Duane P. Moser

Associate Professor

Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

Email: Duane.Moser@dri.edu

Research Opportunities

Research and employment opportunities at all levels (undergraduate - postdoctoral) are often available in our lab. Several types of scholarships may also be available throughout the year for students with strong academic credentials. For the latest information, contact Dr. Moser directly.

Education

Professional Interests

Dr. Moser is a microbial and molecular ecologist focused on life in the terrestrial deep subsurface, lakes and oceans, and arid lands. Moser utilizes a combination of cultivation-dependent and -independent life detection methods, in conjunction with environmental and stable isotope chemistry, to track the activities and identities of microbes in the wild. Moser has focused on a variety of microbial types throughout his career, especially uncultivated bacteria and archaea of sediments and very deep aquifers. Moser has also worked extensively with bacteria of the cosmopolitan aquatic genus, Shewanella.

Research

At DRI, Dr. Moser is developing a research program addressing the many microbiologically interesting habitats of the Great Basin, with special emphasis on aquifer and geothermal systems, terminal lakes and playas, and deep lake sediments. He is also developing studies addressing the role of microbes in contaminant alteration and transport; especially radionuclides at DOE sites, such as the Nevada Test Site. He is also researching the role of riverbed and riparian zone microbes in the enhancement of water quality of western rivers, such as the Truckee in NV.

Links

Fellowship Winners

• Karen Levy
  • Award: NSF EPSCoR Undergraduate Fellowship (2006/2007 academic year)
• Juan Plata
  • Award: NSF EPSCoR Undergraduate Fellowship (2006/2007 academic year)
  • Award: UNLV Ronald E. McNair Scholarship (summer 2007)
• Christina Jacovides
  • Award: NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (summer 2007)
• Mary Ehrsam
  • Award: NSF EPSCoR Undergraduate Fellowship (2007/2008 academic year)
• Alexander Michaud
  • Award: NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (summer 2008)

