Subsurface microbial community structure shifts along the geological features of the Central American Volcanic Arc

• Published in: PloS one 2024-11, Vol.19 (11), p.e0308756
• Main Authors: Basili, Marco, Rogers, Timothy J, Nakagawa, Mayuko, Yücel, Mustafa, de Moor, J Maarten, Barry, Peter H, Schrenk, Matthew O, Jessen, Gerdhard L, Sánchez-Murillo, Ricardo, Zahirovic, Sabin, Bekaert, David V, Ramirez, Carlos J, Bastoni, Deborah, Cordone, Angelina, Lloyd, Karen G, Giovannelli, Donato
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Biological activity; Biology and Life Sciences; Carbon; Central America; Clustering; Community composition; Community structure; Composition; Earth Sciences; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Ecosystems; Formations (Geology); Geochemistry; Geology; Island arcs; Isotope composition; Microbial activity; Microbial colonies; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Microorganisms; People and places; Phylogeny; Physical Sciences; Redox properties; RNA; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Rock formations; rRNA 16S; Sediments; Subduction (geology); Subduction zones (Geology); Sulfur; Sulfur compounds; Volcanic activity; Volcanic Eruptions; Volcanism; Volcanoes
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308756

Subduction of the Cocos and Nazca oceanic plates beneath the Caribbean plate drives the upward movement of deep fluids enriched in carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and iron along the Central American Volcanic Arc (CAVA). These compounds fuel diverse subsurface microbial communities that in turn alter the distribution, redox state, and isotopic composition of these compounds. Microbial community structure and functions vary according to deep fluid delivery across the arc, but less is known about how microbial communities differ along the axis of a convergent margin as geological features (e.g., extent of volcanism and subduction geometry) shift. Here, we investigate changes in bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons and geochemical analysis of deeply-sourced seeps along the southern CAVA, where subduction of the Cocos Ridge alters the geological setting. We find shifts in community composition along the convergent margin, with communities in similar geological settings clustering together independently of the proximity of sample sites. Microbial community composition correlates with geological variables such as host rock type, maturity of hydrothermal fluid and slab depth along different segments of the CAVA. This reveals tight coupling between deep Earth processes and subsurface microbial activity, controlling community distribution, structure and composition along a convergent margin.