We want to determine what different thermophiles metabolize, and to what quantity.

Once we know what the thermophiles metabolize, we can see how they live in such an extreme environment and use the information as a test case for extreme environments everywhere, such as outer space. We can also see how the microbes contribute to the composition of their habitat, namely the vent site, and how these small creatures contribute to the symbiosis occurring in the mysterious depths.

We will measure the chemical composition of an environment before and after the introduction of thermophiles and other chemo-autotrophic organisms to determine what they metabolize, and to what quantity.

Margesin R., Schinner F. Biodegradation and bioremediation of hydrocarbons in extreme environments. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 56 (5-6), 650-663.