為了更瞭解微生物於陸域地下環境的分佈，本研究利用TCDP車籠埔鑽探計劃取得一系列深部地層之岩心標本，分析岩石標本之微生物數量，並嘗試與其他環境因子（如深度、溫度、岩性、破裂帶）進行對比，以期發現控制生物質量分佈的變因。本分析所利用的材料為固體岩石，因此所得的微生物數量包含附著 (attached) 族群與懸浮 (free-living) 族群，較過去研究常利用之地下水標本更能具體呈現真實的微生物生態環境。 岩心標本在鑽井現地採得時，立即以高溫滅菌的鋁箔紙包覆，置入厭氧箱，轉送回實驗室後在厭氧操作台上進行研磨粉碎；過程中所有與樣本接觸的器材均經過滅菌處理，去除所有污染的可能性。之後將其岩心粉末與緩衝液相混和後，加入 DNA 螢光染劑 (DAPI 與 SYTOX; Molecular Probes)染色，接著在螢光顯微鏡下計數；本實驗共使用了兩種 DNA 螢光染劑，其放射波長及對礦物質的針對性皆有不同，因此可互相比對，避免產生肉眼判讀上的誤差。實驗結果平均於單一深度每一公克的岩石含 107-108 個微生物，微生物數量與深度的關係不甚明顯，而在接近1111m與1810m破裂帶處，微生物數量明顯增加。 Microorganisms are expected to be disseminated in the subsurface, because of their small size and nutritional diversity. The purpose of this study is to examine the biomass distribution of sedimentary rock in central part of Taiwan, by counting microorganisms in a core. Samples were obtained from TCDP (Taiwan Chelungpu-Fault Drilling Project) cores. The drilling had penetrated through Pleistocene- Pliocene sedimentary rocks to a depth of 2000 meters. Two major fracture zones were encountered at depths of 1111m and 1810 m. Thirty Samples were retrieved from rock formations or within fracture zones. Samples were ground to powders, enumerated with DAPI and SYTOX staining for counting under a fluorescent microscope. The calculated cell density is ranged from 107 to 108 cells g-1. The distribution of microorganism exhibits no significant correlation with their lithology or depth, except prominent increase in microorganism numbers were found at depths of 1111m and 1810m.