Publications

Peer-reviewed

1. Costa, K.C., J. Hallmark, D.P. Moser, D. Soukup, S. Labahn, J.B. Navarro, and B.P. Hedlund. 2008. Geomicrobiological changes in two ephemeral desert playa lakes in the western United States. Geomicrobiol. J. 25:250-259.
2. Gihring, T.M., D.P. Moser, L.-H. Lin, M. Davidson, T.C. Onstott, L. Morgan, M. Milleson, T.L. Kieft, E. Trimarco, D.L. Balkwill, M.E. Dollhopf. 2006. The distribution of microbial taxa in the subsurface water of the Kalahari Shield, South Africa. Geomicrobiol. J. 23:415-430.
3. Lin, L.H., P.L. Wang, D. Rumble, J. Lippmann-Pipke, E. Boice, L.M. Pratt, B.S. Lollar, E.L. Brodie, T.C. Hazen, G.L. Andersen, T.Z. DeSantis, D.P. Moser, D. Kershaw, and T.C. Onstott. 2006. Long-term sustainability of a high-energy, low-diversity crustal biome. Science 314:479-482.
4. Onstott, T.C., L.-H. Lin, M. Davidson, B. Mislowack, M. Borcsik, J. Hall, G. Slater, J. Ward, B. Sherwood Lollar, J. Lippmann-Pipke, E. Boice, L. M. Pratt, S. Pfiffner, D. Moser, T. Gihring, Thomas L. Kieft, Tommy J. Phelps, E. Vanheerden, D. Litthaur, M. Deflaun, R. Rothmel, G. Wanger, G. Southam. 2006. The origin and age of biogeochemical trends in deep fracture water of the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa. Geomicrobiol. J. 23:369–414.
5. Pfiffner, S.M., J.M. Cantu, A. Smithgall, A.D. Peacock, D.C. White, D.P. Moser, T.C. Onstott, E. van Heerden. 2006. Deep subsurface microbial biomass and community structure in Witwatersrand Basin Mines. Geomicrobiol. J. 23:431–442.
6. Slater, G.F., J. Lippmann-Pipke, D.P. Moser, C.M. Reddy, T.C. Onstott, G. Lacrampe-Couloume, B. Sherwood Lollar. 2006. 14C in methane and DIC in the deep terrestrial subsurface: implications for microbial methanogenesis. Geomicrobiol. J. 23:453-462.
7. Sherwood Lollar, B., G. Lacrampe-Couloume, G.F. Slater, J. Ward, D.P. Moser, T.M. Gihring, L.-H. Lin, and T. C. Onstott. 2006. Unravelling abiogenic and biogenic sources of methane in the Earth’s deep subsurface. Chem. Geol. 226:328-339.
8. Lin, L.-H., J.A. Hall, J. Lippmann, J.A. Ward, B. Sherwood Lollar, M. DeFlaun, R. Rothmel, D. Moser, T.M. Gihring, B. Mislowack, and T.C. Onstott. 2005. Radiolytic H 2 in the continental crust: nuclear power for deep subsurface microbial communities. Geochem. Geophys. Geosys. 6:Q07003. [Online.] doi:10.1029/2004GC000907.
9. Kieft, T.L., S.M. McCuddy, T.C. Onstott, M. Davidson, Li-H. Lin, B. Mislowack, L. Pratt, E. Boice, B. Sherwood Lollar, J. Lippmann-Pipke, S.M. Pfiffner, T.J. Phelps, T. Gihring, D. Moser, A. van Heerden. 2005. Geochemically generated, energy-rich substrates and indigenous microorganisms in deep, ancient groundwater. 22:6 325-335.
10. Moser, D.P., T.M. Gihring, F.J. Brockman, J.K. Fredrickson, D.L. Balkwill, M.E. Dollhopf, B. Sherwood Lollar, L.M. Pratt, E. Boice, G. Southam, G. Wanger, B.J. Baker, S.M. Pfiffner, L.-H. Lin, and T.C. Onstott. 2005 Desulfotomaculum spp. and Methanobacterium spp. Dominate 4-5 km Deep Fault. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 12:8773-8783.
11. Lollar, B.S., G. Slater, D.P. Moser, T.M. Gihring, J. Telling, G. Lacrampe-Couloume, L. H. Lin, and T.C. Onstott. 2005. Abiogenic gases, H 2 autotrophy and methanogenesis in the deep subsurface. Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society 229:U888-U888.
12. Ward, J.A., G.F. Slater, D.P. Moser, L.-H. Lin, G. Lacrampe-Couloume, A.S. Bonin, M. Davidson, J.A. Hall, B. Mislowack, R.E.S. Bellamy, T.C. Onstott and B. Sherwood Lollar. 2004. Microbial hydrocarbon gases in the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa: Implications for the deep biosphere. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 68:3239-3250.
13. Baker, B.J., D.P. Moser, B.J. MacGregor, S. Fishbain, M. Wagner , N.K. Fry, B. Jackson, N. Spoelstra, S. Loos, K. Takai, B. Sherwood-Lollar, J. Fredrickson, D. Balkwill, T.C. Onstott, C.F. Wimpee and D.A. Stahl. 2003. Related assemblages of sulphate-reducing bacteria associated with ultradeep gold mines of South Africa and deep basalt aquifers of Washington State . Environ. Microbiol. 5:267-277.
14. Lippmann, J., M. Stute, T. Torgerson, D.P. Moser, J. Hall, L. Lin, M. Borcsik, R.E.S. Bellamy and T.C. Onstott. 2003.Dating ultra-deep mine waters with noble gases and 36Cl, Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa. Geochim. et. Cosmochim. Acta 67:4597-4619.
