Microbes found deeper in the ocean are believed to have slow population turnover rates and low amounts of available energy. But a new examination of microbial communities found deeper in seafloor sediments and around hydrocarbon seepage sites has found they have more energy available and a higher population turnover. The deeper sediments in the seepages are most likely heavily impacted by the material coming up from the bottom, which means that the seep could be supporting a larger amount of biomass than previously thought.
