@article {589,
	title = {A hydrogen-based subsurface microbial community dominated by methanogens.},
	journal = {Nature},
	volume = {415},
	year = {2002},
	month = {2002 Jan 17},
	pages = {312-5},
	abstract = {The search for extraterrestrial life may be facilitated if ecosystems can be found on Earth that exist under conditions analogous to those present on other planets or moons. It has been proposed, on the basis of geochemical and thermodynamic considerations, that geologically derived hydrogen might support subsurface microbial communities on Mars and Europa in which methanogens form the base of the ecosystem. Here we describe a unique subsurface microbial community in which hydrogen-consuming, methane-producing Archaea far outnumber the Bacteria. More than 90\% of the 16S ribosomal DNA sequences recovered from hydrothermal waters circulating through deeply buried igneous rocks in Idaho are related to hydrogen-using methanogenic microorganisms. Geochemical characterization indicates that geothermal hydrogen, not organic carbon, is the primary energy source for this methanogen-dominated microbial community. These results demonstrate that hydrogen-based methanogenic communities do occur in Earth{\textquoteright}s subsurface, providing an analogue for possible subsurface microbial ecosystems on other planets.},
	keywords = {Bacteria, DNA, Archaeal, DNA, Bacterial, Ecosystem, Euryarchaeota, Exobiology, Hydrogen, Molecular Sequence Data, Phylogeny, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Water Microbiology},
	issn = {0028-0836},
	doi = {10.1038/415312a},
	author = {Chapelle, Francis H and O{\textquoteright}Neill, Kathleen and Bradley, Paul M and Meth{\'e}, Barbara A and Ciufo, Stacy A and Knobel, LeRoy L and Lovley, Derek R}
}
@article {579,
	title = {Rapid evolution of redox processes in a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer.},
	journal = {Ground Water},
	volume = {40},
	year = {2002},
	month = {2002 Jul-Aug},
	pages = {353-60},
	abstract = {Ground water chemistry data collected over a six-year period show that the distribution of contaminants and redox processes in a shallow petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer has changed rapidly over time. Shortly after a gasoline release occurred in 1990, high concentrations of benzene were present near the contaminant source area. In this contaminated zone, dissolved oxygen in ground water was depleted, and by 1994 Fe(III) reduction and sulfate reduction were the predominant terminal electron accepting processes. Significantly, dissolved methane was below measurable levels in 1994, indicating the absence of significant methanogenesis. By 1996, however, depletion of solid-phase Fe(III)-oxyhydrox ides in aquifer sediments and depletion of dissolved sulfate in ground water resulted in the onset of methanogenesis. Between 1996 and 2000, water-chemistry data indicated that methanogenic metabolism became increasingly prevalent. Molecular analysis of 16S-rDNA extracted from sediments shows the presence of a more diverse methanogenic community inside as opposed to outside the plume core, and is consistent with water-chemistry data indicating a shift toward methanogenesis over time. This rapid evolution of redox processes reflects several factors including the large amounts of contaminants, relatively rapid ground water flow (approximately 0.3 m/day [approximately foot/day]), and low concentrations of microbially reducible Fe(III) oxyhydroxides ( approximately 1 micromol/g) initially present in aquifer sediments. These results illustrate that, under certain hydrologic conditions, redox conditions in petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifers can change rapidly in time and space, and that the availability of solid-phase Fe(III)-oxyhydroxides affects this rate of change.},
	keywords = {Hydrocarbons, Iron, Methane, Oxidation-Reduction, Petroleum, Soil Pollutants, Solubility, Sulfates, Water Pollutants, Water Supply},
	issn = {0017-467X},
	author = {Chapelle, Francis H and Bradley, Paul M and Lovley, Derek R and O{\textquoteright}Neill, Kathleen and Landmeyer, James E}
}
