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Title: From lithotroph- to organotroph-dominant: directional shift of microbial community in sulphidic tailings during phytostabilization

Journal Article · · Scientific Reports
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/srep12978· OSTI ID:1624789
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD (Australia). Sustainable Minerals Inst., Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation
  2. Univ. of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD (Australia). Advanced Water Management Centre
  3. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States). Dept. of Microbiology and Plant Biology and Inst. for Environmental Genomics
  4. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States). Dept. of Microbiology and Plant Biology and Inst. for Environmental Genomics; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Division; Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). School of Environment, State Key Joint Lab. of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control

Engineering microbial diversity to enhance soil functions may improve the success of direct revegetation in sulphidic mine tailings. Therefore, it is essential to explore how remediation and initial plant establishment can alter microbial communities, and, which edaphic factors control these changes under field conditions. A long-term revegetation trial was established at a Pb-Zn-Cu tailings impoundment in northwest Queensland. The control and amended and/or revegetated treatments were sampled from the 3-year-old trial. In total, 24 samples were examined using pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes and various chemical properties. The results showed that the microbial diversity was positively controlled by soil soluble Si and negatively controlled by soluble S, total Fe and total As, implying that pyrite weathering posed a substantial stress on microbial development in the tailings. All treatments were dominated by typical extremophiles and lithotrophs, typically Truepera, Thiobacillus, Rubrobacter; significant increases in microbial diversity, biomass and frequency of organotrophic genera (typically Nocardioides and Altererythrobacter) were detected in the revegetated and amended treatment. We concluded that appropriate phytostabilization options have the potential to drive the microbial diversity and community structure in the tailings toward those of natural soils, however, inherent environmental stressors may limit such changes.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Isa Mines, Glencore Ltd
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1624789
Journal Information:
Scientific Reports, Vol. 5, Issue 1; ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 43 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Analysis of microbial communities in heavy metals-contaminated soils using the metagenomic approach journal September 2018
Characterization of hard- and softwood biochars pyrolyzed at high temperature journal September 2016
One giant leap for mankind: can ecopoiesis avert mine tailings disasters? journal September 2017
Denitrifying Microbial Communities in Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Paddy Soils near Electronic-Waste Processing Centers journal September 2018
Field comparison of the effectiveness of agricultural and nonagricultural organic wastes for aided phytostabilization of a Pb-Zn mine tailings pond in Hunan Province, China journal October 2018
Effects of Amendments on Soil Microbial Diversity, Enzyme Activity and Nutrient Accumulation after Assisted Phytostabilization of an Extremely Acidic Metalliferous Mine Soil journal April 2019
Variation of the Bacterial Community in the Rhizoplane Iron Plaque of the Wetland Plant Typha latifolia journal November 2018
Field comparison of the effectiveness of agricultural and nonagricultural organic wastes for aided phytostabilization of a Pb-Zn mine tailings pond in Hunan Province, China text January 2019
Field comparison of the effectiveness of agricultural and nonagricultural organic wastes for aided phytostabilization of a Pb-Zn mine tailings pond in Hunan Province, China text January 2019
Microbial Functional Capacity Is Preserved Within Engineered Soil Formulations Used In Mine Site Restoration journal April 2017
Effect of Re-acidification on Buffalo Grass Rhizosphere and Bulk Microbial Communities During Phytostabilization of Metalliferous Mine Tailings journal May 2019
Soil Microbiome Dynamics During Pyritic Mine Tailing Phytostabilization: Understanding Microbial Bioindicators of Soil Acidification journal June 2019