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Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-17T17:22:05Z

MichelleHuang.1: Final edits

== Summary ==
Extremophiles are interesting, dynamic microorganisms that populate different "extreme" environments. From a human preceptive, the very existence of these microorganism contradict our own survival adaptions. In particular, thermophiles are a sub-group of these microorganism that are able to live at high temperatures. One place thermophiles are often found is a key place of relaxation for humans - hot springs! Although, thermophiles can be found in hot springs across the world, this Wiki page is dedicated to understand the ecology and evolution behind thermophiles in the famous hot springs of the Canadian Rockies, a popular tourists destination that draws thousands of tourists within Canada and internationally each year.

== Statement of Connection / Why We Chose our Topic ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e., also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ortega-Villar|first=Rosangel|last2=Escalante|first2=Adelfo|last3=Astudillo-Melgar|first3=Fernando|last4=Lizárraga-Mendiola|first4=Liliana|last5=Vázquez-Rodríguez|first5=Gabriela A|last6=Hidalgo-Lara|first6=María Eugenia|last7=Coronel-Olivares|first7=Claudia|title=Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205571/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref> In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes but also a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Introduction to Thermophiles==
To understand the biology of thermophiles, it is important to understand the broader class of organisms they belong to - extremophiles. A extremophile is a organism that has the ability to survive in extreme (i.e., environments with high temperature and pressure) environments (e.g., a hydrothermal vent). Usually, extremophiles use special enzymes called "extremozymes" to allow them to function in these difficult environments. This enzyme's usage is a deep interest for modern human medicine and industrial practices making extremophile important creatures.<ref>{{Cite web|first=NOAA|title=What is an extremophile?|url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Thermophilic organisms in hot spring.jpg|thumb|Figure 1. Colonies of thermophilic organisms surrounding the edges of hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. ]]
Specifically, thermophiles thrive between 60 and 80 °C. Thermophiles that thrive optimally at > 80 °C are called hyperthermophiles. Their unique ability to withstand high heat makes them a prominent member in hot springs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gallo|first=Giovanni|last2=Imbimbo|first2=Paola|last3=Aulitto|first3=Martina|title=The Undeniable Potential of Thermophiles in Industrial Processes|url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/14/7685|journal=MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)}}</ref> Diving deeper, hot springs are usually created from the heating up of discharged groundwater by (1) intrusions of magma in volcanic areas or (2) convective circulation (i.e., this results from the movement of the groundwater to depths within the 10 km with high temperature).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=Britannica|title=hot spring|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring#ref1123367|url-status=live}}</ref> Thermophilic usually contribute back to these hot springs by adding in color. The growth of thermophilic organisms happens in colonies called mats creating the colorful color on the slides of the hot springs (Figure 1). The focus of this project will be on the Banff Upper Hot Springs located in Banff National Park with additional information on the Miette Hot Springs located in Jasper.

Notably, the ability of thermophilic organisms to survive extreme temperature can be attributed to several adaptions for heat tolerance: (1) the permeability of their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane, (2) the chemical stability of their membrane lipids, (3) their lipids are able to increase in proportion to the increase in their environment's temperature, (4) more GC base pairs allows for more hydrogen bonds, thus this improves the thermostability of their RNA molecules, and (5) more non-polar amino acids allows for a increased number of their intramolecular salt bridges.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Mehta|first=Ridhi|last2=Singhal|first2=Paavan|last3=Singh|first3=Hardeep|last4=Damle|first4=Dhanashree|last5=Sharma|first5=Anil K|title=Insight into thermophiles and their wide-spectrum applications|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4764608/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref>

==Geology of the Canadian Rockies: Hot Springs Edition ==
Originally, Canada was formed from the Laurentia Craton. This craton makes up the core of the North America and with extensions all the way to eastern B.C.; today, most of the rock in the craton is covered by newer, younger rock in our province of interest - Alberta.

Alberta's Rocky Mountains are a key geological feature of the southwestern border of the province. These mountains first begun their formation around 200 Ma in the Mesozoic Era. Specifically, formation happened during the Jurassic period when the small continents that represent modern-day interior B.C. and Yukon begun to collied with the west coast of North America. This collision thrusted the sedimentary rock inland and up to start the formation of the Rocky Mountains.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Physical Geology - 2nd Edition|last=Earle|first=Steve|publisher=BCcampus|year=09/2019|pages=644 - 678}}</ref>
[[File:Bow Valley & River, Banff, Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain.jpg|thumb|Figure 2. A picture of the Bow Valley and River. The mountains in the picture are Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain. ]]
These mountains are the considered the backdrop to the geothermal origins of the hot springs located in Banff and Jasper. The Miette Hot Springs are located in the Foreland Belt. Notably, the spring waters in Miette are considered the hottest in all of the Canadian Rockies with an average temperature of 51 °C.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Alternatively, the Banff Hot Springs lie within the Bow Valley Corridor<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Yonge|first=Charles|last2=Lowe|first2=D.J.|title=Hydrogeology of the Banff Hot Springs, Banff National Park, Canada: A karst perspective|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320553179_Hydrogeology_of_the_Banff_Hot_Springs_Banff_National_Park_Canada_A_karst_perspective#read|journal=Cave and Karst Science}}</ref> (Figure 2) with the majority of hot springs associated with the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault and related fracture systems moving the groundwater through the bracketing limestone and dolostone.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Grasby|first=Stephen E.|title=Physical and chemical properties of the Sulphur
Mountain thermal springs, Banff National Park,
and implications for endangered snails|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237169063_Physical_and_chemical_properties_of_the_Sulphur_Mountain_thermal_springs_Banff_National_Park_and_implications_for_endangered_snails|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Since the Canadian Rockies has complex tectonic activity with multiple faults and fractures, these geological features allow for the percolation of water into the Earth's crust. After the water is heated by the geothermal gradient, the water will rise back to the surface with added minerals from the deep rocks. Usually, water temperature in the hot springs is around 47 °C<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Thompson|first=Matthew|title=The Mineral Composition and Health Benefits of Banff’s Hot Springs|url=https://banffscience.ca/2024/05/13/the-mineral-composition-and-health-benefits-of-banffs-hot-springs/|url-status=live}}</ref>, but water discharge can led to temperatures as high as 67 °C. The discharge zone of the hot springs is likely controlled by the thrust faults in the area with the outlets in the area allowing for high permeability zones in the area to define the flow path, depth of circulation, and the spatial distribution of the input of the fluid from the rocks.<ref name=":1" /> Additionally, the recharge zone is hypothesized as nearby groundwater route with a openness to the lateral faults in the area.<ref name=":0" />

This is the geological backdrop provides the foundation upon which thermophilic ecosystems exist. The mountain building in the region creates the structural architecture of the region, the groundwater circulation transports heat and dissolved minerals, and geothermal processes generated the environmental conditions necessary for thermophile survival providing an explicit link between nature and their organisms.

==Microbial Ecology==
The unique geology of hot springs in Banff and Jasper are able to support a diverse microbial ecosystems dominated by thermophilic bacteria and archaea. These microorganisms are able to form complex communities whose composition is strongly influenced by geological factors (e.g., temperature, mineral content, water chemistry, and groundwater flow patterns).

=== Miette Hot Springs at Jasper National Park ===
[[File:Phormidium.jpg|thumb|Figure 3. This is an example of what ''Phormidium'' looks like in the wild. The bright blue-green color is the color that is seen when the microorganism is present in the water. ]]
At the Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park, the mineral-rich water allow for the presence of a diverse microbiota, including thermophilic organisms. Usually, the mineral deposits in the water consist of calcite and opaline silicia with residents in the microbes a key influence in mineral precipitation. The water chemistry of the Miette Hot Springs is defined as consistent in both the short- and long-term when chemical analysis is preformed on the waters. Usually, the spring waters have high concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, and iodine ions derived from the dissolution of the shale in the surrounding mountains. While the Na+/K+ ratio is lower compared to other springs in the Rocky Mountain, the high I–/Cl– ratio indicates a exchange with marine sediments (e.g., fossiliferous limestone) is happening. There is also trace metal of strontium detected in the hot springs likely also from the fossiliferous limestone. Within in these mineral-rich waters, several different microbial communities make the hot springs. their home. Notably, in the summertime, the microbial assemblage is dominated by thermotolerant cyanobacteria belong with either the genera of ''Oscillatoria'' or ''Phormidium'' (Figure 3) and by diatoms. While ''Oscillatoria'' are know for their ability of tolerate sulphur, ''Phormidium'' are both thermophilic and alkalophilic (i.e., microorganisms that thrive in environments with pH values > 8). This species is able to tolerate temperature up to 50 °C and pH values ranging from 6.0 to 8.6.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|last2=Jones|first2=Brian|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?guestAccessKey=|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>

=== '''Banff Springs at Sulphur Mountain''' ===
The hot spring system in Banff is made up of three groups of sulfur spring (i.e., Upper Hot Spring, Middle Springs, and Cave and Basin). As mention in previous sections, these groups of hot springs lie on the Sulphur Mountain thrust in progressively lower elevation towards the Bow Valley. These springs are populated by carbonate rock with high calcium concentrations and high hydrogen sulfide levels. Cooler compared to the hot springs located in Jasper, the surface temperature of the springs usually reach an average of 36 °C across all seasons. Within the waters of the springs, there are thick bacterial mats on the rocks, branches, and sediments in the streams. When observing the mats present in the springs, there is a diverse group of eukaryotic and prokaryotic phototrophs. Similar to the Miette Hot Springs, ''Phormidium'' and ''Oscillatoria'' are present. Additionally, the presence of ''Spirualina'', PNSB (Purple Non-Sulfer Bacteria), and AAP (Aerobic Anoxygenic) bacteria make up the rest of the cyanobacteria and phototrophic bacteria that have exhibited thermotolerance.

== Microbial Evolution ==
Organisms require proteins and ribosomes to carry out cell function. These proteins are designed to function optimally at, or near, organism body temperature. At high temperatures, interactions between molecules in these protein and ribosomes start to deteriorate and the proteins become ineffective and permanently damaged. For other bacteria, this denaturation can happen around 45 °C to 55 °C<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lepock|first=J R|date=October 1995|title=Thermal analysis of bacteria by differential scanning calorimetry: relationship of protein denaturation in situ to maximum growth temperature|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2121283/|journal=Biochem Biophys Acta.}}</ref>. Hot spring water is around 47 °C on average and can be up to 61 °C<ref name=":3" />. These temperature would likely cause denaturation or great inefficiency in protein activity in bacteria, yet thermophiles are able to thrive. If non-adapted bacteria were to be put into similar conditions, they would likely struggle heavily or even die out due to the extreme heat.

=== Structural and Chemical Adaptions ===
[[File:Thermophile bacteria.jpg|thumb|Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph (A, B) and transmission electron micrograph (C, D) images of the thermophilic bacteria: ''Pyrolobus fumari.'']]
Research indicates that, on average, the optimal temperature for many thermophile species fluctuates around 100 °C<ref name=":2" />. This is roughly double the expected denaturation range for bacterial proteins which demonstrates how thermophiles have been able to adapt to better suit their conditions. Thermophiles are able to deal with these temperatures in a multitude of ways. Thermophiles change their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane permeability based on temperature<ref name=":2" />. This alters the flow of smaller molecules which helps regulate and maintain optimal temperature for protein activity. The lipid membranes also are very stable due to their chemical composition. Without stable conformations, chemical interactions would fall apart at the extreme temperatures the membranes are exposed to. They also can change which lipid types are prevalent based on temperature. At higher temperatures, cyclic archaeol-based lipids become more abundant in the membrane where as at lower temperatures, diether lipids make up a greater portion of the membrane<ref name=":2" />. Another observed difference is in their DNA structure. There is a greater amount of G-C bonds in thermophilic bacteria which allows them to resist denaturation. Guanine and cytosine are the stronger of the two base pairs. This is because adenine and thymine for two hydrogen bonds between them whereas guanine and thymine share three hydrogen bonds between them. This greater number of interactions helps hold them together in the face of extreme heat. Another coding-related strategy in thermophile proteins is that they have increased number of polar amino acids on their surface in order to increase salt-bridge interactions in order to increase bonding strength and chemical interactions.

