Project Grant 2241721

This three-year, $331,937 project grant from the National Science Foundation's Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) will fund research into the effects of pressure on microbially-catalyzed organic matter degradation in the deep ocean. Lehigh University, in collaboration with researchers in Denmark and Germany, will investigate how high pressures typical of deep ocean depths impact marine microbes and their role in carbon cycling. Through fieldwork and laboratory experiments using specialized pressure equipment, the project will measure hydrolysis rates of peptides and polysaccharides under varying pressure conditions. It will also explore how pressure affects the uptake of polysaccharides by microbial communities and the activities of enzymes produced by deep-sea microbes after depressurization. This work will enhance understanding of key factors influencing the fate of organic matter in the deep ocean. The funding will support student training opportunities and engagement activities to teach about microbes and pressure effects in the ocean.