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doi:10.2204/iodp.proc.336.110.2012 Long-range transatlantic transport of microorganisms in clouds of African desert dust: a study of atmospheric microbiology, chemistry, and the influence of desert dust on surface water microbial ecology aboard the R/V JOIDES Resolution, IODP Expedition 336, 16 September–16 November 20111Dale W. Griffin2Project summaryAtmospheric samples were collected daily while in transit and on site from 19 September to 11 November 2011 (54 sample days). This report summarizes data collected from 19 September to 1 November (44 sample days) due to incubation period constraints. Standard geochemical and molecular microbiology techniques will be used to identify microorganisms and inorganic constituents present in the atmosphere during both clear and desert dust conditions. Additionally, this project will investigate the influence of desert dust deposition on surface water microbial ecology using epifluorescent direct count, universal 16S, and Vibrio spp. specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays. Recently, African desert dust was found to increase the numbers of cultivable Vibrio spp. in Gulf of Mexico surface waters. These surface water and atmospheric data will provide insight into the numbers (16S and 18S quantitative polymerase chain reaction [qPCR] and cultivable) and diversity (16S and 18S sequences from qPCR and culture assays) of microorganisms transported in clouds of desert dust across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and Americas, the types of inorganic constituents found associated with dust events, and the influence of surface water dust deposition on microbial direct counts and the presence of total (qPCR) and cultivable Vibrio spp. The research sites for Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 336 are within the transatlantic desert dust corridor and provide a unique opportunity to advance our understanding in a field of research that is not well understood. Dust particulates collected during this mission will be used to conduct experiments for a previously funded Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant entitled “Climate-change based predictive modeling of rising Vibrio illness in the U.S. 2011–2012” (Principal Investigator: Dr. Erin K. Lipp, University of Georgia at Athens). |
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