== Thermophile Impacts ==

=== Impact on Hot Springs ===
[[File:00 0346 Sinter terraces - Yellowstone-Nationalpark.jpg|thumb|Figure 5. Sinter deposits in Yellowstone National Park]]
Thermophiles can form dense and layered mats in hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thermophilic Bacteria|url=https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/thermophilic-bacteria.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>. These mats can form a variety of colours including: greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. Thermophiles, in the process of metabolizing sulfur, release sulphuric acid which plays a massive role in the pH balancing of hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Some like it hot! Studying thermophiles in Yellowstone National Park|url=https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/some-it-hot-studying-thermophiles-yellowstone-national-park|url-status=live}}</ref>. As they breakdown sulfur, they increase the acidity of the hot springs. This acidity can break down surrounding rock into wet clay and mud causing murkiness in the hot springs. These microbes also provide a template for crystal nucleation. As layers build up over time, they can form hard rock deposits known as sinter. Thermophiles produce silicious sinter. This process perfectly preserves the shapes of the microorganisms in the rock, leaving behind biosignatures that can last for thousands of years<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=Brian|last2=Renaut|first2=Robin W.|date=January 1996|title=Influence of thermophilic bacteria on calcite and silica precipitation in hot springs with water temperatures above 90 °C: evidence from Kenya and New Zealand|url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/e96-008|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>.

=== Impact on Humanity ===

==== Negative impact ====
Like most bacteria, thermophiles are non-pathogenic. They won't cause illness so contact and interaction with these bacteria will not have an impact on health. However, thermophilic bacteria can be linked to food spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ashton|first=D H|date=February 1981|title=Thermophilic Organisms Involved in Food Spoilage: Thermophilic Anaerobes not Producing Hydrogen Sulfide|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30836542/|journal=J Food Prot.}}</ref>. Like the thermophiles themselves, thermophile spores are incredibly heat resistant. So, attempts to heat up food products to kill bacteria that may be present prior to packaging may not be effective due to the heat resistant nature of the spores. This can cause food to spoil. This is also common in milk production. ''Bacillus'' and ''Thermus'' species of thermophiles often survive pasteurization processes. If the milk isn't kept cool, this can allow these bacteria to operate at more optimal levels which can lead to spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=André|first=S.|last2=Zuber|first2=F.|last3=Remize|first3=F.|date=July 2013|title=Thermophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from spoiled canned food and their heat resistance. Results of a French ten-year survey|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160513002055|journal=International Journal of Food Microbiology|volume=165}}</ref>.

==== Positive impact ====
Thermophilic bacteria have also contributed to developments in molecular biology. Thermophile enzymes have been instrumental in DNA sequence replication. Due to the conditions of hot springs, enzymes had to function optimally at extreme temperatures. These enzymes are used in the process known as polymerase chain reaction<ref>{{Cite web|title=Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Fact Sheet|url=https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Polymerase-Chain-Reaction-Fact-Sheet|url-status=live}}</ref>. PCR requires high heat in order to separate strands of DNA. An enzyme known as Taq polymerase, which comes from the thermophile ''Thermus aquaticus'', is added in order to bind to now opened strands of DNA and replicate certain sequences. Without the adaptations in enzymes of thermophiles, this process would not be able to be done as it is.

== Threats and Conservation ==
[[File:Cave and Basin National Historic Site.jpg|thumb|Figure 6. The Cave and Basin National Historic Site. The hot springs here are preserved and inaccessible to entering in order to preserve the fragile ecosystem that is housed here.]]
Although thermophiles are adapted to extreme environments, they remain vulnerable to environmental disturbance and habitat alteration. Changes in groundwater flow, mineral chemistry, water temperature, and spring discharge can alter microbial community composition and ecosystem functioning. Because many thermophilic species occupy highly specialized ecological niches, even relatively small environmental changes may affect their survival and distribution. Human activities can also threaten hot spring ecosystems through tourism, infrastructure development, habitat modification, and contamination of thermal waters. Human pollutants such as sunscreen and soaps can affect the chemical composition of hot springs affecting not only the hot spring itself, but also the microbiome that resides in it. Disturbances that alter water flow or introduce pollutants may disrupt the physical and chemical conditions upon which thermophilic communities depend.

Climate change represents an additional long-term concern because changing precipitation patterns, declining snowpack, and altered groundwater recharge may influence the hydrological systems that sustain hot springs. Since thermophilic communities are closely linked to stable temperature and chemical conditions, environmental change may have cascading effects on microbial diversity and ecosystem processes<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Marzban|first=G.|last2=Tesei|first2=D.|date=April 2025|title=The Extremophiles: Adaptation Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications|url=https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/4/412|journal=Biology}}</ref>. Protecting hot spring ecosystems therefore requires an understanding of both geological and biological processes. Conservation efforts should recognize that microbial communities represent an important component of biodiversity, contribute to ecosystem functioning, and possess substantial scientific value for research in evolution, biotechnology, and astrobiology.

== Conclusion / Your Evaluation of Connections ==
Thermophiles have been shaped by their habitat. The hot spring conditions have caused fundamental changes in the way these bacteria exist. These changes go down to the DNA base pair level which are ultimately caused by the abiotic conditions of the hot springs. Hot springs have cultivated species of bacteria that have evolved separately from bacteria not exposed to extreme heat.

=== Local Connection ===
There are roughly 100 hot springs in British Columbia each housing its on thermophile culture<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hot springs of B.C.|url=https://www.hotspringsofbc.com/springs/?page=1|url-status=live}}</ref>. British Columbia accounts for a majority of Canada's hot springs due to its highly active tectonic and geological history. The provincial government of British Columbia has taken efforts into preserving and tending to hot springs in order to protect the ecosystem that surrounds them<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ram Creek Ecological Reserve|url=https://bcparks.ca/ram-creek-ecological-reserve/|url-status=live}}</ref>. This work is important as it helps maintain thermophile groups which can be susceptible to human interference.

=== Connection Between Geography and Biology ===
Geography is a direct and influential factor on biology. Developmental biology heavily relies on geological conditions. Adaptations and evolution happen due to the conditions that organisms live through. A major contributor to that is the habitat organisms live in. Thermophiles have evolved in such a way so that they are able to live in the conditions created by hot springs. On the other hand, biology also influences geology. Development of coal and limestone are the result of millions of years of compressed biological remains. Biological activity, such as the roots of plants, can also contribute to geological effects such as weathering.

=== Looking Forward ===
Thermophiles will continue to be important in our understanding and development. Thermophiles have been and will continue to be used as a biological indicator of climate change's effects on ecosystems<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cantonati|first=Marco|date=October 2024|title=Has climate change over the last ten years caused a banalisation of diatom communities in Cypriot streams?|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724046436|journal=Science of The Total Environment|volume=947}}</ref>. They continue to be a useful tool in helping us modify and amplify genetic code which has been an incredibly useful tool in our understanding of genomes. There are and will continue to be many useful applications of heat-resistant enzymes.

==References==
<references />
[[Category:EOSC311]]

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-17T05:11:43Z

MichelleHuang.1: Summary section editing

== Summary ==
Extremophiles are interesting, dynamic microorganisms that populate different "extreme" environments. From a human preceptive, the very existence of these microorganism contradict our own survival adaptions. In particular, thermophiles are a sub-group of these microorganism that are able to live at high temperatures. One place thermophiles are often found are a key place of relaxation for humans - hot springs! Although, thermophiles can be found in hot springs across the world, this Wiki page is dedicated to understand the ecology and evolution behind thermophiles in the famous hot springs of the Canadian Rockies, a popular tourists destination that draws millions of tourists within Canada and internationally.

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e., also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ortega-Villar|first=Rosangel|last2=Escalante|first2=Adelfo|last3=Astudillo-Melgar|first3=Fernando|last4=Lizárraga-Mendiola|first4=Liliana|last5=Vázquez-Rodríguez|first5=Gabriela A|last6=Hidalgo-Lara|first6=María Eugenia|last7=Coronel-Olivares|first7=Claudia|title=Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205571/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref> In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes but also a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Introduction to Thermophiles==
To understand the biology of thermophiles, it is important to understand the broader class of organisms they belong to - extremophiles. A extremophile is a organism that has the ability to survive in extreme (i.e., environments with high temperature and pressure) environments (e.g., a hydrothermal vent). Usually, extremophiles use special enzymes called "extremozymes" to allow them to function in these difficult environments. This enzyme's usage is a deep interest for modern human medicine and industrial practices making extremophile important creatures.<ref>{{Cite web|first=NOAA|title=What is an extremophile?|url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Thermophilic organisms in hot spring.jpg|thumb|Figure 1. Colonies of thermophilic organisms surrounding the edges of hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. ]]
Specifically, thermophiles thrive between 60 and 80 °C. Thermophiles that thrive optimally at > 80 °C are called hyperthermophiles. Their unique ability to withstand high heat makes them a prominent member in hot springs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gallo|first=Giovanni|last2=Imbimbo|first2=Paola|last3=Aulitto|first3=Martina|title=The Undeniable Potential of Thermophiles in Industrial Processes|url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/14/7685|journal=MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)}}</ref> Diving deeper, hot springs are usually created from the heating up of discharged groundwater by (1) intrusions of magma in volcanic areas or (2) convective circulation (i.e., this results from the movement of the groundwater to depths within the 10 km with high temperature).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=Britannica|title=hot spring|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring#ref1123367|url-status=live}}</ref> Thermophilic usually contribute back to these hot springs by adding in color. The growth of thermophilic organisms happens in colonies called mats creating the colorful color on the slides of the hot springs (Figure 1). The focus of this project will be on the Banff Upper Hot Springs located in Banff National Park with additional information on the Miette Hot Springs located in Jasper.

Notably, the ability of thermophilic organisms to survive extreme temperature can be attributed to several adaptions for heat tolerance: (1) the permeability of their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane, (2) the chemical stability of their membrane lipids, (3) their lipids are able to increase in proportion to the increase in their environment's temperature, (4) more GC base pairs allows for more hydrogen bonds, thus this improves the thermostability of their RNA molecules, and (5) more non-polar amino acids allows for a increased number of their intramolecular salt bridges.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Mehta|first=Ridhi|last2=Singhal|first2=Paavan|last3=Singh|first3=Hardeep|last4=Damle|first4=Dhanashree|last5=Sharma|first5=Anil K|title=Insight into thermophiles and their wide-spectrum applications|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4764608/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref>

==Geology of the Canadian Rockies: Hot Springs Edition ==
Originally, Canada was formed from the Laurentia Craton. This craton makes up the core of the North America and with extensions all the way to eastern B.C.; today, most of the rock in the craton is covered by newer, younger rock in our province of interest - Alberta.

