Life in the Pit: Unique Biogeochemical Cycling in Highly Stratified, Metal Rich, Aquatic Environments

University Of Montana, Missoula MT

Investigators

Abstract

0120735 Holben More than a century of metal mining in the Northwest region of the U.S. has created numerous open water extreme environments with unusual metal and chemical composition. In addition to their status as Superfund sites, these environments also represent large-scale outdoor laboratories in which it is highly likely that unusual biogeochemical cycles and microbial metabolic strategies exist. We are requesting one year of funding through the SGER component of this program to facilitate development of a multidisciplinary, polyphasic approach that is generally applicable to resolving the chemical and biological components of biogeochemical cycling in a series of these extreme and unusual aquatic environments that vary in key biogeochemical parameters. Considering the unique nature of these environments, and the paucity of information on the biological component of the biogeochemical cycles, preliminary fundino, is necessary to develop appropriate sampling strategies, equipment and analytical techniques, assemble the requisite expertise, determine the key parameters to measure, and develop a model framework adequate for dealing with a suite of extreme aquatic environments proposed for future study. The requested year of funding will provide preliminary data, methodologies, and demonstration of feasibility that will allow us to prepare a full proposal for the 2002 Biocomplexity Program Call.