15. Moser, D.P., J.K. Fredrickson, D. Geist, E. Arntzen, A. Peacock, F.J. Brockman, S.-M. Li, T. Spadoni, and J.P. McKinley. 2003. Biogeochemical processes and microbial characteristics across groundwater-surface water boundaries of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Environ. Sci. Technol. 37:5127-5234.
16. Moser, D.P., T.C. Onstott, J.K. Fredrickson, F.J. Brockman, D.L. Balkwill, G.R. Drake, S. Pfiffner, D.C. White, K. Takai, L.M. Pratt, J. Fong, B. Sherwood Lollar, G. Slater, T.J. Phelps, N. Spoelstra, M. DeFlaun, G. Southam, A.T. Welty, B.J. Baker, J. Hoek. 2003. Temporal shifts in the geochemistry and microbial community structure of an ultradeep mine borehole following isolation. Geomicrobiol. J. 20:517-548.
17. Onstott , T.C., D.P. Moser, S.M. Pfiffner, J.K. Fredrickson, F.J. Brockman, T.J. Phelps, D.C. White, A. Peacock, D. Balkwill, R. Hoover, L.R. Krumholz, M. Borscik, T. Kieft and R. Wilson. 2003. Indigenous and contaminant microbes in ultradeep mines . Environ. Microbiol. 5:1168-1191.
18. Barbieri, E., B.J. Paster, D. Hughes, L. Zurek, D.P. Moser, A. Teske, and M.L. Sogin. 2001. Phylogenetic characterization of epibiotic bacteria in the accessory nidamental gland and in the egg capsules of the Squid Loligo Pealei (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae). Environ. Microbiol. 3:151-167.
19. MacGregor, B.J., D.P. Moser, B.J. Baker, E.W. Alm, M. Maurer, K.H. Nealson, and D.A. Stahl. 2001. Seasonal and spatial variability in Lake Michigan sediment small-subunit rRNA concentrations . Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 67:3908-3922.
20. Takai, K., D.P. Moser, M. DeFlaun, T.C. Onstott, and J.K. Fredrickson. 2001. Archaeal diversity in waters from deep South African gold mines. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:5750-5760.
21. Takai, K., D.P. Moser, T.C. Onstott, N. Spoelstra, S.M. Pfiffner, A. Dohnalkova, and J.K. Fredrickson. 2001. Alkaliphilus transvaalensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an extremely alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from a deep South African gold mine. Intern. J. Syst. Bact. 51:1245-1256.
22. Teske, A., T. Brinkhoff, G. Muyzer, D.P. Moser, J. Rethmeier, and H.W. Jannasch. 2000. Diversity of thiosulfate-oxidizing bacteria from marine sediments and hydrothermal vents Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2000. 66:3125-3133.
23. Teske, A., T. Brinkhoff, G. Muyzer, D.P. Moser, J. Rethmeier, and H.W. Jannasch. 2000. Thiosulfate oxidizing microbial populations of two North Atlantic sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65:3125-3133.
24. Leonardo, M.R., D.P. Moser, E. Barbieri, C.A. Brantner, B.J. MacGregor, B.J. Paster, E. Stackebrandt, and K.H. Nealson. 1999 Shewanella pealeana, sp. nov., A member of the microbial community associated with the accessory nidamental gland of the squid Loligo pealei . Intern. J. Syst. Bact. 4:1341-51.
25. Venkateswaran, K., D.P. Moser, M.E. Dollhopf, D.P. Lies, D.A. Saffarini, B.J. MacGregor, D.B. Ringelberg, D.C. White, M. Nishijima, H. Sano, J. Burghardt, E. Stackebrandt, and K.H. Nealson. 1999. Polyphasic taxonomy of the genus Shewanella and description of Shewanella oneidensis sp. Intern. J. Syst. Bact. 49: 705-724.
26. MacGregor, B.J., D.P. Moser, E.W. Alm, K.H. Nealson, and D.A. Stahl. 1997. Crenarchaeota in Lake Michigan sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63: 1178-1181.
27. Moser, D.P., J.R. Brozowski, and K.H. Nealson. 1996. Elemental analysis for biomass determination in the presence of interfering substrates. J. Microbiol. Methods. 26:271-278.
28. Moser, D.P., and K.H. Nealson. 1996. Growth of the facultative anaerobe Shewanella putrefaciens by elemental sulfur reduction. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:2100-2105.
29. Moser, D., D. Zarka, C. Hedman, and T. Kallas. 1995. Plasmid and chromosomal DNA recovery by electroextraction of cyanobacteria. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 128:307-313.
30. Nealson, K.H., D.P. Moser, and D.A. Saffarini. 1995. Anaerobic electron acceptor chemotaxis in Shewanella putrefaciens. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:1551-1554.
31. Nealson, K.H., D. Saffarini., D. Moser, and M.J. Smith. 1994. A spectrophotometric method for monitoring tactic responses of bacteria under anaerobic conditions. J. Microbiol. Methods. 20:211-218.
32. Moser, D.P., D. Zarka, and T. Kallas. 1993. Characterization of a restriction barrier and electrotransformation of the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7121. Arch. Microbiol. 160:229-237.