Alberta's Rocky Mountains are a key geological feature of the southwestern border of the province. These mountains first begun their formation around 200 Ma in the Mesozoic Era. Specifically, formation happened during the Jurassic period when the small continents that represent modern-day interior B.C. and Yukon begun to collied with the west coast of North America. This collision thrusted the sedimentary rock inland and up to start the formation of the Rocky Mountains.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Physical Geology - 2nd Edition|last=Earle|first=Steve|publisher=BCcampus|year=09/2019|pages=644 - 678}}</ref>
[[File:Bow Valley & River, Banff, Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain.jpg|thumb|Figure 2. A picture of the Bow Valley and River. The mountains in the picture are Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain. ]]
These mountains are the considered the backdrop to the geothermal origins of the hot springs located in Banff and Jasper. The Miette Hot Springs are located in the Foreland Belt. Notably, the spring waters in Miette are considered the hottest in all of the Canadian Rockies with an average temperature of 51 °C.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Alternatively, the Banff Hot Springs lie within the Bow Valley Corridor<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Yonge|first=Charles|last2=Lowe|first2=D.J.|title=Hydrogeology of the Banff Hot Springs, Banff National Park, Canada: A karst perspective|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320553179_Hydrogeology_of_the_Banff_Hot_Springs_Banff_National_Park_Canada_A_karst_perspective#read|journal=Cave and Karst Science}}</ref> (Figure 2) with the majority of hot springs associated with the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault and related fracture systems moving the groundwater through the bracketing limestone and dolostone.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Grasby|first=Stephen E.|title=Physical and chemical properties of the Sulphur
Mountain thermal springs, Banff National Park,
and implications for endangered snails|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237169063_Physical_and_chemical_properties_of_the_Sulphur_Mountain_thermal_springs_Banff_National_Park_and_implications_for_endangered_snails|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Since the Canadian Rockies has complex tectonic activity with multiple faults and fractures, these geological features allow for the percolation of water into the Earth's crust. After the water is heated by the geothermal gradient, the water will rise back to the surface with added minerals from the deep rocks. Usually, water temperature in the hot springs is around 47 °C<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Thompson|first=Matthew|title=The Mineral Composition and Health Benefits of Banff’s Hot Springs|url=https://banffscience.ca/2024/05/13/the-mineral-composition-and-health-benefits-of-banffs-hot-springs/|url-status=live}}</ref>, but water discharge can led to temperatures as high as 67 °C. The discharge zone of the hot springs is likely controlled by the thrust faults in the area with the outlets in the area allowing for high permeability zones in the area to define the flow path, depth of circulation, and the spatial distribution of the input of the fluid from the rocks.<ref name=":1" /> Additionally, the recharge zone is hypothesized as nearby groundwater route with a openness to the lateral faults in the area.<ref name=":0" />

This is the geological backdrop provides the foundation upon which thermophilic ecosystems exist. The mountain building in the region creates the structural architecture of the region, the groundwater circulation transports heat and dissolved minerals, and geothermal processes generated the environmental conditions necessary for thermophile survival providing an explicit link between nature and their organisms.

==Microbial Ecology==
The unique geology of hot springs in Banff and Jasper are able to support a diverse microbial ecosystems dominated by thermophilic bacteria and archaea. These microorganisms are able to form complex communities whose composition is strongly influenced by geological factors (e.g., temperature, mineral content, water chemistry, and groundwater flow patterns).

=== Miette Hot Springs at Jasper National Park ===
[[File:Phormidium.jpg|thumb|Figure 3. This is an example of what ''Phormidium'' looks like in the wild. The bright blue-green color is the color that is seen when the microorganism is present in the water. ]]
At the Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park, the mineral-rich water allow for the presence of a diverse microbiota, including thermophilic organisms. Usually, the mineral deposits in the water consist of calcite and opaline silicia with residents in the microbes a key influence in mineral precipitation. The water chemistry of the Miette Hot Springs is defined as consistent in both the short- and long-term when chemical analysis is preformed on the waters. Usually, the spring waters have high concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, and iodine ions derived from the dissolution of the shale in the surrounding mountains. While the Na+/K+ ratio is lower compared to other springs in the Rocky Mountain, the high I–/Cl– ratio indicates a exchange with marine sediments (e.g., fossiliferous limestone) is happening. There is also trace metal of strontium detected in the hot springs likely also from the fossiliferous limestone. Within in these mineral-rich waters, several different microbial communities make the hot springs. their home. Notably, in the summertime, the microbial assemblage is dominated by thermotolerant cyanobacteria belong with either the genera of ''Oscillatoria'' or ''Phormidium'' (Figure 3) and by diatoms. While ''Oscillatoria'' are know for their ability of tolerate sulphur, ''Phormidium'' are both thermophilic and alkalophilic (i.e., microorganisms that thrive in environments with pH values > 8). This species is able to tolerate temperature up to 50 °C and pH values ranging from 6.0 to 8.6.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|last2=Jones|first2=Brian|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?guestAccessKey=|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>

=== '''Banff Springs at Sulphur Mountain''' ===
The hot spring system in Banff is made up of three groups of sulfur spring (i.e., Upper Hot Spring, Middle Springs, and Cave and Basin). As mention in previous sections, these groups of hot springs lie on the Sulphur Mountain thrust in progressively lower elevation towards the Bow Valley. These springs are populated by carbonate rock with high calcium concentrations and high hydrogen sulfide levels. Cooler compared to the hot springs located in Jasper, the surface temperature of the springs usually reach an average of 36 °C across all seasons. Within the waters of the springs, there are thick bacterial mats on the rocks, branches, and sediments in the streams. When observing the mats present in the springs, there is a diverse group of eukaryotic and prokaryotic phototrophs. Similar to the Miette Hot Springs, ''Phormidium'' and ''Oscillatoria'' are present. Additionally, the presence of ''Spirualina'', PNSB (Purple Non-Sulfer Bacteria), and AAP (Aerobic Anoxygenic) bacteria make up the rest of the cyanobacteria and phototrophic bacteria that have exhibited thermotolerance.

== Microbial Evolution ==
Organisms require proteins and ribosomes to carry out cell function. These proteins are designed to function optimally at, or near, organism body temperature. At high temperatures, interactions between molecules in these protein and ribosomes start to deteriorate and the proteins become ineffective and permanently damaged. For other bacteria, this denaturation can happen around 45 °C to 55 °C<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lepock|first=J R|date=October 1995|title=Thermal analysis of bacteria by differential scanning calorimetry: relationship of protein denaturation in situ to maximum growth temperature|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2121283/|journal=Biochem Biophys Acta.}}</ref>. Hot spring water is around 47 °C on average and can be up to 61 °C<ref name=":3" />. These temperature would likely cause denaturation or great inefficiency in protein activity in bacteria, yet thermophiles are able to thrive. If non-adapted bacteria were to be put into similar conditions, they would likely struggle heavily or even die out due to the extreme heat.

=== Structural and Chemical Adaptions ===
[[File:Thermophile bacteria.jpg|thumb|Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph (A, B) and transmission electron micrograph (C, D) images of the thermophilic bacteria: ''Pyrolobus fumari.'']]
Research indicates that, on average, the optimal temperature for many thermophile species fluctuates around 100 °C<ref name=":2" />. This is roughly double the expected denaturation range for bacterial proteins which demonstrates how thermophiles have been able to adapt to better suit their conditions. Thermophiles are able to deal with these temperatures in a multitude of ways. Thermophiles change their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane permeability based on temperature<ref name=":2" />. This alters the flow of smaller molecules which helps regulate and maintain optimal temperature for protein activity. The lipid membranes also are very stable due to their chemical composition. Without stable conformations, chemical interactions would fall apart at the extreme temperatures the membranes are exposed to. They also can change which lipid types are prevalent based on temperature. At higher temperatures, cyclic archaeol-based lipids become more abundant in the membrane where as at lower temperatures, diether lipids make up a greater portion of the membrane<ref name=":2" />. Another observed difference is in their DNA structure. There is a greater amount of G-C bonds in thermophilic bacteria which allows them to resist denaturation. Guanine and cytosine are the stronger of the two base pairs. This is because adenine and thymine for two hydrogen bonds between them whereas guanine and thymine share three hydrogen bonds between them. This greater number of interactions helps hold them together in the face of extreme heat. Another coding-related strategy in thermophile proteins is that they have increased number of polar amino acids on their surface in order to increase salt-bridge interactions in order to increase bonding strength and chemical interactions.

== Thermophile Impacts ==

=== Impact on Hot Springs ===
[[File:00 0346 Sinter terraces - Yellowstone-Nationalpark.jpg|thumb|Figure 5. Sinter deposits in Yellowstone National Park]]
Thermophiles can form dense and layered mats in hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thermophilic Bacteria|url=https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/thermophilic-bacteria.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>. These mats can form a variety of colours including: greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. Thermophiles, in the process of metabolizing sulfur, release sulphuric acid which plays a massive role in the pH balancing of hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Some like it hot! Studying thermophiles in Yellowstone National Park|url=https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/some-it-hot-studying-thermophiles-yellowstone-national-park|url-status=live}}</ref>. As they breakdown sulfur, they increase the acidity of the hot springs. This acidity can break down surrounding rock into wet clay and mud causing murkiness in the hot springs. These microbes also provide a template for crystal nucleation. As layers build up over time, they can form hard rock deposits known as sinter. Thermophiles produce silicious sinter. This process perfectly preserves the shapes of the microorganisms in the rock, leaving behind biosignatures that can last for thousands of years<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=Brian|last2=Renaut|first2=Robin W.|date=January 1996|title=Influence of thermophilic bacteria on calcite and silica precipitation in hot springs with water temperatures above 90 °C: evidence from Kenya and New Zealand|url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/e96-008|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>.

=== Impact on Humanity ===

==== Negative impact ====
Like most bacteria, thermophiles are non-pathogenic. They won't cause illness so contact and interaction with these bacteria will not have an impact on health. However, thermophilic bacteria can be linked to food spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ashton|first=D H|date=February 1981|title=Thermophilic Organisms Involved in Food Spoilage: Thermophilic Anaerobes not Producing Hydrogen Sulfide|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30836542/|journal=J Food Prot.}}</ref>. Like the thermophiles themselves, thermophile spores are incredibly heat resistant. So, attempts to heat up food products to kill bacteria that may be present prior to packaging may not be effective due to the heat resistant nature of the spores. This can cause food to spoil. This is also common in milk production. ''Bacillus'' and ''Thermus'' species of thermophiles often survive pasteurization processes. If the milk isn't kept cool, this can allow these bacteria to operate at more optimal levels which can lead to spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=André|first=S.|last2=Zuber|first2=F.|last3=Remize|first3=F.|date=July 2013|title=Thermophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from spoiled canned food and their heat resistance. Results of a French ten-year survey|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160513002055|journal=International Journal of Food Microbiology|volume=165}}</ref>.

==== Positive impact ====
Thermophilic bacteria have also contributed to developments in molecular biology. Thermophile enzymes have been instrumental in DNA sequence replication. Due to the conditions of hot springs, enzymes had to function optimally at extreme temperatures. These enzymes are used in the process known as polymerase chain reaction<ref>{{Cite web|title=Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Fact Sheet|url=https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Polymerase-Chain-Reaction-Fact-Sheet|url-status=live}}</ref>. PCR requires high heat in order to separate strands of DNA. An enzyme known as Taq polymerase, which comes from the thermophile ''Thermus aquaticus'', is added in order to bind to now opened strands of DNA and replicate certain sequences. Without the adaptations in enzymes of thermophiles, this process would not be able to be done as it is.

== Threats and Conservation ==
[[File:Cave and Basin National Historic Site.jpg|thumb|Figure 6. The Cave and Basin National Historic Site. The hot springs here are preserved and inaccessible to entering in order to preserve the fragile ecosystem that is housed here.]]
Although thermophiles are adapted to extreme environments, they remain vulnerable to environmental disturbance and habitat alteration. Changes in groundwater flow, mineral chemistry, water temperature, and spring discharge can alter microbial community composition and ecosystem functioning. Because many thermophilic species occupy highly specialized ecological niches, even relatively small environmental changes may affect their survival and distribution. Human activities can also threaten hot spring ecosystems through tourism, infrastructure development, habitat modification, and contamination of thermal waters. Human pollutants such as sunscreen and soaps can affect the chemical composition of hot springs affecting not only the hot spring itself, but also the microbiome that resides in it. Disturbances that alter water flow or introduce pollutants may disrupt the physical and chemical conditions upon which thermophilic communities depend.

Climate change represents an additional long-term concern because changing precipitation patterns, declining snowpack, and altered groundwater recharge may influence the hydrological systems that sustain hot springs. Since thermophilic communities are closely linked to stable temperature and chemical conditions, environmental change may have cascading effects on microbial diversity and ecosystem processes<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Marzban|first=G.|last2=Tesei|first2=D.|date=April 2025|title=The Extremophiles: Adaptation Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications|url=https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/4/412|journal=Biology}}</ref>. Protecting hot spring ecosystems therefore requires an understanding of both geological and biological processes. Conservation efforts should recognize that microbial communities represent an important component of biodiversity, contribute to ecosystem functioning, and possess substantial scientific value for research in evolution, biotechnology, and astrobiology.

== Conclusion / Your Evaluation of Connections ==
'''[additional section based on last year's projects]'''

==References==
<references />[citations in APA]
[[Category:EOSC311]]

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-17T04:58:44Z

MichelleHuang.1: Added "Summary"

== Summary ==
Extremophiles are interesting, dynamic microorganisms that populate different "extreme" environments. From a human preceptive, the very existence of these microorganism contradict our own survival adaptions. Thus, this Wiki page seeks to understand the ecology and evolution behind a specific type of extremophile, thermophiles, and their impact of in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies, a popular tourists destination that draws millions of tourists within and internationally.

