The microbiology of acid sulfate soils and sulfidic sediments
Jacqueline L Stroud A and Mike Manefield B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Water Research Centre
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9385 5604
Fax: +61 2 9313 8624 469036
Email: jacstroud@gmail.com
B School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences
University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Microbiology Australia 35(4) 195-198 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA14063
Published: 30 October 2014
Abstract
Acid sulfate soils and their associated sulfidic sediments present a major hazard to sustainable farming, water security and urban infrastructure. Traditionally these soils are limed in order to neutralise the ‘leachate' that is a public health hazard and toxic to aquatic organisms. It may be more sustainable to exploit the soil microorganisms capable of sequestering metals to remediate these soils. Until recently, little was known about the microbial ecology of these environments. The soils have a moderately acidic (pH 4) chemistry and a unique ecosystem where the microbial community composition is correlated to bioaccessible metal concentrations. These environments have the potential to provide novel insights into how environmental conditions shape the microbiome that can be exploited for biotechnologies.
References
[1] Fitzpatrick, R.W. et al. (2008) Atlas of Australian acid sulfate soils. In: Inland Acid Sulfate Soil Systems Across Australia (Fitzpatrick, R. W. and Shand, P., eds) vol. 249, pp. 75–89. Perth, CRC LEME.[2] Burton, E.D. et al. (2006) Acid-volatile sulfide oxidation in coastal flood plain drains: iron−sulfur cycling and effects on water quality. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40, 1217–1222.
| Acid-volatile sulfide oxidation in coastal flood plain drains: iron−sulfur cycling and effects on water quality.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28Xlt1OgtQ%3D%3D&md5=e3f6b89515bf59c65cf142ff8253a99fCAS | 16572778PubMed |
[3] Collins, R.N. et al. (2010) Schwertmannite stability in acidified coastal environments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 74, 482–496.
| Schwertmannite stability in acidified coastal environments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhsFWmu73K&md5=bde750348504a6c67826f3cbb116dea3CAS |
[4] Burton, E.D. and Johnston, S.G. (2012) Impact of silica on the reductive transformation of schwertmannite and the mobilization of arsenic. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 96, 134–153.
| Impact of silica on the reductive transformation of schwertmannite and the mobilization of arsenic.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XhsV2jsrzL&md5=68153e3574371a7caf4989a621ae7824CAS |
[5] Stroud, J.L. et al. () Metal(loid) bioaccessibility dictates microbial community composition in acid sulfate soil horizons and sulfidic drain sediments. Environ. Sci. Technol., , .
[6] Lauber, C.L. et al. (2009) Pyrosequencing-based assessment of soil pH as a predictor of soil bacterial community structure at the continental scale. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75, 5111–5120.
| Pyrosequencing-based assessment of soil pH as a predictor of soil bacterial community structure at the continental scale.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhtVSgtrjJ&md5=67ea04b9c9a01e748192981392af7cf2CAS | 19502440PubMed |
[7] Baker, B.J. and Banfield, J.F. (2003) Microbial communities in acid mine drainage. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 44, 139–152.
| Microbial communities in acid mine drainage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXjtFWku7c%3D&md5=7c07d6d6d1fb8be38794ec4c39cabd45CAS | 19719632PubMed |
[8] Kuang, J.-L. et al. (2013) Contemporary environmental variation determines microbial diversity patterns in acid mine drainage. ISME J. 7, 1038–1050.
| 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXms1Wit7c%3D&md5=708cbd7c4f36959c4d5ca2319d95ffdaCAS | 23178673PubMed |
[9] Bonnefoy, V. and Holmes, D.S. (2012) Genomic insights into microbial iron oxidation and iron uptake strategies in extremely acidic environments. Environ. Microbiol. 14, 1597–1611.
| Genomic insights into microbial iron oxidation and iron uptake strategies in extremely acidic environments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38Xhtleht7%2FM&md5=2e7ce99659ed3a91152a3c346d7f6383CAS | 22050575PubMed |
[10] Trouwborst, R.E. et al. (2007) Biogeochemistry of Fe(II) oxidation in a photosynthetic microbial mat: implications for Precambrian Fe(II) oxidation. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 71, 4629–4643.
| Biogeochemistry of Fe(II) oxidation in a photosynthetic microbial mat: implications for Precambrian Fe(II) oxidation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXhtFyku7vJ&md5=8c6c51e9abb79eb549756e4f72e88e2dCAS |
[11] Weber, K.A. et al. (2006) Microorganisms pumping iron: anaerobic microbial iron oxidation and reduction. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 4, 752–764.
| Microorganisms pumping iron: anaerobic microbial iron oxidation and reduction.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XpsFOktLg%3D&md5=c1e86d695d47d392fb0a0adcf4b04760CAS | 16980937PubMed |
[12] Lovley, D.R. and Phillips, E.J. (1987) Competitive mechanisms for inhibition of sulfate reduction and methane production in the zone of ferric iron reduction in sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 53, 2636–2641.
| 1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXhvV2rtg%3D%3D&md5=dd5bb4858669edb15ec118a23c9fbb80CAS | 16347483PubMed |
[13] Küsel, K. (2003) Microbial cycling of iron and sulfur in acidic coal mining lake sediments. Water Air Soil Pollut. Focus 3, 67–90.
| Microbial cycling of iron and sulfur in acidic coal mining lake sediments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[14] Barton, L.L. and Fauque, G.D. (2009) Biochemistry, physiology and biotechnology of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Adv. Appl. Microbiol. 68, 41–98.
| Biochemistry, physiology and biotechnology of sulfate-reducing bacteria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXpsFeis7s%3D&md5=0897400abeee0a1d13f1dff1ca7f009fCAS | 19426853PubMed |
[15] Stroud, J.L. and Collins, R.N. (2014) Improved detection of coastal acid sulfate soil hotspots through biomonitoring of metal(loid) accumulation in water lilies (Nymphaea capensis). Sci. Total Environ. 487, 500–505.
| Improved detection of coastal acid sulfate soil hotspots through biomonitoring of metal(loid) accumulation in water lilies (Nymphaea capensis).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXosVWls7c%3D&md5=22804983fd5f4e5a65874742b6dff225CAS | 24805963PubMed |
[16] Beal, E.J. et al. (2009) Manganese- and iron-dependent marine methane oxidation. Science 325, 184–187.
| Manganese- and iron-dependent marine methane oxidation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXos1Srtr0%3D&md5=f9ffe8fd6f6d7efdbbda3c0922147751CAS | 19589998PubMed |
