Environmental parameters of deep-sea hydrothermal vents from the Manus Basin

Thirtythree diffuse fluid and water column samples and 23 samples from surfaces of chimneys, rocks and fauna were subjected to a combined analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences, metagenomes and real-time in situ measured geochemical parameters to study distribution and niche-partitioning of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) in deep-sea hydrothermal environments of the Manus Basin, a back-arc fast-spreading center located between New Britain and New Ireland in the Bismarck Sea.