Ecology and molecular biology of the effects of cold temperatures on acid mine drainage microbial communities.

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Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a widespread environmental problem with devastating effects on freshwater ecosystems. The key objectives of my research program are to understand the variability in microbial community function and the effects of cold temperatures on microbial adaptation and the production of AMD, using both classical microbiology and novel genomics-based molecular techniques. With an emphasis on studies in the established and new mining developments in Canada's Boreal region and the Far North, this research program will address fundamental scientific questions in AMD microbial ecology with immediate relevance to sustainability in the Canadian mining industry. In particular, we want to understand how AMD microbial consortia function in colder mining environments and whether their adaptive capabilities can drive bioleaching at cold temperatures. By extension, this research will investigate whether cold-adapted AMD microbial communities can be used in developing sustainable management strategies through the use of passive bioleaching and bioremediation. Given the intensity of mining waste generation in sulfide ore-rich areas like Sudbury, and the mining developments in Ontario's Far North (Ring of Fire), a better understanding of cold-adapted AMD microbial ecology is urgently needed. The proposed research will, 1) develop detailed microbial community profiles of the "AMD microbiome" and cold-active consortia, and 2) assess their functions in driving the biogeochemical processes within cold AMD environments, with a goal of 3) uncovering novel metabolic properties (i.e. microbial strains/enzymes) that may be used in northern mining applications. I aim to establish an improved understanding of how microbial communities have adapted to function in extreme AMD environments, driving the biogeochemical processes that leach metals and acid in mine waste within colder climates. Funding for this proposal will support the training of 4 graduate students in environmental microbiology, genomics, bioinformatics, microbial bioleaching, and remediation, thus contributing new HQP required to promote sustainable mining in Canada, and elsewhere.