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e., also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ortega-Villar|first=Rosangel|last2=Escalante|first2=Adelfo|last3=Astudillo-Melgar|first3=Fernando|last4=Lizárraga-Mendiola|first4=Liliana|last5=Vázquez-Rodríguez|first5=Gabriela A|last6=Hidalgo-Lara|first6=María Eugenia|last7=Coronel-Olivares|first7=Claudia|title=Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205571/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref> In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes but also a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Introduction to Thermophiles==
To understand the biology of thermophiles, it is important to understand the broader class of organisms they belong to - extremophiles. A extremophile is a organism that has the ability to survive in extreme (i.e., environments with high temperature and pressure) environments (e.g., a hydrothermal vent). Usually, extremophiles use special enzymes called "extremozymes" to allow them to function in these difficult environments. This enzyme's usage is a deep interest for modern human medicine and industrial practices making extremophile important creatures.<ref>{{Cite web|first=NOAA|title=What is an extremophile?|url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Thermophilic organisms in hot spring.jpg|thumb|Figure 1. Colonies of thermophilic organisms surrounding the edges of hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. ]]
Specifically, thermophiles thrive between 60 and 80 °C. Thermophiles that thrive optimally at > 80 °C are called hyperthermophiles. Their unique ability to withstand high heat makes them a prominent member in hot springs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gallo|first=Giovanni|last2=Imbimbo|first2=Paola|last3=Aulitto|first3=Martina|title=The Undeniable Potential of Thermophiles in Industrial Processes|url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/14/7685|journal=MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)}}</ref> Diving deeper, hot springs are usually created from the heating up of discharged groundwater by (1) intrusions of magma in volcanic areas or (2) convective circulation (i.e., this results from the movement of the groundwater to depths within the 10 km with high temperature).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=Britannica|title=hot spring|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring#ref1123367|url-status=live}}</ref> Thermophilic usually contribute back to these hot springs by adding in color. The growth of thermophilic organisms happens in colonies called mats creating the colorful color on the slides of the hot springs (Figure 1). The focus of this project will be on the Banff Upper Hot Springs located in Banff National Park with additional information on the Miette Hot Springs located in Jasper.

Notably, the ability of thermophilic organisms to survive extreme temperature can be attributed to several adaptions for heat tolerance: (1) the permeability of their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane, (2) the chemical stability of their membrane lipids, (3) their lipids are able to increase in proportion to the increase in their environment's temperature, (4) more GC base pairs allows for more hydrogen bonds, thus this improves the thermostability of their RNA molecules, and (5) more non-polar amino acids allows for a increased number of their intramolecular salt bridges.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Mehta|first=Ridhi|last2=Singhal|first2=Paavan|last3=Singh|first3=Hardeep|last4=Damle|first4=Dhanashree|last5=Sharma|first5=Anil K|title=Insight into thermophiles and their wide-spectrum applications|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4764608/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref>

==Geology of the Canadian Rockies: Hot Springs Edition ==
Originally, Canada was formed from the Laurentia Craton. This craton makes up the core of the North America and with extensions all the way to eastern B.C.; today, most of the rock in the craton is covered by newer, younger rock in our province of interest - Alberta.

Alberta's Rocky Mountains are a key geological feature of the southwestern border of the province. These mountains first begun their formation around 200 Ma in the Mesozoic Era. Specifically, formation happened during the Jurassic period when the small continents that represent modern-day interior B.C. and Yukon begun to collied with the west coast of North America. This collision thrusted the sedimentary rock inland and up to start the formation of the Rocky Mountains.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Physical Geology - 2nd Edition|last=Earle|first=Steve|publisher=BCcampus|year=09/2019|pages=644 - 678}}</ref>
[[File:Bow Valley & River, Banff, Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain.jpg|thumb|Figure 2. A picture of the Bow Valley and River. The mountains in the picture are Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain. ]]
These mountains are the considered the backdrop to the geothermal origins of the hot springs located in Banff and Jasper. The Miette Hot Springs are located in the Foreland Belt. Notably, the spring waters in Miette are considered the hottest in all of the Canadian Rockies with an average temperature of 51 °C.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Alternatively, the Banff Hot Springs lie within the Bow Valley Corridor<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Yonge|first=Charles|last2=Lowe|first2=D.J.|title=Hydrogeology of the Banff Hot Springs, Banff National Park, Canada: A karst perspective|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320553179_Hydrogeology_of_the_Banff_Hot_Springs_Banff_National_Park_Canada_A_karst_perspective#read|journal=Cave and Karst Science}}</ref> (Figure 2) with the majority of hot springs associated with the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault and related fracture systems moving the groundwater through the bracketing limestone and dolostone.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Grasby|first=Stephen E.|title=Physical and chemical properties of the Sulphur
Mountain thermal springs, Banff National Park,
and implications for endangered snails|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237169063_Physical_and_chemical_properties_of_the_Sulphur_Mountain_thermal_springs_Banff_National_Park_and_implications_for_endangered_snails|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Since the Canadian Rockies has complex tectonic activity with multiple faults and fractures, these geological features allow for the percolation of water into the Earth's crust. After the water is heated by the geothermal gradient, the water will rise back to the surface with added minerals from the deep rocks. Usually, water temperature in the hot springs is around 47 °C<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Thompson|first=Matthew|title=The Mineral Composition and Health Benefits of Banff’s Hot Springs|url=https://banffscience.ca/2024/05/13/the-mineral-composition-and-health-benefits-of-banffs-hot-springs/|url-status=live}}</ref>, but water discharge can led to temperatures as high as 67 °C. The discharge zone of the hot springs is likely controlled by the thrust faults in the area with the outlets in the area allowing for high permeability zones in the area to define the flow path, depth of circulation, and the spatial distribution of the input of the fluid from the rocks.<ref name=":1" /> Additionally, the recharge zone is hypothesized as nearby groundwater route with a openness to the lateral faults in the area.<ref name=":0" />

This is the geological backdrop provides the foundation upon which thermophilic ecosystems exist. The mountain building in the region creates the structural architecture of the region, the groundwater circulation transports heat and dissolved minerals, and geothermal processes generated the environmental conditions necessary for thermophile survival providing an explicit link between nature and their organisms.

==Microbial Ecology==
The unique geology of hot springs in Banff and Jasper are able to support a diverse microbial ecosystems dominated by thermophilic bacteria and archaea. These microorganisms are able to form complex communities whose composition is strongly influenced by geological factors (e.g., temperature, mineral content, water chemistry, and groundwater flow patterns).

=== Miette Hot Springs at Jasper National Park ===
[[File:Phormidium.jpg|thumb|Figure 3. This is an example of what ''Phormidium'' looks like in the wild. The bright blue-green color is the color that is seen when the microorganism is present in the water. ]]
At the Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park, the mineral-rich water allow for the presence of a diverse microbiota, including thermophilic organisms. Usually, the mineral deposits in the water consist of calcite and opaline silicia with residents in the microbes a key influence in mineral precipitation. The water chemistry of the Miette Hot Springs is defined as consistent in both the short- and long-term when chemical analysis is preformed on the waters. Usually, the spring waters have high concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, and iodine ions derived from the dissolution of the shale in the surrounding mountains. While the Na+/K+ ratio is lower compared to other springs in the Rocky Mountain, the high I–/Cl– ratio indicates a exchange with marine sediments (e.g., fossiliferous limestone) is happening. There is also trace metal of strontium detected in the hot springs likely also from the fossiliferous limestone. Within in these mineral-rich waters, several different microbial communities make the hot springs. their home. Notably, in the summertime, the microbial assemblage is dominated by thermotolerant cyanobacteria belong with either the genera of ''Oscillatoria'' or ''Phormidium'' (Figure 3) and by diatoms. While ''Oscillatoria'' are know for their ability of tolerate sulphur, ''Phormidium'' are both thermophilic and alkalophilic (i.e., microorganisms that thrive in environments with pH values > 8). This species is able to tolerate temperature up to 50 °C and pH values ranging from 6.0 to 8.6.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|last2=Jones|first2=Brian|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?guestAccessKey=|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>

=== '''Banff Springs at Sulphur Mountain''' ===
The hot spring system in Banff is made up of three groups of sulfur spring (i.e., Upper Hot Spring, Middle Springs, and Cave and Basin). As mention in previous sections, these groups of hot springs lie on the Sulphur Mountain thrust in progressively lower elevation towards the Bow Valley. These springs are populated by carbonate rock with high calcium concentrations and high hydrogen sulfide levels. Cooler compared to the hot springs located in Jasper, the surface temperature of the springs usually reach an average of 36 °C across all seasons. Within the waters of the springs, there are thick bacterial mats on the rocks, branches, and sediments in the streams. When observing the mats present in the springs, there is a diverse group of eukaryotic and prokaryotic phototrophs. Similar to the Miette Hot Springs, ''Phormidium'' and ''Oscillatoria'' are present. Additionally, the presence of ''Spirualina'', PNSB (Purple Non-Sulfer Bacteria), and AAP (Aerobic Anoxygenic) bacteria make up the rest of the cyanobacteria and phototrophic bacteria that have exhibited thermotolerance.

== Microbial Evolution ==
Organisms require proteins and ribosomes to carry out cell function. These proteins are designed to function optimally at, or near, organism body temperature. At high temperatures, interactions between molecules in these protein and ribosomes start to deteriorate and the proteins become ineffective and permanently damaged. For other bacteria, this denaturation can happen around 45 °C to 55 °C<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lepock|first=J R|date=October 1995|title=Thermal analysis of bacteria by differential scanning calorimetry: relationship of protein denaturation in situ to maximum growth temperature|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2121283/|journal=Biochem Biophys Acta.}}</ref>. Hot spring water is around 47 °C on average and can be up to 61 °C<ref name=":3" />. These temperature would likely cause denaturation or great inefficiency in protein activity in bacteria, yet thermophiles are able to thrive. If non-adapted bacteria were to be put into similar conditions, they would likely struggle heavily or even die out due to the extreme heat.

=== Structural and Chemical Adaptions ===
[[File:Thermophile bacteria.jpg|thumb|Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph (A, B) and transmission electron micrograph (C, D) images of the thermophilic bacteria: ''Pyrolobus fumari.'']]
Research indicates that, on average, the optimal temperature for many thermophile species fluctuates around 100 °C<ref name=":2" />. This is roughly double the expected denaturation range for bacterial proteins which demonstrates how thermophiles have been able to adapt to better suit their conditions. Thermophiles are able to deal with these temperatures in a multitude of ways. Thermophiles change their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane permeability based on temperature<ref name=":2" />. This alters the flow of smaller molecules which helps regulate and maintain optimal temperature for protein activity. The lipid membranes also are very stable due to their chemical composition. Without stable conformations, chemical interactions would fall apart at the extreme temperatures the membranes are exposed to. They also can change which lipid types are prevalent based on temperature. At higher temperatures, cyclic archaeol-based lipids become more abundant in the membrane where as at lower temperatures, diether lipids make up a greater portion of the membrane<ref name=":2" />. Another observed difference is in their DNA structure. There is a greater amount of G-C bonds in thermophilic bacteria which allows them to resist denaturation. Guanine and cytosine are the stronger of the two base pairs. This is because adenine and thymine for two hydrogen bonds between them whereas guanine and thymine share three hydrogen bonds between them. This greater number of interactions helps hold them together in the face of extreme heat. Another coding-related strategy in thermophile proteins is that they have increased number of polar amino acids on their surface in order to increase salt-bridge interactions in order to increase bonding strength and chemical interactions.

