In deep-sea hydrothermal vents, the mixing between hot, acidic and anoxic hydrothermal fluid with seawater leads to the formation of hydrothermal chimneys. These are porous structures whose mineralogical composition changes over time. Thermal and chemical gradients are favourable to the growth of microbial communities, that present a high taxonomic, physiologic and metabolic diversity. Despite numerous studies about the microbiology of hydrothermal environments, the spatial and temporal dynamics of microbial communities in hydrothermal vents remain relatively unknown. Our study was based on a rigorous sampling of hydrothermal chimneys from six sites in the Lucky Strike hydrothermal vent field, and the associated proximal plume. The mineralogical... |