The RadTrace Network is going online!

What is this and why?

We have started a few years ago by building a team (now the core group of the network) to closely collaborate in the framework of IODP Expedition 370 T-Limit of the Deep Biosphere to coordinate and conduct a comprehensive suit of microbial activity measurements using radioactive tracer compounds. Most of us knew each other from different collaborations in the past but this time we worked all together across different countries and continents closely coordinating all work and logistics.

We have noticed growing interest in the application of radio-tracer techniques to determine metabolic rates of subsurface microbes because these methods provide exceptionally low detection limits which were substantially improved over the past decade in order to be successfully applied to low activity and low energy environments in the deep biosphere.

Conducting radio-tracer experiments in the field and/or at the home laboratory, especially with precious, expensive, and often low active samples, requires additional efforts in dealing with sampling, sample preservation, contamination control, logistics, health and safety concerns and necessary bureaucracy. We provide and want to establish a network for interested active researchers where they can find help, information and support for this type of work. We aim to share expertise and knowledge and enable cooperation within frame of general science etiquette.  We will provide ways to connect to the network soon. Stay tuned!

Interested public is welcome to contact us to seek information about our work, the aims and goals of our research and requests or concerns of any kind.

So long,

The RadTrace Network

Visit Website: https://radtracenetwork.wordpress.com
Join our Mailing List: https://radtracenetwork.wordpress.com/connect/
Follow us on Twitter: ‎@radtracenetwork

Last week, international scientists met at UCLA’s Lake Arrowhead Conference Center to discuss the production and emission of oceanic methane and nitrous oxide. For three days we discussed the current knowledge, the establishment of standard operating procedures, and future research needs. It was a very productive meeting and it was great to bring so many experts together.

The OCB Workshop was organized by Sam Wilson (Lead), Bonnie Chang, Curtis Deutsch, Adam Jones, John Kessler, Tina Treude, Dave Valentine, and Bess Ward and funded by OCB, NSF, NASA, the Moore Foundation and SCOR.

This week my two new group members, De’Marcus Robinson (left) and David Yousavich (right), started at UCLA. DeMarcus is a graduate student in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, David is a graduate student in the Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences.

De’Marcus received his Bachelor’s degree from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) where he majored Environmental Science with a concentration in Toxicology/Risk Analysis. At his undergraduate university his research looked at creating a material that absorbs oil through organic chemistry and electrospinning. He also received internship investigating microbial lake productivity in the Sierra Nevada Watershed at University of Southern California (USC) through the C-DEBI (Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigation) course, and another internship at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) investigating Turbinaria Ornata, an invasive macrogalge, in the coral reefs of Mo’orea.

David received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University (OH) where he majored in Chemistry and Zoology. There he did research in algal biofuels and cellulose degrading bacteria. After graduating, he worked as a research assistant on projects involving K-12 science education and molecular biology. He received his Master’s degree from Cal State LA in Geology and did research in the bioremediation of heavy metals in Los Angeles, specifically in analyzing processes governing the sequestration of copper, lead, and zinc in bioremediation media.

Both De’Marcus and David will be involved in studying bacterial sulfur and nitrogen cycling in aquatic environments in my group.

Welcome, De’Marcus and David, to UCLA!

From Sep 9-16 I served as a one of the trainers for the MEDSALT summer school for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers (EU-COST Action: Uncovering the Mediterranean salt giant). It was the 4th training school of the COST Action with the title “Deep Life in Buried Salt Deposits“.

The school started in Colchester, UK at the University of Essex with scientific presentations and lab instructions. Participants then moved on to Whitby, from were we visited the Boulby mine and the Boulby Underground Laboratory located 1,100 m below surface – a highlight of the school.

Students and Trainers had a great experience and I am impressed by the interdisciplinary scientific discussions that developed during our time, uniting geologists, geochemists and microbiologists.

Find out more on Twitter: @MedSalt
 

During the International Conference on Ocean Deoxygenation in Kiel, Germany, Sep 3-7 2018 we developed a declaration that requests immediate steps to reduce the loss of oxygen in our oceans. If you like to be part of this declaration, sign it now here:

https://www.ocean-oxygen.org/declaration

Returned from the IODP 370 (Temperature Limit of the Deep Biosphere) Meeting in Scotland last week. Was great to see all my friend colleagues and to watch how beautifully the data of the expedition are getting together.

Apply now for the OCB Oceanic Methane and Nitrous Oxide: The present situation and future scenarios three day workshop on oceanic methane and nitrous oxide covering chemical analysis, microbial metabolism, and our observational and predictive capabilities.

Apply here by June 1.

The workshop will take place October 28-31, 2018 at the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center (California, USA).

Workshop Overview
Where in the global oceans should spatial and temporal surveys be conducted to discern climatologically-relevant changes in water-column inventories of methane and nitrous oxide?  This is an important question facing oceanographers today. However, attempts to answer this question stimulate many related and relevant queries concerning the production and consumption of methane and nitrous oxide in the ocean. For example, how will their water-column concentrations be influenced by factors such as increasing seawater temperatures, decreasing oxygen concentrations, and changing nutrient loading? Do we have sufficient analytical and observational capacity to conduct robust temporal surveys? Do we sufficiently comprehend the microbial metabolic pathways that produce and consume these two trace gases?

The workshop will address these questions to help determine the future directions of methane and nitrous oxide measurements in the global oceans. The workshop builds off a series of global inter-comparison exercises of nitrous oxide and methane. Participation in the workshop is open to everyone and attendees will be decided based on application. All documents including planning papers, agendas, and presentations will be made available from the workshop website over the forthcoming months. For more information please contact Sam Wilson (stwilson@hawaii.edu) or any of the steering committee. To be added to the workshop email list, please contact us.

The goal of the Deep Life in Buried Salt Deposits course is to provide training for Ph.D. students and early career researchers in the microbiology and geochemistry needed to investigate life in buried salt deposits. The course includes lectures, laboratory practicals and an underground experience at the Boulby International Subsurface Astrobiology Laboratory! The organizing committee and lecturers include Giovanni Aloisi (IPGP, France), Terry McGenity (University of Essex, UK), Tina Treude (University of California, Los Angeles, USA), Charles Cockell (University of Edinburgh, UK), Sean Paling (University of Sheffield, UK), Josefa Anton Botella (University of Alicante, Spain) and Petra Rettberg (German Aerospace Center, DLR). MEDSALT will support the participation of up to 20 trainees with a fixed grant to cover travel and subsistence costs for EU trainees. Non-EU trainees might have to cover their costs but can apply to participate.  Applications due June 15, 2018.

Apply here

Within the framework of our USC Sea Grant project (PIs: William Berelson & Tina Treude) about the potential spreading of the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) in the Santa Monica Basin, we are currently presenting an exhibit hosted by the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium and Heal the Bay. If you are in the area, come by and visit. The exhibit lasts from August through September, potentially extending into October 2017. You can also watch our time-lapse video on the deoxygenation of a sediment core in the lab. The video was prepared by Sydnie Lemieux a part of her master thesis.

This summer we have colleagues visiting from the Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW) in Germany to jointly conduct field work off Santa Barbara. It is our goal to test whether methanotrophic microbes are transported by methane bubbles from the sediment into the water column. The Santa Barbara methane seep area is an ideal research target as it has shallow (SCUBA dive accessible) seeps. The team is lead by Oliver Schmale. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation. My group  at UCLA and Ira Leifer (Bubbleology Research International, Santa Barbara) support the project. Watch our video to get a feeling for the science: https://vimeo.com/229619743