Microbial community development in Base Mine Lake, the first end-pit-lake in the Alberta oil sands region

阿尔伯塔省油砂地区第一个终坑湖 Base Mine Lake 的微生物群落发展

• 批准号: 542973-2019
• 负责人: Dunfield, Peter
• 金额: $ 10.65万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=693611
• 关键词: Microbial; community; development; Base; Mine

One challenge facing the oilsands industry in Canada is reclaiming mining-impacted environments. A particular problem is the liquid tailings waste produced during bitumen extraction, which contains various chemical constituents of concern such as naphthenic acids. The long-term land reclamationplans of several oilsands mining operations include the construction of End-Pit Lakes (EPLs). These are below-grade bodies of water in surface mining pits that will eventually become integrated into local watersheds. They should ideally function in long-term containment and reclamation of tailings. At the end of 2012 Syncrude commissioned Base Mine Lake (BML) as the first full-scale pilot EPL in the oilsands region. BML contains a 50-m-deep layer of tailings overlain with a 10-m freshwater cap. The biology, chemistry, and physical properties of the lake have been intensively monitored since 2013. BML behaves in many ways similarly to a natural, seasonally stratified subarctic lake. There is an active microbial community but still a very limited colonization by higher organisms. Active management of suspended solids in the water has caused the lake has become clearer over time, leading to an increase in algal growth. The primary goals of our research project are: 1) To monitor the development of microbial communites in the lake over time. To date we have noted a gradual increase in the species diversity of higher (eukaryotic) organisms, suggesting that the lake is becoming more natural over time. 2) To understand the roles of key microbes in bioremediation of organic pollutants. Understanding these microbes and their bioremediation potentials may inform management strategies to maximize their activities. 3) To understand the increasing role of algae in the carbon cycle of the lake. The lake may be transitioning from a primarily heterotrophic system based on degradation of hydrocarbons to a primarily phototrophic system based on algal growth. This may change parameters such as oxygen status and bioremediation potential.

加拿大石油砂行业面临的一个挑战是收回采矿影响的环境。一个特殊的问题是沥青提取过程中产生的液体尾矿废物，其中包含各种关注的化学成分，例如环霉素。多个油砂开采业务的长期土地开垦计划包括建造末端湖泊（EPLS）。这些是地表采矿坑中的水体以下，最终将融入当地流域。理想情况下，他们应该在长期遏制和尾矿的填海中发挥作用。在2012年底，Syncrude委托委托基地矿山（BML）是OilSands地区的第一个全尺寸飞行员EPL。 BML包含一层50毫米的尾矿，覆盖有10米的淡水盖。自2013年以来，对湖泊的生物学，化学和物理特性进行了深入监测。BML在许多方面的行为与自然，季节性分层的亚北极湖相似。有一个活跃的微生物群落，但较高的生物体的殖民化仍然非常有限。随着时间的流逝，水中悬浮固体的积极管理已导致湖泊变得更加清晰，从而导致藻类生长的增加。我们研究项目的主要目标是：1）随着时间的推移，监测湖中微生物群落的发展。迄今为止，我们注意到较高（真核）生物的物种多样性逐渐增加，这表明该湖随着时间的流逝而变得越来越自然。 2）了解关键微生物在有机污染物生物修复中的作用。了解这些微生物及其生物修复潜力可能会为管理策略提供最大化的活动。 3）了解藻类在湖泊碳循环中的作用增加。该湖泊可能是基于碳氢化合物降解的主要异养系统过渡到基于藻类生长的主要光营养系统。这可能会改变参数，例如氧状况和生物修复潜力。