Time-dependent variation in the anaerobic microbial community structure of an Alberta Oil Sands Tailings Pond as determined by 16S pyrosequencing

The microbial diversity in tailings pond hydrocarbon- and long-chain fatty acid degrading population was assessed using a barcoded 16S amplicon approach. Sample preparation with tailings pond samples were performed using sodium pyrophosphate buffer in certain samples to isolated large-sclae of DNA. DNA was isolated either using FastDNA Soil kit or Marmur's method without bead-beating. Little is known about the syntrophic organisms that initially attack hydrocarbons under methanogenic conditions, so this assessment will identify the key microbial players involved in methanogenic decomposition of hydrocarbons and related hydrocarbon compounds.