| Citation | John Parkes is an international leader in Geomicrobiology, focusing on quantifying sedimentary prokaryotic processes and indentifying the responsible organisms, their interactions and controls. In particular, Parkes has pioneered detection of micro-organisms in a range of sub-surface environments and demonstrated the significance of temperature increases during burial in sustaining prokaryotes over kilometre depths and in My old sediments, and in biosphere:geosphere interactions, including production of hydrocarbons and energy sources for deep bacteria. His research has been seminal in establishing sub-seafloor sediments as one of the largest prokaryotic habitats on Earth and this has resulted in major new initiatives in international research programmes. |