Microbial Stowaways: Exploring Shipwreck Microbiomes in the Deep Gulf of Mexico
Past Expedition
Overview
Stowaways hide aboard a vessel as a means of (free) transportation. During a nine-day expedition on board the R/V Point Sur, scientists from the University of Southern Mississippi, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Naval Research Laboratory discovered and characterized two unexplored, wooden-hulled shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico, and studied the microbial stowaways living secretly on and around them, to explore how shipwrecks shape the microbial biodiversity of the deep sea.
Features
Features provide a deeper dive into project-related topics.
As the Microbial Stowaways project fieldwork comes to a close, we reflect on what we discovered over the past week. Two copper-sheathed, wooden-hulled shipwrecks—Site 15711 and Site 15470—give us glimpses into life aboard 19th century sailing ships and will tell us how their presence influences microbial biodiversity in the marine environment.
July 5, 2019
During the lead up to, and execution of an at-sea expedition, it is often easy for me to get caught up in the details, such that I miss the larger view of what we have done. I have been affectionately calling a major element of this research trip my “Gigantic, Terrifying Experiment.”
July 3, 2019
Our expedition may be coming to a close, but this is only the beginning of our research. Over the past eight days we have collected sediment cores, pore water from sediment cores, and water from the column above the shipwrecks. These samples all must be analyzed once they are brought to the laboratory in order to discover the story they can tell us.
July 2, 2019
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The first time we all gathered around the television to watch one of the two never-before-investigated shipwrecks we are exploring, I began to mentally ask a million questions.
July 1, 2019
I am an unmanned maritime systems engineer at the University of Southern Mississippi. During my ten years of working with seafloor landers and marine vehicles, one challenge I’ve faced involves localization of undersea systems.
July 1, 2019
This is my first research cruise and my first time sampling marine sediments. Coming from shallow freshwater lake research, I know I had A LOT to learn.
June 30, 2019
Any operation on a research vessel requires communication and cooperation between the ship’s crew and the science party. We science better when we work together!
June 28, 2019
When you’re working 1,800 feet underwater, some days are a reminder that patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s also a job requirement. For over eight hours yesterday we conducted the first detailed archaeological investigation of the shipwreck known as Site 15711—at least when we could see it in between the clouds of suspended silt that seemed to be perpetually up current from the remotely operated vehicle’s (ROV) camera lens. The seafloor was soft but our wills (and the current) were strong and we persevered through the haze, collecting enough video data to confirm that Site 15711 is a wooden-hulled sailing vessel, likely dating to the mid to late 19th century.
June 28, 2019
With summer camp coming to a close, Ocean Science and Technology Camp (OSTC) students gathered around the Marine Education Center’s video wall display hoping to catch their first glimpse of a shipwreck. After spending a full week learning about science, technology, engineering, and technology (STEM) careers, elaborate experiments, and high-tech equipment, this virtual communication was the pinnacle of their week.
June 28, 2019
Today I saw what scientific exploration is really like. As someone said, “Two means one, and one means none,” meaning that when you are out at sea, you have to have a second or even a third of every critical piece of equipment because something is inevitably going to break and you will not be able to run to the store for a new one. Failures and setbacks are part of the game.
June 27, 2019
From her graceful clipper bow and ornate floral metalwork to her interior woodwork using the finest mahogany and teak, the steam yacht Anona was a sight to behold in the early 20th century. Originally owned by a wealthy industrialist who purchased her in 1904, the luxury yacht was likely the scene of many social events throughout her first few decades. In 1944, the former grand dame of the seas was reduced to hauling a cargo of potatoes to the West Indies when her steel hull plates suddenly buckled, causing her to sink.
June 26, 2019
Earlier in the year, I was approached by Dr. Leila Hamdan and her team to take on a correspondent role to assist with the education and outreach component of the Microbial Stowaways project. With this latest responsibility, a new educational program was to be created to center around the dedication and experimentation of exploration research.
June 25, 2019
Machine learning refers to a recently developed type of computer algorithm (program or “App”) that has grown out of, and is similar to, other kinds of artificial intelligence. During this expedition, the team will be using machine learning to determine how well various seafloor quantities, like seafloor slope, distance from the wreck, and bottom water current speed correlate with the various microbial communities around shipwrecks.
June 24, 2019
“Mobilization days are overwhelming, fatiguing and non-stop. Pace yourselves and try to learn as much as possible.” These were the words Chief Scientist Leila Hamdan shared with her team of scientists and engineers as they prepared for a somewhat complicated mobilization on one of the hottest days of the year.
June 24, 2019
Archaeology, simply defined, is the science of learning about past human behavior by examining the physical remains left behind by people of the past. Archaeological remains—including sites, structures, features, and artifacts—provide tangible links to our collective human history and are glimpses into the social, economic, and cultural evolution of our species. Archaeology—at its core—is about discovery.
June 20, 2019
Our work has revealed microorganisms are cosmopolitan and diverse and that their communities form from interaction with the physics, geology, biology, and chemistry of marine environments. In 2011, however, my research took a sharp turn when I met my first marine archaeologist, and my co-principal investigator on this expedition, Melanie Damour.
June 20, 2019
While you may not be able to see them, microbes are abundant and present in all habitats on Earth—including the deep sea. Microbes are an essential component of every ecosystem, and this certainly holds true for the seafloor.
June 20, 2019
Our team of interdisciplinary scientists and educators will conduct a complete archaeological investigation of two previously surveyed sites. Our work may reveal if shipwrecks impact microbial community ecology in similar ways. Our project is equal parts marine archaeology, microbial ecology, and discovery.
June 20, 2019
Multimedia
The images from this project add context and help bring the project to life. Click on a preview image below to view the full image and get more information.
Education
Ocean Science for Educators provides the best of what the NOAA Ocean Exploration website has to offer to support educators in the classroom. Each theme page includes lessons, fact sheets, ocean facts, exploration notes, multimedia, and related past expeditions and projects. Below are the top education themes related to this project.
Team
Each team member’s path to this project is unique. Read their bios to find out what makes them ocean explorers.
Associate Professor
School of Ocean Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi
School of Ocean Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi
Marine Archaeologist
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Research Geophysicist
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
Undersea Systems Engineer
University of Southern Mississippi
University of Southern Mississippi
Marine Archaeologist
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Laboratory Manager
School of Ocean Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi
School of Ocean Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi