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Earth Sciences

Louisiana State University

2012

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The Distribution And Diversity Of Functional Gene Pathways Controlling Sulfur Speciation In Lower Kane Cave, Wyoming, Audrey Tarlton Paterson Jan 2012

The Distribution And Diversity Of Functional Gene Pathways Controlling Sulfur Speciation In Lower Kane Cave, Wyoming, Audrey Tarlton Paterson

LSU Master's Theses

Defining the linkages between microbial metabolic activity and environmental geochemistry can be used to understand how carbonate dissolution in sulfidic karst systems proceeds. In Lower Kane Cave, Wyoming, sulfidic springs support taxonomically distinct microbial communities that are also associated with putative sulfur metabolisms (e.g., oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds, sulfate reduction, and sulfur disproportionation) that influence carbonate dissolution. The distribution of diverse microbial groups in other terrestrial subsurface environments is not well understood, making Lower Kane Cave ideal for study. Molecular genetics techniques were used to uncover diversity of 16S rRNA genes and bacterial soxB and aprA functional genes. Aqueous …