additional to be awarded from future proposals

Award 5-10 research exchange grants in an open call

Pending: 4 already awarded, additional to be awarded from future proposals

Award 6-8 fellowships each for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships in semiannual RFPs

Met



4. Plans for the Next Reporting Period
The research plans for the next reporting period remain as initially stated. Considerable progress has been made with the three initial Major Programs (which include ongoing experiments and monitoring), and the new Major Program Dorado Outcrop has been launched. The STC is also focused on synthesis and integration across themes and sites. In 2015, we are holding two “synthesis and integrations” workshops for basements and sediments. Beyond examining scientific results across a variety of sites, we will also focus on “lessons learned” from different types of sample collection, experiments, and other important points related to this.



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