Deep Carbon Observatory report

In summary: What would you like me to summarize specifically?The article discusses the abundance of life in the subsurface and the various ways it can be found. It states that subsurface life totals around 70% of all biomass on Earth. It also discusses the evolutionary path of subsurface life and how it is different from surface life.
  • #1
jim mcnamara
Mentor
4,769
3,813
https://phys.org/news/2018-12-life-deep-earth-totals-billion.html
This report from DCO is a kind of review article. This article itself does not have specific reference papers cited. Just another review article. I think the DCO people expect us to dig around a little. Plus there are ~300 DCO scientists active in the group.

Per the article: there is a LOT of subsurface carbon - read living organisms - the estimates are large:
continental subsurface hosts are 2 to 6 × 10^29 cells.

Many of the species found come from solid rock with some stress fractures (because a lot the samples come from seismically active sites or from kilometers beneath the seabed.)

One interesting point is that many subsurface organisms spend little energy on growth, they simply exist. Evolution is in "standby":
https://phys.org/news/2017-03-microorganisms-subsurface-seabed-evolutionary-standby.html
 
  • Like
Likes Auto-Didact, BCHC, jedishrfu and 3 others
Biology news on Phys.org
  • #3
Just saw this elsewhere. I heard the amount of subsurface life takes up about 2.5 times the volume of all the oceans on Earth! That is absolutely insane!

Estimates say it totals about 70% of all biomass on Earth. This hitherto hidden 'dark bio-matter' means that biologists, just like physicists, have only barely scraped the surface of their subject.

It is very exciting to learn about the evolutionary path of this subterranean life: who got here first? Us, surface dwellers, or them?
 
  • #4
This link discusses your concept. https://phys.org/news/2017-03-microorganisms-subsurface-seabed-evolutionary-standby.html
It is more like every extant clade started out in a common medium, then some went further "South", while others stayed above the rock stata. There are ascarid worms down in the rock fractures for example. There are lots of ascarid worms up on land.
Examples:
Human parasites - https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/index.html
800 million - 1.2 billion humans are infected. The CDC article in the link is meant for non-Biologists. It should be fun read, that induces nightmares.
 
  • Like
Likes Auto-Didact
  • #5
jim mcnamara said:
Human parasites - https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/index.html
800 million - 1.2 billion humans are infected. The CDC article in the link is meant for non-Biologists. It should be fun read, that induces nightmares.
I saw a few of those back in med school. Nothing a bit of mebendazole shouldn't be able to take care of :)
 
  • #6
Auto-Didact said:
Just saw this elsewhere. I heard the amount of subsurface life takes up about 2.5 times the volume of all the oceans on Earth! That is absolutely insane!
No, that is the volume where life exists. It corresponds to an average depth of 6 km. Life is a tiny fraction of that volume. 7.5 tonnes of carbon per cubic kilometer are maybe 75 tonnes of biomass per 2 billion tonnes, or ~40 parts in a billion.
 
  • Like
Likes Auto-Didact and jim mcnamara

What is the Deep Carbon Observatory report?

The Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) report is a comprehensive study that examines the global carbon cycle and its impact on Earth's deep interior. It is the result of a decade-long research effort by over 1000 scientists from 52 countries.

What are the main findings of the Deep Carbon Observatory report?

The DCO report reveals that there is a vast amount of carbon stored in Earth's deep interior, estimated to be 100 trillion tonnes. It also highlights the role of deep carbon in regulating the Earth's climate and sustaining life on our planet.

Why is the Deep Carbon Observatory report important?

The DCO report is significant because it provides a better understanding of the carbon cycle and its impact on Earth's deep interior. This knowledge can help us make more accurate predictions about climate change and better manage our planet's carbon resources.

What are some of the key areas of research covered in the Deep Carbon Observatory report?

The DCO report covers a wide range of topics related to the global carbon cycle, including the deep carbon cycle, carbon in the biosphere, carbon in the atmosphere, carbon in the oceans, and the role of carbon in sustaining life on Earth.

How can the findings of the Deep Carbon Observatory report be applied in real life?

The DCO report can inform policymakers, educators, and the general public about the importance of understanding the global carbon cycle and its impact on our planet. It can also guide future research efforts and help develop strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Similar threads

  • Biology and Medical
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • Biology and Medical
Replies
21
Views
2K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
21
Views
806
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
33
Views
5K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
10
Views
2K
Replies
69
Views
7K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
15
Views
3K
Back
Top