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From Lava to Life: Microbial Colonization in Volcanic Environments

Solange Duhamel 1,2, Nathan Hadland2, Christopher W. Hamilton2, Snædís Björnsdóttir3

  • Affiliations: 1Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA; 2Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA; 3Life and Environmental Science, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Tuesday 16:30 - 18:30, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 226

  • Programme No: 1.6.6

  • Theme 1 > Session 6

Abstract

How do uninhabited environments become colonized by life? To explore this question, we studied the microbial colonization of newly emplaced lava flows from the 2021--2023 Fagradalsfjall eruptions in Iceland. We collected samples from newly cooled lava, some solidified only hours before collection, and tracked how microbial communities developed over three years. During the first six months of the 2021 eruption, we sampled biweekly at fixed sites, continuing with periodic collections afterward. When the volcano erupted again in 2022 and 2023, we sampled fresh lava from these events, creating a unique dataset that spans three eruptions. The data enabled us to quantify how microbial life consistently established itself after volcanic activity. Our analyses show a two-step process. First, random vectors of colonization brought extremotolerant microbes to the lava, followed by community stabilization over time. Using machine learning models trained on the 2021 data, we accurately predicted microbial community patterns for the 2022 and 2023 eruptions, demonstrating that ecological succession in these volcanic environments is dynamic and predictable. This research highlights how life can emerge and stabilize in new lava flows, shedding light on the processes that may have occurred on early Earth and could occur on other volcanically active planets. By understanding microbial colonization in harsh environments, we also gain insights into the resilience and adaptability of life in the face of environmental challenges.