Diversity of Eukaryotic Microorganisms in the Drainage Waters of a Coal Open-Cast Mine

Abstract

The composition of the microbiome of acid drainage water of a quarry used for the mining of brown coal was studied. The water had a pH of 5.15 and contained 1.4 g/L of sulfate. Unlike acid mine drainage associated with mining of sulfide ores, the content of iron and heavy metals was low. Molecular analysis of the microbial community was performed by high-throughput sequencing of the 18S and 16S rRNA gene fragments. Most eukaryotic sequences belonged to the fungal phylum Basidiomycota; members of the Chytridiomycota were also found. Basidiomycetes of the family Sporidiobolaceae were the predominant group, as was previously reported for acid mine drainage waters. Among the minor groups, protozoa (Alveolata and Amoebozoa) and green algae (Chlamydomonas) were found. The dominant group of prokaryotes was the genus Acidiphilium (Alphaproteobacteria); betaproteobacteria of the genera Sulfuriferula and Thiomonas were also found.