Microbial Ecology

Mines have been and are a source of wealth for provinces like Quebec. However, when a mine ceases to operate, groundwater  submerges the tunnels dug by man little by little. Mines closed during the 20th century are not subject to regulations and are often left as is. Microorganisms living in the groundwater that submerges the mine galleries, are a source of populations able to adapt to the new artificial aquatic environment that the mine has become.

 

We are therefore interested in the diversity and functions of microbial populations that live and have adapted in the water that submerged two old iron (Forsyth) and mica (Blackburn) mines in Quebec. We areinterested not only in the study of Bacteria and Archaea, but also in the study of eukaryotic microbes and viruses. This study is also carried out around the anthropological theme of the consequences of natural habitat destruction by humans.

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Project led by  Elise Lhoste

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Collaboration: PTO Exploration (team of technical divers, leader Kevin Brown)

                       Prof. Benoit Barbeau (UQAM)

                       Prof. Alison Derry (UQAM)

                       Prof. David Jaclin (University of Ottawa)