== Thermophile Impacts ==

=== Impact on Hot Springs ===
[[File:00 0346 Sinter terraces - Yellowstone-Nationalpark.jpg|thumb|Figure 5. Sinter deposits in Yellowstone National Park]]
Thermophiles can form dense and layered mats in hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thermophilic Bacteria|url=https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/thermophilic-bacteria.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>. These mats can form a variety of colours including: greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. Thermophiles, in the process of metabolizing sulfur, release sulphuric acid which plays a massive role in the pH balancing of hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Some like it hot! Studying thermophiles in Yellowstone National Park|url=https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/some-it-hot-studying-thermophiles-yellowstone-national-park|url-status=live}}</ref>. As they breakdown sulfur, they increase the acidity of the hot springs. This acidity can break down surrounding rock into wet clay and mud causing murkiness in the hot springs. These microbes also provide a template for crystal nucleation. As layers build up over time, they can form hard rock deposits known as sinter. Thermophiles produce silicious sinter. This process perfectly preserves the shapes of the microorganisms in the rock, leaving behind biosignatures that can last for thousands of years<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=Brian|last2=Renaut|first2=Robin W.|date=January 1996|title=Influence of thermophilic bacteria on calcite and silica precipitation in hot springs with water temperatures above 90 °C: evidence from Kenya and New Zealand|url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/e96-008|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>.

=== Impact on Humanity ===

==== Negative impact ====
Like most bacteria, thermophiles are non-pathogenic. They won't cause illness so contact and interaction with these bacteria will not have an impact on health. However, thermophilic bacteria can be linked to food spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ashton|first=D H|date=February 1981|title=Thermophilic Organisms Involved in Food Spoilage: Thermophilic Anaerobes not Producing Hydrogen Sulfide|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30836542/|journal=J Food Prot.}}</ref>. Like the thermophiles themselves, thermophile spores are incredibly heat resistant. So, attempts to heat up food products to kill bacteria that may be present prior to packaging may not be effective due to the heat resistant nature of the spores. This can cause food to spoil. This is also common in milk production. ''Bacillus'' and ''Thermus'' species of thermophiles often survive pasteurization processes. If the milk isn't kept cool, this can allow these bacteria to operate at more optimal levels which can lead to spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=André|first=S.|last2=Zuber|first2=F.|last3=Remize|first3=F.|date=July 2013|title=Thermophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from spoiled canned food and their heat resistance. Results of a French ten-year survey|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160513002055|journal=International Journal of Food Microbiology|volume=165}}</ref>.

==== Positive impact ====
Thermophilic bacteria have also contributed to developments in molecular biology. Thermophile enzymes have been instrumental in DNA sequence replication. Due to the conditions of hot springs, enzymes had to function optimally at extreme temperatures. These enzymes are used in the process known as polymerase chain reaction<ref>{{Cite web|title=Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Fact Sheet|url=https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Polymerase-Chain-Reaction-Fact-Sheet|url-status=live}}</ref>. PCR requires high heat in order to separate strands of DNA. An enzyme known as Taq polymerase, which comes from the thermophile ''Thermus aquaticus'', is added in order to bind to now opened strands of DNA and replicate certain sequences. Without the adaptations in enzymes of thermophiles, this process would not be able to be done as it is.

== Threats and Conservation ==
[[File:Cave and Basin National Historic Site.jpg|thumb|Figure 6. The Cave and Basin National Historic Site. The hot springs here are preserved and inaccessible to entering in order to preserve the fragile ecosystem that is housed here.]]
Although thermophiles are adapted to extreme environments, they remain vulnerable to environmental disturbance and habitat alteration. Changes in groundwater flow, mineral chemistry, water temperature, and spring discharge can alter microbial community composition and ecosystem functioning. Because many thermophilic species occupy highly specialized ecological niches, even relatively small environmental changes may affect their survival and distribution. Human activities can also threaten hot spring ecosystems through tourism, infrastructure development, habitat modification, and contamination of thermal waters. Human pollutants such as sunscreen and soaps can affect the chemical composition of hot springs affecting not only the hot spring itself, but also the microbiome that resides in it. Disturbances that alter water flow or introduce pollutants may disrupt the physical and chemical conditions upon which thermophilic communities depend.

Climate change represents an additional long-term concern because changing precipitation patterns, declining snowpack, and altered groundwater recharge may influence the hydrological systems that sustain hot springs. Since thermophilic communities are closely linked to stable temperature and chemical conditions, environmental change may have cascading effects on microbial diversity and ecosystem processes<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Marzban|first=G.|last2=Tesei|first2=D.|date=April 2025|title=The Extremophiles: Adaptation Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications|url=https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/4/412|journal=Biology}}</ref>. Protecting hot spring ecosystems therefore requires an understanding of both geological and biological processes. Conservation efforts should recognize that microbial communities represent an important component of biodiversity, contribute to ecosystem functioning, and possess substantial scientific value for research in evolution, biotechnology, and astrobiology.

== Conclusion / Your Evaluation of Connections ==
'''[additional section based on last year's projects]'''

==References==
<references />[citations in APA]
[[Category:EOSC311]]

UBC Wiki:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-17T04:48:53Z

MichelleHuang.1: MichelleHuang.1 moved page UBC Wiki:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies to Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

#REDIRECT [[Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies]]

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-17T04:48:52Z

== Summary ==

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e., also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ortega-Villar|first=Rosangel|last2=Escalante|first2=Adelfo|last3=Astudillo-Melgar|first3=Fernando|last4=Lizárraga-Mendiola|first4=Liliana|last5=Vázquez-Rodríguez|first5=Gabriela A|last6=Hidalgo-Lara|first6=María Eugenia|last7=Coronel-Olivares|first7=Claudia|title=Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205571/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref> In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes but also a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Introduction to Thermophiles==
To understand the biology of thermophiles, it is important to understand the broader class of organisms they belong to - extremophiles. A extremophile is a organism that has the ability to survive in extreme (i.e., environments with high temperature and pressure) environments (e.g., a hydrothermal vent). Usually, extremophiles use special enzymes called "extremozymes" to allow them to function in these difficult environments. This enzyme's usage is a deep interest for modern human medicine and industrial practices making extremophile important creatures.<ref>{{Cite web|first=NOAA|title=What is an extremophile?|url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Thermophilic organisms in hot spring.jpg|thumb|Figure 1. Colonies of thermophilic organisms surrounding the edges of hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. ]]
Specifically, thermophiles thrive between 60 and 80 °C. Thermophiles that thrive optimally at > 80 °C are called hyperthermophiles. Their unique ability to withstand high heat makes them a prominent member in hot springs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gallo|first=Giovanni|last2=Imbimbo|first2=Paola|last3=Aulitto|first3=Martina|title=The Undeniable Potential of Thermophiles in Industrial Processes|url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/14/7685|journal=MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)}}</ref> Diving deeper, hot springs are usually created from the heating up of discharged groundwater by (1) intrusions of magma in volcanic areas or (2) convective circulation (i.e., this results from the movement of the groundwater to depths within the 10 km with high temperature).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=Britannica|title=hot spring|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring#ref1123367|url-status=live}}</ref> Thermophilic usually contribute back to these hot springs by adding in color. The growth of thermophilic organisms happens in colonies called mats creating the colorful color on the slides of the hot springs (Figure 1). The focus of this project will be on the Banff Upper Hot Springs located in Banff National Park with additional information on the Miette Hot Springs located in Jasper.

Notably, the ability of thermophilic organisms to survive extreme temperature can be attributed to several adaptions for heat tolerance: (1) the permeability of their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane, (2) the chemical stability of their membrane lipids, (3) their lipids are able to increase in proportion to the increase in their environment's temperature, (4) more GC base pairs allows for more hydrogen bonds, thus this improves the thermostability of their RNA molecules, and (5) more non-polar amino acids allows for a increased number of their intramolecular salt bridges.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Mehta|first=Ridhi|last2=Singhal|first2=Paavan|last3=Singh|first3=Hardeep|last4=Damle|first4=Dhanashree|last5=Sharma|first5=Anil K|title=Insight into thermophiles and their wide-spectrum applications|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4764608/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref>

==Geology of the Canadian Rockies: Hot Springs Edition ==
Originally, Canada was formed from the Laurentia Craton. This craton makes up the core of the North America and with extensions all the way to eastern B.C.; today, most of the rock in the craton is covered by newer, younger rock in our province of interest - Alberta.

Alberta's Rocky Mountains are a key geological feature of the southwestern border of the province. These mountains first begun their formation around 200 Ma in the Mesozoic Era. Specifically, formation happened during the Jurassic period when the small continents that represent modern-day interior B.C. and Yukon begun to collied with the west coast of North America. This collision thrusted the sedimentary rock inland and up to start the formation of the Rocky Mountains.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Physical Geology - 2nd Edition|last=Earle|first=Steve|publisher=BCcampus|year=09/2019|pages=644 - 678}}</ref>
[[File:Bow Valley & River, Banff, Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain.jpg|thumb|Figure 2. A picture of the Bow Valley and River. The mountains in the picture are Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain. ]]
These mountains are the considered the backdrop to the geothermal origins of the hot springs located in Banff and Jasper. The Miette Hot Springs are located in the Foreland Belt. Notably, the spring waters in Miette are considered the hottest in all of the Canadian Rockies with an average temperature of 51 °C.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Alternatively, the Banff Hot Springs lie within the Bow Valley Corridor<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Yonge|first=Charles|last2=Lowe|first2=D.J.|title=Hydrogeology of the Banff Hot Springs, Banff National Park, Canada: A karst perspective|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320553179_Hydrogeology_of_the_Banff_Hot_Springs_Banff_National_Park_Canada_A_karst_perspective#read|journal=Cave and Karst Science}}</ref> (Figure 2) with the majority of hot springs associated with the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault and related fracture systems moving the groundwater through the bracketing limestone and dolostone.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Grasby|first=Stephen E.|title=Physical and chemical properties of the Sulphur
Mountain thermal springs, Banff National Park,
and implications for endangered snails|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237169063_Physical_and_chemical_properties_of_the_Sulphur_Mountain_thermal_springs_Banff_National_Park_and_implications_for_endangered_snails|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref> Since the Canadian Rockies has complex tectonic activity with multiple faults and fractures, these geological features allow for the percolation of water into the Earth's crust. After the water is heated by the geothermal gradient, the water will rise back to the surface with added minerals from the deep rocks. Usually, water temperature in the hot springs is around 47 °C<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Thompson|first=Matthew|title=The Mineral Composition and Health Benefits of Banff’s Hot Springs|url=https://banffscience.ca/2024/05/13/the-mineral-composition-and-health-benefits-of-banffs-hot-springs/|url-status=live}}</ref>, but water discharge can led to temperatures as high as 67 °C. The discharge zone of the hot springs is likely controlled by the thrust faults in the area with the outlets in the area allowing for high permeability zones in the area to define the flow path, depth of circulation, and the spatial distribution of the input of the fluid from the rocks.<ref name=":1" /> Additionally, the recharge zone is hypothesized as nearby groundwater route with a openness to the lateral faults in the area.<ref name=":0" />

This is the geological backdrop provides the foundation upon which thermophilic ecosystems exist. The mountain building in the region creates the structural architecture of the region, the groundwater circulation transports heat and dissolved minerals, and geothermal processes generated the environmental conditions necessary for thermophile survival providing an explicit link between nature and their organisms.

==Microbial Ecology==
The unique geology of hot springs in Banff and Jasper are able to support a diverse microbial ecosystems dominated by thermophilic bacteria and archaea. These microorganisms are able to form complex communities whose composition is strongly influenced by geological factors (e.g., temperature, mineral content, water chemistry, and groundwater flow patterns).

