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GRK 1257:  Alteration and Element Mobility at the Microbe-mineral Interface

Subject Area Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
Water Research
Term from 2006 to 2015
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 968509
 
Final Report Year 2015

Final Report Abstract

The Research Training Group aimed to achieve a fundamental, mechanistic understanding of the coupling between microbial metabolism, chemical and physical reactions at mineral surfaces, and metal transport. It combined interfacultative research on the interactions of microorganisms with mineral surfaces and subsequent processes evolving from specific environmental conditions. In collaborative projects between the Earth sciences and microbial ecology, alteration and element mobility have been investigated to define microbially mediated processes relevant for sites influenced by acid mine drainage. Mobilization and immobilization have been initially characterized. From the results of the first funding period it became apparent that three different fields of microbe-mineral interactions have to be investigated in more detail. Thus, in the second funding period, microbially mediated conversion (bioconversion) focusing on microbial impact on iron and manganese (oxi)hydroxide transformations was studied. These, in turn, control heavy metal mobility and thus are involved in (bio)geochemical barrier formation relevant for formation of supergenic ore deposits. In the second field, mineral formation induced and controlled by microbial activity (biomineralization) was studied, including active and passive microbial contributions. Within the third field, abiotic versus biotic dissolution (biodissolution) processes were investigated. The detailed understanding of the underlying processes allowed the group to develop strategies that were applied at a test field site for microbially aided bioremediation of metal contaminated areas resulting from mining activities. The Research Training Group has had a strong impact on development of biogeosciences as a scientific focus in Jena. It has been, together with two International Research Schools, founding member of the “Jena School for Microbial Communication” which became an Excellence Graduate School in 2007. This school is the pilot school for the natural sciences within the Jena Graduate Academy, which is unifying doctoral training at the university level and providing support of coordinated doctoral training programmes for all faculties. Equal opportunities could be fostered by installing bodies from a vice-rectorate to a Faculty forum within the university. With 40 young researchers qualitifed in biogeosciences, the Research Training Group has contributed significantly to provide excellently trained scientists for a growing market in both industry and academia. The Research Training Group was central to the development of a curriculum in Biogeosciences in Jena reaching from the bachelor level through postdoctoral young scientists’ research. In order to aid the research focus, the study programmes Biogeosciences (BSc and MSc) and Microbiology (MSc, based on BSc Biology or BSc Biochemistry/Molecular Biology) have been installed. The national and international visibility of biogeosciences in Jena profited from the networking activities of doctoral researchers, which are performing a 3 months internship in international laboratories. The invitation of guest scientists provided a tool to strengthen international collaborations.

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