Links between geological processes, microbial activities & evolution of life / Связи между геологическими процессами, деятельностью микроорганизмов и эволюцией жизни

Geobiology is a rapidly growing and truly interdisciplinary field at the interface between earth and life sciences, and mainstream research in geobiology involves microbes and microbial activities at all scales in different geological environments through time in Earth’s history. This research and its findings have strong implications for the evolution of life on the Earth and potentially in other planets. Microbial activities influence water-rock interaction processes and chemical transport between the major geochemical reservoirs, and the formation and transformation of minerals and rocks. On the other hand, geological processes and geochemical controls influence the microbial ecology in extreme environments. Our understanding of these links has been advancing at a fast pace in recent years. The discovery of life in extreme environments and its systematic studies have peaked during the past several decades, and new scientific programs (i.e. Deep Science Initiative) have been initiated in order to maximize international collaboration on most important scientific problems pertaining to underground research and subsurface microbial life. The deep subsurface biosphere may constitute nearly one third of the Earth’s biomass, and subsurface microbial communities are major contributors to nutrient cycling through the environment. <...>