=== Miette Hot Springs at Jasper National Park ===
[[File:Phormidium.jpg|thumb|Figure 3. This is an example of what ''Phormidium'' looks like in the wild. The bright blue-green color is the color that is seen when the microorganism is present in the water. ]]
At the Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park, the mineral-rich water allow for the presence of a diverse microbiota, including thermophilic organisms. Usually, the mineral deposits in the water consist of calcite and opaline silicia with residents in the microbes a key influence in mineral precipitation. The water chemistry of the Miette Hot Springs is defined as consistent in both the short- and long-term when chemical analysis is preformed on the waters. Usually, the spring waters have high concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, and iodine ions derived from the dissolution of the shale in the surrounding mountains. While the Na+/K+ ratio is lower compared to other springs in the Rocky Mountain, the high I–/Cl– ratio indicates a exchange with marine sediments (e.g., fossiliferous limestone) is happening. There is also trace metal of strontium detected in the hot springs likely also from the fossiliferous limestone. Within in these mineral-rich waters, several different microbial communities make the hot springs. their home. Notably, in the summertime, the microbial assemblage is dominated by thermotolerant cyanobacteria belong with either the genera of ''Oscillatoria'' or ''Phormidium'' (Figure 3) and by diatoms. While ''Oscillatoria'' are know for their ability of tolerate sulphur, ''Phormidium'' are both thermophilic and alkalophilic (i.e., microorganisms that thrive in environments with pH values > 8). This species is able to tolerate temperature up to 50 °C and pH values ranging from 6.0 to 8.6.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bonny|first=Sandy|last2=Jones|first2=Brian|date=December 25, 2003|title=Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?guestAccessKey=|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>

=== '''Banff Springs at Sulphur Mountain''' ===
The hot spring system in Banff is made up of three groups of sulfur spring (i.e., Upper Hot Spring, Middle Springs, and Cave and Basin). As mention in previous sections, these groups of hot springs lie on the Sulphur Mountain thrust in progressively lower elevation towards the Bow Valley. These springs are populated by carbonate rock with high calcium concentrations and high hydrogen sulfide levels. Cooler compared to the hot springs located in Jasper, the surface temperature of the springs usually reach an average of 36 °C across all seasons. Within the waters of the springs, there are thick bacterial mats on the rocks, branches, and sediments in the streams. When observing the mats present in the springs, there is a diverse group of eukaryotic and prokaryotic phototrophs. Similar to the Miette Hot Springs, ''Phormidium'' and ''Oscillatoria'' are present. Additionally, the presence of ''Spirualina'', PNSB (Purple Non-Sulfer Bacteria), and AAP (Aerobic Anoxygenic) bacteria make up the rest of the cyanobacteria and phototrophic bacteria that have exhibited thermotolerance.

== Microbial Evolution ==
Organisms require proteins and ribosomes to carry out cell function. These proteins are designed to function optimally at, or near, organism body temperature. At high temperatures, interactions between molecules in these protein and ribosomes start to deteriorate and the proteins become ineffective and permanently damaged. For other bacteria, this denaturation can happen around 45 °C to 55 °C<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lepock|first=J R|date=October 1995|title=Thermal analysis of bacteria by differential scanning calorimetry: relationship of protein denaturation in situ to maximum growth temperature|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2121283/|journal=Biochem Biophys Acta.}}</ref>. Hot spring water is around 47 °C on average and can be up to 61 °C<ref name=":3" />. These temperature would likely cause denaturation or great inefficiency in protein activity in bacteria, yet thermophiles are able to thrive. If non-adapted bacteria were to be put into similar conditions, they would likely struggle heavily or even die out due to the extreme heat.

=== Structural and Chemical Adaptions ===
[[File:Thermophile bacteria.jpg|thumb|Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph (A, B) and transmission electron micrograph (C, D) images of the thermophilic bacteria: ''Pyrolobus fumari.'']]
Research indicates that, on average, the optimal temperature for many thermophile species fluctuates around 100 °C<ref name=":2" />. This is roughly double the expected denaturation range for bacterial proteins which demonstrates how thermophiles have been able to adapt to better suit their conditions. Thermophiles are able to deal with these temperatures in a multitude of ways. Thermophiles change their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane permeability based on temperature<ref name=":2" />. This alters the flow of smaller molecules which helps regulate and maintain optimal temperature for protein activity. The lipid membranes also are very stable due to their chemical composition. Without stable conformations, chemical interactions would fall apart at the extreme temperatures the membranes are exposed to. They also can change which lipid types are prevalent based on temperature. At higher temperatures, cyclic archaeol-based lipids become more abundant in the membrane where as at lower temperatures, diether lipids make up a greater portion of the membrane<ref name=":2" />. Another observed difference is in their DNA structure. There is a greater amount of G-C bonds in thermophilic bacteria which allows them to resist denaturation. Guanine and cytosine are the stronger of the two base pairs. This is because adenine and thymine for two hydrogen bonds between them whereas guanine and thymine share three hydrogen bonds between them. This greater number of interactions helps hold them together in the face of extreme heat. Another coding-related strategy in thermophile proteins is that they have increased number of polar amino acids on their surface in order to increase salt-bridge interactions in order to increase bonding strength and chemical interactions.

== Thermophile Impacts ==

=== Impact on Hot Springs ===
[[File:00 0346 Sinter terraces - Yellowstone-Nationalpark.jpg|thumb|Figure 5. Sinter deposits in Yellowstone National Park]]
Thermophiles can form dense and layered mats in hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thermophilic Bacteria|url=https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/thermophilic-bacteria.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>. These mats can form a variety of colours including: greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. Thermophiles, in the process of metabolizing sulfur, release sulphuric acid which plays a massive role in the pH balancing of hot springs<ref>{{Cite web|title=Some like it hot! Studying thermophiles in Yellowstone National Park|url=https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/some-it-hot-studying-thermophiles-yellowstone-national-park|url-status=live}}</ref>. As they breakdown sulfur, they increase the acidity of the hot springs. This acidity can break down surrounding rock into wet clay and mud causing murkiness in the hot springs. These microbes also provide a template for crystal nucleation. As layers build up over time, they can form hard rock deposits known as sinter. Thermophiles produce silicious sinter. This process perfectly preserves the shapes of the microorganisms in the rock, leaving behind biosignatures that can last for thousands of years<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=Brian|last2=Renaut|first2=Robin W.|date=January 1996|title=Influence of thermophilic bacteria on calcite and silica precipitation in hot springs with water temperatures above 90 °C: evidence from Kenya and New Zealand|url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/e96-008|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences}}</ref>.

=== Impact on Humanity ===

==== Negative impact ====
Like most bacteria, thermophiles are non-pathogenic. They won't cause illness so contact and interaction with these bacteria will not have an impact on health. However, thermophilic bacteria can be linked to food spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ashton|first=D H|date=February 1981|title=Thermophilic Organisms Involved in Food Spoilage: Thermophilic Anaerobes not Producing Hydrogen Sulfide|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30836542/|journal=J Food Prot.}}</ref>. Like the thermophiles themselves, thermophile spores are incredibly heat resistant. So, attempts to heat up food products to kill bacteria that may be present prior to packaging may not be effective due to the heat resistant nature of the spores. This can cause food to spoil. This is also common in milk production. ''Bacillus'' and ''Thermus'' species of thermophiles often survive pasteurization processes. If the milk isn't kept cool, this can allow these bacteria to operate at more optimal levels which can lead to spoilage<ref>{{Cite journal|last=André|first=S.|last2=Zuber|first2=F.|last3=Remize|first3=F.|date=July 2013|title=Thermophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from spoiled canned food and their heat resistance. Results of a French ten-year survey|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160513002055|journal=International Journal of Food Microbiology|volume=165}}</ref>.

==== Positive impact ====
Thermophilic bacteria have also contributed to developments in molecular biology. Thermophile enzymes have been instrumental in DNA sequence replication. Due to the conditions of hot springs, enzymes had to function optimally at extreme temperatures. These enzymes are used in the process known as polymerase chain reaction<ref>{{Cite web|title=Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Fact Sheet|url=https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Polymerase-Chain-Reaction-Fact-Sheet|url-status=live}}</ref>. PCR requires high heat in order to separate strands of DNA. An enzyme known as Taq polymerase, which comes from the thermophile ''Thermus aquaticus'', is added in order to bind to now opened strands of DNA and replicate certain sequences. Without the adaptations in enzymes of thermophiles, this process would not be able to be done as it is.

== Threats and Conservation ==
[[File:Cave and Basin National Historic Site.jpg|thumb|Figure 6. The Cave and Basin National Historic Site. The hot springs here are preserved and inaccessible to entering in order to preserve the fragile ecosystem that is housed here.]]
Although thermophiles are adapted to extreme environments, they remain vulnerable to environmental disturbance and habitat alteration. Changes in groundwater flow, mineral chemistry, water temperature, and spring discharge can alter microbial community composition and ecosystem functioning. Because many thermophilic species occupy highly specialized ecological niches, even relatively small environmental changes may affect their survival and distribution. Human activities can also threaten hot spring ecosystems through tourism, infrastructure development, habitat modification, and contamination of thermal waters. Human pollutants such as sunscreen and soaps can affect the chemical composition of hot springs affecting not only the hot spring itself, but also the microbiome that resides in it. Disturbances that alter water flow or introduce pollutants may disrupt the physical and chemical conditions upon which thermophilic communities depend.

Climate change represents an additional long-term concern because changing precipitation patterns, declining snowpack, and altered groundwater recharge may influence the hydrological systems that sustain hot springs. Since thermophilic communities are closely linked to stable temperature and chemical conditions, environmental change may have cascading effects on microbial diversity and ecosystem processes<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Marzban|first=G.|last2=Tesei|first2=D.|date=April 2025|title=The Extremophiles: Adaptation Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications|url=https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/4/412|journal=Biology}}</ref>. Protecting hot spring ecosystems therefore requires an understanding of both geological and biological processes. Conservation efforts should recognize that microbial communities represent an important component of biodiversity, contribute to ecosystem functioning, and possess substantial scientific value for research in evolution, biotechnology, and astrobiology.

== Conclusion / Your Evaluation of Connections ==
'''[additional section based on last year's projects]'''

==References==
<references />[citations in APA]
[[Category:EOSC311]]

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic bacteria present in the Canadian hot springs

2026-06-17T04:34:46Z

MichelleHuang.1: MichelleHuang.1 moved page Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic bacteria present in the Canadian hot springs to UBC Wiki:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies: Misspelled title

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Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-17T04:34:45Z

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

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Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

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=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=This is a picture of the Miette Hot Springs.}}
|date=2018-09-01
|source=Wikimedia Commons
|author=Jon Eeuwes
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-sa-4.0}}

File:Bow Valley & River, Banff, Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain.jpg

2026-06-16T18:08:07Z

MichelleHuang.1: Uploaded a work by Khoshhat from Wikimedia Commons with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=This is a picture of the Bow Vally.}}
|date=2020-09-11
|source=Wikimedia Commons
|author=Khoshhat
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-sa-4.0}}

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-16T07:06:03Z

MichelleHuang.1: Worked on Geology of Canadian Rockies section

NOTE: [...] = working on this

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e., also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ortega-Villar|first=Rosangel|last2=Escalante|first2=Adelfo|last3=Astudillo-Melgar|first3=Fernando|last4=Lizárraga-Mendiola|first4=Liliana|last5=Vázquez-Rodríguez|first5=Gabriela A|last6=Hidalgo-Lara|first6=María Eugenia|last7=Coronel-Olivares|first7=Claudia|title=Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205571/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref> In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes but also a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Overview==
To understand the biology of thermophiles, it is important to understand the broader class of organisms they belong to - extremophiles. A extremophile is a organism that has the ability to survive in extreme (i.e., environments with high temperature and pressure) environments (e.g., a hydrothermal vent). Usually, extremophiles use special enzymes called "extremozymes" to allow them to function in these difficult environments. This enzyme's usage is a deep interest for modern human medicine and industrial practices making extremophile important creatures.<ref>{{Cite web|first=NOAA|title=What is an extremophile?|url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Thermophilic organisms in hot spring.jpg|thumb|Figure 1. Colonies of thermophilic organisms surrounding the edges of hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. ]]
Specifically, thermophiles thrive between 60 and 80 °C. Thermophiles that thrive optimally at > 80 °C are called hyperthermophiles. Their unique ability to withstand high heat makes them a prominent member in hot springs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gallo|first=Giovanni|last2=Imbimbo|first2=Paola|last3=Aulitto|first3=Martina|title=The Undeniable Potential of Thermophiles in Industrial Processes|url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/14/7685|journal=MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)}}</ref> Diving deeper, hot springs are usually created from the heating up of discharged groundwater by (1) intrusions of magma in volcanic areas or (2) convective circulation (i.e., this results from the movement of the groundwater to depths within the 10 km with high temperature).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=Britannica|title=hot spring|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring#ref1123367|url-status=live}}</ref> Thermophilic usually contribute back to these hot springs by adding in color. The growth of thermophilic organisms happens in colonies called mats on the slides of the hot springs (Figure 1).

