Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Title : | Characterization of the microbiome of benthic fauna in the seamounts of deep Arabian Sea. |
Area of research : | Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences |
Focus area : | Ocean science |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Abdulaziz Anas, NIO, Kochi, Kerala. |
Timeline Start Year : | 2022 |
Timeline End Year : | 2025 |
Details
Executive Summary : | The Deep-sea environments occupy more than 95 % of global biosphere and are
characterized by variously specialized ecosystems which include nutrient-rich oxygen minimum
zones in the water column and heterogeneous ecosystems such as coral reef, seamounts, sponge
beds etc. in the benthic. The ecology and biogeochemistry of these systems are unique and the
organisms living are exposed to various extreme environmental conditions including depleted
oxygen, low temperature, high pressure, and recalcitrant organic matter etc. The inhabitants of
these ecosystems acquire various adaptations to survive in such harsh environments. Many
adaptations are mediated through microbial symbiosis through an evolutionary process or
acquired from the local environmental regime. The present proposal is prepared based on a
detailed analysis of datasets generated in previous programs on the existence of seamounts in the
Arabian Sea. In the present project, we aim at chemical and biochemical characterization of the
seamounts in the deep sea environment along the eastern Arabian Sea. It is also envisaged to
barcoding the major fauna and their microbial symbionts using conventional and molecular tools.
The study will also be focusing on the role of associated microorganisms in the remineralization
process, which will be assessed by measuring the enzyme expression profile of isolated
microorganisms under laboratory conditions. Overall the project will give an insight into the
diversity and functioning of Seamounts, a benthic ecosystem, in the deep sea. This will
significantly improve our current knowledge on these ecosystems which will help to derive policy
decisions on conservation and sustainable utilization of these ecosystem |
Co-PI: | Dr. Abdul Jalee[, and Dr.Gireesh Kumar TR, NIO, Kochi, Kerala |
Total Budget (INR): | 48,50,480 |
Organizations involved