Probing the geological source and biological fate of hydrogen in Yellowstone hot springs

Abstract

Summary Hydrogen (H 2 ) is enriched in hot springs and can support microbial primary production. Using a series of geochemical proxies, a model to describe variable H 2 concentrations in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) hot springs is presented. Interaction between water and crustal iron minerals yields H 2 that partition into the vapour phase during decompressional boiling of ascending hydrothermal fluids. Variable vapour input leads to differences in H 2 concentration among springs. Analysis of 50 metagenomes from a variety of YNP springs reveals that genes encoding oxidative hydrogenases are enriched in communities inhabiting springs sourced with vapour‐phase gas. Three springs in the Smokejumper (SJ) area of YNP that are sourced with vapour‐phase gas and with the most H 2 in YNP were examined to determine the fate of H 2 . SJ3 had the most H 2 , the most 16S rRNA gene templates and the greatest abundance of culturable hydrogenotrophic and autotrophic cells of the three springs. Metagenomics and transcriptomics of SJ3 reveal a diverse community comprised of abundant populations expressing genes involved in H 2 oxidation and carbon dioxide fixation. These observations suggest a link between geologic processes that generate and source H 2 to hot springs and the distribution of organisms that use H 2 to generate energy.

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