Spatial and temporal groundwater biogeochemical variability help inform subsurface connectivity within a high-altitude Alpine catchment (Riale di Ronco, Switzerland).

ABSTRACT: Accessing the deep terrestrial subsurface (greater than 1 km below the surface) presents significant practical challenges, leaving these ecosystems largely uncharacterized despite their extensive presence beneath Earth's landmasses. In this study, we introduce the BedrettoLab Deep Life Observatory (DELOS), a new underground laboratory to study the biogeochemical diversity of groundwater in a high-altitude Alpine catchment tens of meters to 1.6 km underground. Biogeochemical monitoring of DELOS over spatial and temporal scales highlight three dominant ecotypes throughout DELOS: (1) Shallow groundwater with low electrical conductivity enriched in Leptospirillia; (2) High-inflow fault zones enriched in ultra-small bacteria and archaea; (3) Bicarbonate-enriched waters that are enriched

SUBMITTER: Acciardo AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11897985 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature