A5058894081- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
- Rabbits: Nutrition, Reproduction, Health
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
Atlantic Technological University
2022-2025
Institute of Technology Sligo
2021-2025
Dublin City University
2011-2021
University College Dublin
2016-2021
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2015-2020
Planetary Science Institute
2017
Ooids are sedimentary grains that distributed widely in the geologic record. Their formation is still actively debated, which limits our understanding of significance and meaning these Earth's history. Central questions include role played by microbes ooids sources ubiquitous organic matter within ooid cortices. To address issues, we investigated microbial community composition associated lipids modern oolitic sands at Pigeon Cay on Cat Island, The Bahamas. Surface samples were taken along a...
Abstract Recent studies have suggested the presence of keratin in fossils dating back to Mesozoic. However, ultrastructural revealing exposed melanosomes many fossil keratinous tissues suggest that should rarely, if ever, be preserved. In this study, keratin's stability through diagenesis was tested using microbial decay and maturation experiments on various structures. The residues were analysed pyrolysis‐gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry compared unpublished feather hair published fresh...
Research Article| September 30, 2018 Active Ooid Growth Driven By Sediment Transport in a High-Energy Shoal, Little Ambergris Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands Elizabeth J. Trower; Trower 1Department of Geological Sciences, University Colorado Boulder, 80309, U.S.A. 2Department Planetary California Institute Technology, Pasadena, 91125, Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Marjorie D. Cantine; Cantine 3Department Earth, Atmospheric Massachusetts Cambridge, 02139, Maya L....
The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) is the only Arctic land mammal that dives into water to hunt. Despite thermal insulation provided by blubber and fur layers low temperatures, their typically observed be free of ice. This study investigates anti-icing properties fur. Here, we show exhibits ice adhesion strengths comparable fluorocarbon-coated fibers, with a consequence sebum (hair grease). Lipid analyses reveal presence cholesterol, diacylglycerols, anteisomethyl-branched fatty acids,...
Healthy soils are essential in achieving climate neutrality, reversing biodiversity loss, providing nutritious food, and safeguarding human health. Despite decades of soil research, remains a highly threatened non-renewable resource, with an estimated 62% EU already degraded. This is attributed to the complexity as material ecosystem, diversity types land uses large extent, global focus on agricultural resource rather than part environmental protection. The EPA funded project Microbial...
The Mars Curiosity rover carries a diverse instrument payload to characterize habitable environments in the sedimentary layers of Aeolis Mons. One these instruments is Sample Analysis at (SAM), which contains mass spectrometer that capable detecting organic compounds via pyrolysis gas chromatography spectrometry (py-GC-MS). To identify polar molecules, SAM thermochemolysis reagent tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) methanol (hereafter referred as TMAH). TMAH can liberate fatty acids bound...
Serpentinization is a weathering process in which ultramafic rocks react with water, generating range of products, including serpentine and other minerals, addition to H2 low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons that are capable sustaining microbial life. Lipid biomarker analyses serpentinite-hosted ecosystems hold promise as tools for investigating activity ancient Earth environments terrestrial planets such Mars because lipids have the potential longer term preservation relative DNA, proteins,...
The sponge biomarker hypothesis argues that 24-isopropylcholestanes preserved in Neoproterozoic-age rocks are "molecular fossils" left behind by marine sponges. Despite genetic and geologic support for this hypothesis, 24-isopropylcholestane has never been reported from a body fossil. This lack of direct evidence regarding the source biomarkers through deep time leaves unanswered questions, such as whether their biosynthesis evolved once sponges or multiple times across different lineages....
Microbial mats are taxonomically and metabolically diverse microbial ecosystems, with a characteristic layering that reflects vertical gradients in light oxygen availability. Silicified Proterozoic carbonate successions generally interpreted terms of the surficial, mat building community. However, information about biodiversity once-surface-layer can be lost through decay as accrete. To better understand how surface communities is impacted by processes within mat, we studied from Little...
Marine pockmarks are a specific type of seabed geological setting resembling craters or pits and considered surface expressions fluid flow in the subsurface. A large composite pockmark on Malin Shelf, off northern coast Ireland was surveyed ground truthed to assess its activity investigate related processes Geophysical (including acoustic electromagnetic) data confirmed subsurface presence signatures typical fluids within sediment. Shallow seismic profiling revealed shallow gas pocket...
Abstract Demosponges are a rich natural source of unusual lipids, some which interest as geochemical biomarkers. Although demosponges animals, they often host dense communities microbial symbionts, and it is therefore unclear lipids can be synthesized by the animal de novo, require input from community. To address this uncertainty, we analyzed Amphimdeon queenslandica , only demosponge with published genome. We correlated genetic lipid repertoires A. to identify biomarkers could potentially...
As discussed in Part I, a large accumulation of mammalian faeces at the mire site upper Guil Valley near Mt. Viso, dated to 2168 cal 14C yr., provides first evidence passage substantial but indeterminate numbers mammals within time frame Punic invasion Italia. Specialized organic biomarkers bound up highly convoluted and bioturbated bed constitute an unusual anomaly histosol comprised fibric hemist horizons that are usually expected display horizontal bedding. The presence deoxycholic acid...
Although various kinds of organic molecules are known to occur in fossils and rocks, most soft tissue preservation animals is attributed melanin or porphyrins. Lipids particularly stable over time—as diagenetically altered ‘geolipids’ as major molecular constituents kerogen fossil ‘geopolymers’—and may be expected preserved certain vertebrate tissues. Here we analysed lipid residues from the uropygial gland an early Eocene bird using pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectroscopy. We found a...
Controversy over the alpine route that Hannibal of Carthage followed from Rhône Basin into Italia has raged amongst classicists and ancient historians for two millennia. The motivation identifying taken by Punic Army through Alps lies in its potential sites historical archaeological significance resolution one history's most enduring quandaries. Here, we present stratigraphic, geochemical microbiological evidence recovered an alluvial floodplain mire located below Col de la Traversette...
Abstract Biomolecules preserved in fossils are expanding our understanding of the biology and evolution ancient animals. Molecular taphonomy seeks to understand how these biomolecules they can be interpreted. So far, few studies on molecular preservation have considered burial context its impact or potentially complementary information from multiple biomolecular classes. Here, we use mass spectrometry other analytical techniques detect remains proteins lipids within intact fossil mammoth...
The microbial contribution to soil organic matter has been shown be much larger than previously thought and thus it plays a major role in carbon cycling. Among microorganisms, chemoautotrophs can fix CO2 without sunlight glean energy through the oxidation of reduced elements such as sulfur. Here we show that addition sulfur results an initial surge production respiration, followed by order magnitude increase capture from atmosphere elemental is oxidised sulfate. Thiobacillus spp., take...