Bacterial Biomarkers of Marcellus Shale Activity in Pennsylvania

The goal of this study were to determine how hydraulic fracturing impacts bacteria in nearby streams by analyzing 16S rRNA data. Overall diversity and interactions among bacteria were examined to see how hydraulic fracturing may impact bacterial communities. Analysis was also done to identify pathways that were potentially enriched in streams near hydraulic fracturing and taxa that could be potential biomarkers for impacted streams. Therefore, this study generated data that increase our understanding of how hydraulic fracturing affects the surrounding environment.