Tracking Microbial Evolution in the Subseafloor Biosphere

The deep marine subsurface constitutes a massive biosphere that hosts a multitude of archaea, bacteria, and viruses across a diversity of habitats. These microbes play key roles in mediating global biogeochemical cycles, and the marine subsurface is thought to have been among the earliest habitats for life on Earth. Yet we have a poor understanding of what forces govern the evolution of subsurface microbes over time. Here, I outline why evolutionary trajectories in the subsurface may be different than those of microbes living on the surface of the planet and describe how we can take advantage of technological advancements to study the evolutionary dynamics of subsurface microbes and their viruses. The sequencing revolution, in tandem with marine infrastructure advancements, promises that we will soon gain a much deeper understanding of how the vast majority of the microbial biosphere changes, adapts, and evolves over time.