Their ability to survive extreme temperature can be attributed to several adaptions for heat tolerance: (1) the permeability of their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane, (2) the chemical stability of their membrane lipids, (3) their lipids are able to increase in proportion to the increase in their environment's temperature, (4) more GC base pairs allows for more hydrogen bonds, thus this improves the thermostability of their RNA molecules, and (5) more non-polar amino acids allows for a increased number of their intramolecular salt bridges.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mehta|first=Ridhi|last2=Singhal|first2=Paavan|last3=Singh|first3=Hardeep|last4=Damle|first4=Dhanashree|last5=Sharma|first5=Anil K|title=Insight into thermophiles and their wide-spectrum applications|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4764608/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref>

==Geology of the Canadian Rockies: Hot Springs Edition ==
Originally, Canada was formed from the Laurentia Craton. This craton makes up the core of the North America and with extensions all the way to eastern B.C.; today, most of the rock in the craton is covered by newer, younger rock in our province of interest - Alberta.

Alberta's Rocky Mountains are a key geological feature of the southwestern border of the province. These mountains first begun their formation around 200 Ma in the Mesozoic Era. Specifically, formation happened during the Jurassic period when the small continents that represent modern-day interior B.C. and Yukon begun to collied with the west coast of North America. This collision thrusted the sedimentary rock inland and up to start the formation of the Rocky Mountains.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Physical Geology - 2nd Edition|last=Earle|first=Steve|publisher=BCcampus|year=09/2019|pages=644 - 678}}</ref>

- This image can be added: Map of the area <nowiki>https://static.ags.aer.ca/files/document/MAP/Map_560.pdf</nowiki>

==Microbial Ecology==
This section is to put into context thermophiles, since they are considered microorganisms, we want to examine the consideration in the Rockies to better understand how they adapt to and thrive in these environments. There will be images from the papers to illustrate the ecology.

- This talks about the microbes and minerals in the hot springs of Jasper: <nowiki>https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article-abstract/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?redirectedFrom=fulltext</nowiki>

- This talks about the microbes in Sulphur Mountain in Banff. <nowiki>https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=46472</nowiki>

== Microbial Evolution ==
This section will go over how and why thermophiles evolved to live in hot springs. This topic will go into how it is hard for organisms to live in extreme climates and what specifically thermophiles have done in order to adapt to extreme heat conditions.

== Thermophile impact ==
This section will go over the effects of having thermophiles in hot springs. It will go over their behaviour and how they impact hot spring conditions.

== Threats ==
This will go over predation of thermophiles and what risks there are to being a thermophile living in hot springs. It will also go over the dangers to hot springs conditions and if those dangers can pose a threat to thermophiles.

- Predation and/or climate change/hot spring conditions changing

==References==
<references />[citations in APA]
[[Category:EOSC311]]

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-16T05:50:02Z

MichelleHuang.1: Completed the "Overview" section

NOTE: [...] = working on this

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e., also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ortega-Villar|first=Rosangel|last2=Escalante|first2=Adelfo|last3=Astudillo-Melgar|first3=Fernando|last4=Lizárraga-Mendiola|first4=Liliana|last5=Vázquez-Rodríguez|first5=Gabriela A|last6=Hidalgo-Lara|first6=María Eugenia|last7=Coronel-Olivares|first7=Claudia|title=Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205571/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref> In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes but also a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Overview==
To understand the biology of thermophiles, it is important to understand the broader class of organisms they belong to - extremophiles. A extremophile is a organism that has the ability to survive in extreme (i.e., environments with high temperature and pressure) environments (e.g., a hydrothermal vent). Usually, extremophiles use special enzymes called "extremozymes" to allow them to function in these difficult environments. This enzyme's usage is a deep interest for modern human medicine and industrial practices making extremophile important creatures.<ref>{{Cite web|first=NOAA|title=What is an extremophile?|url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Thermophilic organisms in hot spring.jpg|thumb|Figure 1. Colonies of thermophilic organisms surrounding the edges of hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. ]]
Specifically, thermophiles thrive between 60 and 80 °C. Thermophiles that thrive optimally at > 80 °C are called hyperthermophiles. Their unique ability to withstand high heat makes them a prominent member in hot springs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gallo|first=Giovanni|last2=Imbimbo|first2=Paola|last3=Aulitto|first3=Martina|title=The Undeniable Potential of Thermophiles in Industrial Processes|url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/14/7685|journal=MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)}}</ref> Diving deeper, hot springs are usually created from the heating up of discharged groundwater by (1) intrusions of magma in volcanic areas or (2) convective circulation (i.e., this results from the movement of the groundwater to depths within the 10 km with high temperature).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editors|first=Britannica|title=hot spring|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring#ref1123367|url-status=live}}</ref> Thermophilic usually contribute back to these hot springs by adding in color. The growth of thermophilic organisms happens in colonies called mats on the slides of the hot springs (Figure 1).

Their ability to survive extreme temperature can be attributed to several adaptions for heat tolerance: (1) the permeability of their fatty acyl ester lipid membrane, (2) the chemical stability of their membrane lipids, (3) their lipids are able to increase in proportion to the increase in their environment's temperature, (4) more GC base pairs allows for more hydrogen bonds, thus this improves the thermostability of their RNA molecules, and (5) more non-polar amino acids allows for a increased number of their intramolecular salt bridges.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mehta|first=Ridhi|last2=Singhal|first2=Paavan|last3=Singh|first3=Hardeep|last4=Damle|first4=Dhanashree|last5=Sharma|first5=Anil K|title=Insight into thermophiles and their wide-spectrum applications|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4764608/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref>

==Geology of Canadian Rockies and How Do They Compare==
[[File:Canada British Columbia location map Okanagan.svg|thumb|Map Example]]This section will be on the general geology of the Canadian Rockies to put into context how the Rockies formed and the general history of the Rockies

- What is the geology of the Canadian Rockies?

- This image can be added: Map of the area <nowiki>https://static.ags.aer.ca/files/document/MAP/Map_560.pdf</nowiki>

==Microbial Ecology==
This section is to put into context thermophiles, since they are considered microorganisms, we want to examine the consideration in the Rockies to better understand how they adapt to and thrive in these environments. There will be images from the papers to illustrate the ecology.

- This talks about the microbes and minerals in the hot springs of Jasper: <nowiki>https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article-abstract/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?redirectedFrom=fulltext</nowiki>

- This talks about the microbes in Sulphur Mountain in Banff. <nowiki>https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=46472</nowiki>

== Microbial Evolution ==
This section will go over how and why thermophiles evolved to live in hot springs. This topic will go into how it is hard for organisms to live in extreme climates and what specifically thermophiles have done in order to adapt to extreme heat conditions.

== Thermophile impact ==
This section will go over the effects of having thermophiles in hot springs. It will go over their behaviour and how they impact hot spring conditions.

== Threats ==
This will go over predation of thermophiles and what risks there are to being a thermophile living in hot springs. It will also go over the dangers to hot springs conditions and if those dangers can pose a threat to thermophiles.

- Predation and/or climate change/hot spring conditions changing

==References==
<references />[citations in APA]
[[Category:EOSC311]]

File:Thermophilic organisms in hot spring.jpg

2026-06-16T05:35:05Z

MichelleHuang.1: Uploaded a work by Ann-Marie Mair from Wikimedia Commons with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=This is a picture of a colorful hot spring at Yellowstone National Park. This color is a result of thermophilic organisms that live on the edge of the hot spring.}}
|date=2008-08-09
|source=Wikimedia Commons
|author=Ann-Marie Mair
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-2.0}}

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-16T02:59:08Z

MichelleHuang.1: Finished the Statement of Contribution

NOTE: [...] = working on this

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e. also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ortega-Villar|first=Rosangel|last2=Escalante|first2=Adelfo|last3=Astudillo-Melgar|first3=Fernando|last4=Lizárraga-Mendiola|first4=Liliana|last5=Vázquez-Rodríguez|first5=Gabriela A|last6=Hidalgo-Lara|first6=María Eugenia|last7=Coronel-Olivares|first7=Claudia|title=Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water|url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205571/|journal=PMC PubMed Central}}</ref> In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes but also a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Overview==

This is so we can have a general overview of what the key terms are and what the main ideas/concepts are. Images from these source such as what a extremophile is will be added in potentially.

- Basic definition of an extremophile.

- This source<ref>{{Cite web|title=Extremophile|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/extremophile|url-status=live}}</ref> will allow us to gain an understanding of what an extremophile is, what thermophiles are specific to, and the presence of the latter in hot springs

==Geology of Canadian Rockies and How Do They Compare==
[[File:Canada British Columbia location map Okanagan.svg|thumb|Map Example]]This section will be on the general geology of the Canadian Rockies to put into context how the Rockies formed and the general history of the Rockies

- What is the geology of the Canadian Rockies?

- This image can be added: Map of the area <nowiki>https://static.ags.aer.ca/files/document/MAP/Map_560.pdf</nowiki>

==Microbial Ecology==
This section is to put into context thermophiles, since they are considered microorganisms, we want to examine the consideration in the Rockies to better understand how they adapt to and thrive in these environments. There will be images from the papers to illustrate the ecology.

- This talks about the microbes and minerals in the hot springs of Jasper: <nowiki>https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article-abstract/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?redirectedFrom=fulltext</nowiki>

- This talks about the microbes in Sulphur Mountain in Banff. <nowiki>https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=46472</nowiki>

== Microbial Evolution ==
This section will go over how and why thermophiles evolved to live in hot springs. This topic will go into how it is hard for organisms to live in extreme climates and what specifically thermophiles have done in order to adapt to extreme heat conditions.

== Thermophile impact ==
This section will go over the effects of having thermophiles in hot springs. It will go over their behaviour and how they impact hot spring conditions.

== Threats ==
This will go over predation of thermophiles and what risks there are to being a thermophile living in hot springs. It will also go over the dangers to hot springs conditions and if those dangers can pose a threat to thermophiles.

- Predation and/or climate change/hot spring conditions changing

==References==
<references />Bilyj, M., Lepitzki, D., Hughes, E., Swiderski, J., Stackebrandt, E., Pacas, C., & Yurkov, V. V. (2014). Abundance and Diversity of the Phototrophic Microbial Mat Communities of Sulphur Mountain Banff Springs and Their Significance to the Endangered Snail, Physella johnsoni. Open Journal of Ecology, 4(8), 488–516. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2014.48041</nowiki>

Bonny, S., & Jones, B. (2003). Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 40(11), 1483–1500. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1139/e03-060</nowiki>

Earle, S. (2019). Physical Geology—2nd Edition. BCcampus. <nowiki>https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/</nowiki>

Elmeligi, S. (2013, September 23). Yellowstone and Banff. Grizzly Research in the Rockies (GRR...). <nowiki>https://grizzlyresearchrockies.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/yellowstone-and-banff/</nowiki>

Extremophile | Definition, Types, Examples, & Facts | Britannica. (2026, May 5). <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/extremophile</nowiki>

Geology of the Alberta Rocky Mountains and Foothills. (2013, May 1). Alberta Geological Survey. <nowiki>https://ags.aer.ca/publications/all-publications/map-560</nowiki>

Hot spring | Volcanic activity, minerals & thermal energy | Britannica. (2026, May 18). <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring</nowiki>

Hot springs’ greater danger: Extreme temperature swings. (2008, December 29). Los Angeles Times. <nowiki>https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-dec-29-he-springsside29-story.html</nowiki>

How Extremophiles Push the Limits of Life. (n.d.). ASM.Org. Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://asm.org:443/articles/2023/march/how-extremophiles-push-the-limits-of-life</nowiki>

Marzban, G., & Tesei, D. (2025). The Extremophiles: Adaptation Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications. Biology, 14(4), 412. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14040412</nowiki>

NASA Astrobiology. (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/life-in-the-extreme-terrestrial-hot-springs/</nowiki>

Ortega-Villar, R., Escalante, A., Astudillo-Melgar, F., Lizárraga-Mendiola, L., Vázquez-Rodríguez, G. A., Hidalgo-Lara, M. E., & Coronel-Olivares, C. (2024). Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water. Microorganisms, 12(6), 1066. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12061066</nowiki>

Springs, M. A. 101 R. S. H., & Us, A. 71901 P. 501 620-6715 C. (n.d.). Thermophiles of Hot Springs National Park—Hot Springs National Park (U.S. National Park Service). Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://www.nps.gov/hosp/learn/thermophiles.htm</nowiki>

US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (n.d.). What is an extremophile? Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html</nowiki>{{Projectbox_EOSC311}}
[[Category:EOSC311]]

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-16T02:21:18Z

MichelleHuang.1: Still working on Statement of Contribution

[...] = working on this

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e. also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through our education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). [This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are associated with regions of volcanic activity (i.e., senile or inactive activity) and whose temperature are a result of a combination of factors: geothermal energy, radioactive decay, or exothermic chemical reactions. In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible.] Their presence in extreme geological conditions highlights the extent to which biodiversity is shaped by physical processes operating within the Earth’s crust and hydrologic systems. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes; it is a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Overview==

This is so we can have a general overview of what the key terms are and what the main ideas/concepts are. Images from these source such as what a extremophile is will be added in potentially.

