Steven D`Hondt | URI Graduate School of Oceanography

Steven L. D`Hondt

Professor of Oceanography

Interim Dean, Graduate School of Oceanography

100A, Horn Building

dhondt@gso.uri.edu

401-874-6808

http://www.gso.uri.edu/dhondtlab

Educational Background

Ph.D. Geological and Geophysical Sciences
B.S., Geology

Princeton University
Stanford University

1990
1984

Areas of Specialization

Research

My current projects include studies of life in extreme environments (principally life in subseafloor sediment) and biological controls on the chemical evolution of the ocean and atmosphere. Members of my research group participate in expeditions throughout the world. Many of our projects utilize the URI Geobiology Laboratory.

Teaching

My graduate courses generally focus on aspects of geobiology. I also regularly teach a graduate course in Marine Stratigraphy. My recent undergraduate courses include Ocean Exploration (co-taught with Chris Roman and Robert Ballard), Global Environmental Change (co-taught with Arthur Spivack) and the 2008 URI Honors Colloquium (People and Planet - Global Environmental Change, co-taught with Spivack and Judith Swift).

Outreach

With Spivack and Swift, I have organized the GSO Vetlesen public lectures in recent years. All of my expeditions include an outreach component, which is typically led by a secondary school teacher who sails as a member of the shipboard science party (e.g., see Manning's presentation below). The outreach efforts of our Honors Colloquium included (1) public lectures and events, (2) sponsorship of book clubs throughout Rhode Island, (3) map exhibits at multiple locations throughout the state, (4) broadcasting of the lectures on public television, and (5) creation and internet posting of short videos. You can learn more about the 2008 Colloquium at http://www.uri.edu/hc.

Students

Emily Walsh
Justine Sauvage

M.S.
M.S.

expected 2011
expected 2012

Publications:

Wang, G., A.J. Spivack and S. D’Hondt, 2010. Gibbs energies of reaction and microbial mutualism in anaerobic deep subseafloor sediments of ODP Site 1226, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 74, 3938-3947.

D’Hondt, S., A. Spivack, R, Pockalny, T. Ferdelman, J. Fischer, J. Kallmeyer, L. Abrams, D.C. Smith, D. Graham, F. Hasiuk, J. Rogers, H. Schrum and A. Stancin, 2009. Subseafloor sedimentary life in the South Pacific gyre, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 106(28), 11651-11656.

Schrum, H.N., A.J. Spivack, M. Kastner and S. D’Hondt, 2009. Sulfate-reducing denitrification: A thermodynamically feasible metabolic pathway in subseafloor sediments, Geology 37(10), 939-942.

Kallmeyer, J., D.C. Smith, A.J. Spivack and S. D’Hondt, 2008. A new cell extraction procedure applied to sediments from the deep subsurface biosphere, Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 6, 236-245.

Blair, C.C., S. D’Hondt, A.J. Spivack and R.H. Kingsley, 2007. Potential of radiolytic hydrogen for microbial respiration in subseafloor sediments, Astrobiology 7 (6), 951-970.

Riccardi, A., L.R. Kump, M.A. Arthur and S. D’Hondt, 2007. Carbon Isotopic Evidence for chemocline upward excursions during the end-Permian event, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 248(1-2), 73-81.

Jørgensen, B.B., and S. D'Hondt, 2006. A starving majority deep beneath the seafloor, Science, 314, 932-943.

Coxall, H.K., S. D'Hondt, and J.C. Zachos, 2006. Pelagic evolution and environmental recovery after the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction, Geology, 34 (4), 297-300, doi: 10.1130/G21702.1.

Inagaki, F., T. Nunoura, S. Nakagawa, A. Teske, M. Lever, A. Lauer, M. Suzuki, K. Takai, M. Delwiche, F.S. Colwell, K.H. Nealson, K. Horikoshi, S. D’Hondt and B.B. Jørgensen, 2006. Biogeographical distribution and diversity of microbes in methane hydrate-bearing deep marine sediments on the Pacific Ocean Margin, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, U.S.A. 103(8), 2815-2820.

D'Hondt, S, B.B Jørgensen, D.J. Miller, A. Batzke, R. Blake, B.A. Cragg, H. Cypionka, G.R. Dickens, T. Ferdelman, K.-U. Hinrichs, N.G. Holm, R. Mitterer, A. Spivack, G. Wang, B. Bekins, Bert Engelen, K. Ford, G. Gettemy, S.D. Rutherford, Henrik Sass, C.G. Skilbeck, I.W. Aiello, G. Guérin, C. House, F. Inagaki, P. Meister, T. Naehr, S. Niitsuma, R.J. Parkes, A. Schippers, D.C. Smith, A. Teske, J. Wiegel, C. Naranjo Padilla, J.L. Solis Acosta, 2004. Distributions of microbial activities in deep subseafloor sediments, Science, 306, 2216-2221.

Presentations:

Brunner, B., A.J. Spivack, R.W. Murray, B. Gribsholt, D. Graham, H.N. Schrum, S.L. D’Hondt, 2009. Sulfur and Oxygen Isotope Composition of Pore Water Sulfate in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, Eos Trans. AGU, 90(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract B13D-0553.

D’Hondt, S.L., R.A. Pockalny, A.J. Spivack, R.W. Murray, H. Røy, J. Kallmeyer, H.N. Schrum, B. Brunner, B. Gribsholt, D. Graham, 2009. The Global Distribution of Organic-Fueled Respiration in Subseafloor Sediment, Eos Trans. AGU, 90(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract B22A-07.

Kallmeyer, J., R.A. Pockalny, S.L. D’Hondt, R.R. Adhikari, 2009. A New Estimate of Total Microbial Subseafloor Biomass, Eos Trans. AGU, 90(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract B23C-0381.

Manning, C., R.A. Pockalny, S.L. D’Hondt, 2009. The Lasting Impacts of an Oceanographic Teacher Research Experiences in a Land-locked Classroom, Eos Trans. AGU, 90(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract ED34A-01.

A.J. Spivack, H. Røy, B. Brunner, D. Graham, B. Gribsholt, R.W. Murray, H.N. Schrum, S.L. D’Hondt, 2009. Direct Determination of Deep Ocean Nitrate During the Last Glacial Maximum, Eos Trans. AGU, 90(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS43B-1407.