Non-peer reviewed

1. Woodrow, J., D.P. Moser,  J. Zhu, L. Chen,  R.B. Susfalk, G.C. Miller, S.K. Labahn, and E.A. Moran. Technical report prepared for USBR: Results of laboratory experiments in support of PAM-related research. DRI DHS Publication No. 41237. Jul. 2007.
2. Kieft, T.L. and D.P. Moser. 2006. Preface for Special Issue (Deep Biosphere). Geomicrobiol. J. 23:343.
3. Schultz, A., and D.P. Moser. 2006. Flight to nowhere. American Flyways Magazine. In press.
4. Verusub, K. and others. 2006. Workshops: Scientific Coring in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Eos. Trans. 87:3 Jan 2006.
5. Moser, D.P., H.W. Martin, and P.J. Boston. 2002. Microbiological sampling in caves and mines. In Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology (Bitton, G. Ed) John Wiley and Sons, Inc. p. 821-835.
6. Barbieri, E., J. Gulledge, D. Moser, and C-C Chien. 1996. New evidence of bacterial diversity in the accessory nidamental gland of the squid (Loligo pealei). Biol. Bull. 191:316-317.
7. Moser, D.P. Elemental sulfur reduction in Shewanella putrefaciens. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
8. Moser, D.P., and K.H. Nealson. 1996. Elemental sulfur reduction in facultative anaerobes as an educational tool. A Focus on Microbiology Education. Winter:5-6. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C.
9. Nishiguchi, M.K., B. Duval, and D.P. Moser. 1994. Analysis of Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) from Phaeocystis pouchetii in the waters of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Antarctic J. Rev. 1994:102-105.
10. Moser, D.P. Characterization of a restriction barrier and electrotransformation of the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7121. Masters Thesis. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
11. Moser, D.P. 1988. Chemical information systems. Internal report to Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Recent Poster/Paper Presentations

1. *Moser, D.P., J.C. Plata, S. Qian, J. Bruckner, C.P McKay, and H. Sun. 2008. Substantial bacterial diversity in surface soil from the Atacama Desert. AbSciCon, Santa Clara, CA.
2. de Leon*, J.M., A. Villoso, J. Wallace, and D.P. Moser. 2007. Distribution of Shewanella species from diverse aquatic habitats of the western United States. American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, NV-AZ Branch, Flagstaff, AZ.
3. *Labahn, S.L., T. Arrowood, M. Young, and D.P. Moser. 2007. Fate of acrylamide in soil and groundwater systems: microbial degradation. AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Paper No. H41C-0664.
4. Moser, D.P. July, 2007. New Insights into the Deep Dark Biosphere: Late Developments from the South African Mine Environment. Close-out lecture for Applied and Environmental Microbiology Gordon Conference. Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA.
5. Moser, D.P., B.P. Hedlund, and J.B. Navarro. 2007. Playa lakes: insights into Mars’ last aquatic ecosystems? Session SS01, Water on Earth: Analogues for Other Worlds. American Society for Limnology and Oceanography, Aquatic Sciences Meeting. Santa Fe, NM.
6. *Moser, D.P., C. Jacovides, J. Wallace, and J. de Leon. Sept. 2007. Shewanella of desert aquatic habitats. Shewanella Federation Annual Meeting, Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA.
7. *Bottomly, S., S.M. Pfiffner, J.M. Cantu, A. Smithgall, A.D. Peacock, D.C. White, T. Phelps, D.P. Moser, T.C. Onstott, E. Vanheerden. 2006. Biodensity and microbial community composition for samples recovered from Witwatersrand Basin mines. American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL. 
8. *Chivian, D., E.J. Alm, E.L. Brodie, D.E. Culley, T. Gihring, A. Lapidus, L.H. Lin, D.P. Moser, P. Richardson, A.P. Arkin, T.C. Hazen, F.J. Brockman, T.C. Onstott. 2006. Environmental genomic characterization of the deep subsurface microorganism Desulforudis audaxviator. American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL. 
9. *Davidson, M.M., G. Wanger, G. Southam, D. Moser, T. Onstott, S. Pfiffner, and J. Lippmann-Pipke. 2006. Extremely slow growth of sulfate reducing bacteria in deep subsurface rocks. GSA Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. Paper No. 125-1.
10. *Navarro, J.B., A. Flores, D.P. Moser, and B.P. Hedlund . 2006. Cultivation-intensive study of a Mojave recharge playa during a wet cycle. American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL. 
11. *Onstott, T.C., E.J. Alm, A.P. Arkin, F.J. Brockman, E.L. Brodie, D. Chivan, D.E. Culley, T. Ghring, A. Lapidus, T.C. Hazen, L.-H. Lin, D.P. Moser, and P. Richardson. 2006. Metagenomic characterization of a deep subsurface microorganism. American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
12. *Onstott, T.C., T.C. Hazen, E. Alm, D.Chivian, L.H. Lin, A. Arkin, D. Culley, D.P. Moser, F.J. Brockman, T. Gihring, P. Richardson, E. Brodie, A. Lapidus, 2006. Metagenomic Characterization of a deep subsurface microorganism. International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME), Vienna, Austria.
13. *Onstott, T.C., T.C. Hazen, A. Arkin, E. Brodie, D.Chivian, E. Alm, P.R. Alla Lapidus, D. Culley, F. Brockman , L.H. Lin, T. Gihring, D.P. Moser. 2006. Metagenomic characterization of a deep subsurface microorganism.AbSciCon, Washington DC.

*Presenting author