- Basic definition of an extremophile.

- This source<ref>{{Cite web|title=Extremophile|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/extremophile|url-status=live}}</ref> will allow us to gain an understanding of what an extremophile is, what thermophiles are specific to, and the presence of the latter in hot springs

==Geology of Canadian Rockies and How Do They Compare==
[[File:Canada British Columbia location map Okanagan.svg|thumb|Map Example]]This section will be on the general geology of the Canadian Rockies to put into context how the Rockies formed and the general history of the Rockies

- What is the geology of the Canadian Rockies?

- This image can be added: Map of the area <nowiki>https://static.ags.aer.ca/files/document/MAP/Map_560.pdf</nowiki>

==Microbial Ecology==
This section is to put into context thermophiles, since they are considered microorganisms, we want to examine the consideration in the Rockies to better understand how they adapt to and thrive in these environments. There will be images from the papers to illustrate the ecology.

- This talks about the microbes and minerals in the hot springs of Jasper: <nowiki>https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article-abstract/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?redirectedFrom=fulltext</nowiki>

- This talks about the microbes in Sulphur Mountain in Banff. <nowiki>https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=46472</nowiki>

== Microbial Evolution ==
This section will go over how and why thermophiles evolved to live in hot springs. This topic will go into how it is hard for organisms to live in extreme climates and what specifically thermophiles have done in order to adapt to extreme heat conditions.

== Thermophile impact ==
This section will go over the effects of having thermophiles in hot springs. It will go over their behaviour and how they impact hot spring conditions.

== Threats ==
This will go over predation of thermophiles and what risks there are to being a thermophile living in hot springs. It will also go over the dangers to hot springs conditions and if those dangers can pose a threat to thermophiles.

- Predation and/or climate change/hot spring conditions changing

==References==
<references />Bilyj, M., Lepitzki, D., Hughes, E., Swiderski, J., Stackebrandt, E., Pacas, C., & Yurkov, V. V. (2014). Abundance and Diversity of the Phototrophic Microbial Mat Communities of Sulphur Mountain Banff Springs and Their Significance to the Endangered Snail, Physella johnsoni. Open Journal of Ecology, 4(8), 488–516. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2014.48041</nowiki>

Bonny, S., & Jones, B. (2003). Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 40(11), 1483–1500. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1139/e03-060</nowiki>

Earle, S. (2019). Physical Geology—2nd Edition. BCcampus. <nowiki>https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/</nowiki>

Elmeligi, S. (2013, September 23). Yellowstone and Banff. Grizzly Research in the Rockies (GRR...). <nowiki>https://grizzlyresearchrockies.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/yellowstone-and-banff/</nowiki>

Extremophile | Definition, Types, Examples, & Facts | Britannica. (2026, May 5). <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/extremophile</nowiki>

Geology of the Alberta Rocky Mountains and Foothills. (2013, May 1). Alberta Geological Survey. <nowiki>https://ags.aer.ca/publications/all-publications/map-560</nowiki>

Hot spring | Volcanic activity, minerals & thermal energy | Britannica. (2026, May 18). <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring</nowiki>

Hot springs’ greater danger: Extreme temperature swings. (2008, December 29). Los Angeles Times. <nowiki>https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-dec-29-he-springsside29-story.html</nowiki>

How Extremophiles Push the Limits of Life. (n.d.). ASM.Org. Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://asm.org:443/articles/2023/march/how-extremophiles-push-the-limits-of-life</nowiki>

Marzban, G., & Tesei, D. (2025). The Extremophiles: Adaptation Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications. Biology, 14(4), 412. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14040412</nowiki>

NASA Astrobiology. (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/life-in-the-extreme-terrestrial-hot-springs/</nowiki>

Ortega-Villar, R., Escalante, A., Astudillo-Melgar, F., Lizárraga-Mendiola, L., Vázquez-Rodríguez, G. A., Hidalgo-Lara, M. E., & Coronel-Olivares, C. (2024). Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water. Microorganisms, 12(6), 1066. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12061066</nowiki>

Springs, M. A. 101 R. S. H., & Us, A. 71901 P. 501 620-6715 C. (n.d.). Thermophiles of Hot Springs National Park—Hot Springs National Park (U.S. National Park Service). Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://www.nps.gov/hosp/learn/thermophiles.htm</nowiki>

US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (n.d.). What is an extremophile? Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html</nowiki>{{Projectbox_EOSC311}}
[[Category:EOSC311]]

Course:EOSC311/2026/Thermal Warriors: An exploration into thermophilic microorganisms present in the hot springs of the Canadian Rockies

2026-06-16T00:48:57Z

MichelleHuang.1: There is an edit to the statement of contribution.

Add Summary Here

== Statement of Contribution ==
This topic was chosen for exploration because our interest in microbes and how they are related to geological concepts. As a general definition, microbes (i.e. also known as microorganisms) are microscopic organisms that either exist in a single-cell, colonial, or multicellular form.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.1A: Defining Microbes|url=https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.01%3A_Introduction_to_Microbiology/1.1A%3A_Defining_Microbes|url-status=live}}</ref> Microbes are not only presented through out education in BIOL courses, but also in adjacent life science courses, such as MICB courses, as an essential life form across many disciplines. Specifically, this project explores thermophilic bacteria (i.e., more information will be given in the "Overview" section). This topic was of interest because thermophiles are biological organisms whose distribution, physiology, ecological interactions, and evolutionary adaptations are fundamentally constrained by geological processes. The hot springs they inhabit are products of tectonic uplift, fault-controlled groundwater circulation, geothermal gradients, and the hydrogeochemical characteristics of surrounding rock formations. In this sense, geology does not merely provide a habitat for thermophiles; it creates the environmental conditions that make their existence possible. Their presence in extreme geological conditions highlights the extent to which biodiversity is shaped by physical processes operating within the Earth’s crust and hydrologic systems. Beyond its academic relevance, this topic is intellectually interesting because it challenges conventional assumptions about the limits of life. Organisms thriving in near-boiling water illustrate the remarkable capacity of life to adapt to environmental extremes, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of geological processes in defining those extremes. Examining thermophiles through a geological lens highlights how mountain building, hydrothermal circulation, and rock-water interactions can influence ecological communities, evolutionary trajectories, and scientific discoveries. This connection demonstrates that geology is not simply the study of rocks and landscapes; it is a discipline that helps explain why particular ecosystems exist, how they function, and what they can reveal about life on Earth.

==Overview==

This is so we can have a general overview of what the key terms are and what the main ideas/concepts are. Images from these source such as what a extremophile is will be added in potentially.

- Basic definition of an extremophile.

- This source<ref>{{Cite web|title=Extremophile|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/extremophile|url-status=live}}</ref> will allow us to gain an understanding of what an extremophile is, what thermophiles are specific to, and the presence of the latter in hot springs

==Geology of Canadian Rockies and How Do They Compare==
[[File:Canada British Columbia location map Okanagan.svg|thumb|Map Example]]This section will be on the general geology of the Canadian Rockies to put into context how the Rockies formed and the general history of the Rockies

- What is the geology of the Canadian Rockies?

- This image can be added: Map of the area <nowiki>https://static.ags.aer.ca/files/document/MAP/Map_560.pdf</nowiki>

==Microbial Ecology==
This section is to put into context thermophiles, since they are considered microorganisms, we want to examine the consideration in the Rockies to better understand how they adapt to and thrive in these environments. There will be images from the papers to illustrate the ecology.

- This talks about the microbes and minerals in the hot springs of Jasper: <nowiki>https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/csp/cjes/article-abstract/40/11/1483/53588/Microbes-and-mineral-precipitation-Miette-Hot?redirectedFrom=fulltext</nowiki>

- This talks about the microbes in Sulphur Mountain in Banff. <nowiki>https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=46472</nowiki>

== Microbial Evolution ==
This section will go over how and why thermophiles evolved to live in hot springs. This topic will go into how it is hard for organisms to live in extreme climates and what specifically thermophiles have done in order to adapt to extreme heat conditions.

== Thermophile impact ==
This section will go over the effects of having thermophiles in hot springs. It will go over their behaviour and how they impact hot spring conditions.

== Threats ==
This will go over predation of thermophiles and what risks there are to being a thermophile living in hot springs. It will also go over the dangers to hot springs conditions and if those dangers can pose a threat to thermophiles.

- Predation and/or climate change/hot spring conditions changing

==References==
<references />Bilyj, M., Lepitzki, D., Hughes, E., Swiderski, J., Stackebrandt, E., Pacas, C., & Yurkov, V. V. (2014). Abundance and Diversity of the Phototrophic Microbial Mat Communities of Sulphur Mountain Banff Springs and Their Significance to the Endangered Snail, Physella johnsoni. Open Journal of Ecology, 4(8), 488–516. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2014.48041</nowiki>

Bonny, S., & Jones, B. (2003). Microbes and mineral precipitation, Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 40(11), 1483–1500. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1139/e03-060</nowiki>

Earle, S. (2019). Physical Geology—2nd Edition. BCcampus. <nowiki>https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/</nowiki>

Elmeligi, S. (2013, September 23). Yellowstone and Banff. Grizzly Research in the Rockies (GRR...). <nowiki>https://grizzlyresearchrockies.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/yellowstone-and-banff/</nowiki>

Extremophile | Definition, Types, Examples, & Facts | Britannica. (2026, May 5). <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/extremophile</nowiki>

Geology of the Alberta Rocky Mountains and Foothills. (2013, May 1). Alberta Geological Survey. <nowiki>https://ags.aer.ca/publications/all-publications/map-560</nowiki>

Hot spring | Volcanic activity, minerals & thermal energy | Britannica. (2026, May 18). <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/hot-spring</nowiki>

Hot springs’ greater danger: Extreme temperature swings. (2008, December 29). Los Angeles Times. <nowiki>https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-dec-29-he-springsside29-story.html</nowiki>

How Extremophiles Push the Limits of Life. (n.d.). ASM.Org. Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://asm.org:443/articles/2023/march/how-extremophiles-push-the-limits-of-life</nowiki>

Marzban, G., & Tesei, D. (2025). The Extremophiles: Adaptation Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications. Biology, 14(4), 412. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14040412</nowiki>

NASA Astrobiology. (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/life-in-the-extreme-terrestrial-hot-springs/</nowiki>

Ortega-Villar, R., Escalante, A., Astudillo-Melgar, F., Lizárraga-Mendiola, L., Vázquez-Rodríguez, G. A., Hidalgo-Lara, M. E., & Coronel-Olivares, C. (2024). Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from a Hot Spring in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and Geochemical Analysis of the Thermal Water. Microorganisms, 12(6), 1066. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12061066</nowiki>

Springs, M. A. 101 R. S. H., & Us, A. 71901 P. 501 620-6715 C. (n.d.). Thermophiles of Hot Springs National Park—Hot Springs National Park (U.S. National Park Service). Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://www.nps.gov/hosp/learn/thermophiles.htm</nowiki>

US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (n.d.). What is an extremophile? Retrieved June 3, 2026, from <nowiki>https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html</nowiki>{{Projectbox_EOSC311}}
[[Category:EOSC311]]