High water mark sign at Yellowstone River at Carters Bridge
Elliott Barnhart
Elliott Barnhart is a research hydrologist (microbiologist) at the Wyoming Montana Water Science Center in Helena, Montana.
His research focuses on (1) understanding how subsurface microorganisms generate and consume methane, (2) developing and testing new DNA sampling and analytical equipment, and (3) investigating the prevalence of microorganisms, pathogens and invasive species in different ecosystems.
Professional Experience
2020 - 2022 National Sewage and Surveillance Interagency (CDC, NIH, DoD, USGS, NSF) Leadership team.
2014 - present USGS Research Hydrologist (Microbiologist).
2014 - present Assistant Research Professor, Center for Biofilm Engineering.
2014 - present Task Chief: USGS Subsurface Microbial Methanogenesis Project.
2011 - 2014 USGS Student Career Experience Program Research Fellow.
2009 - 2011 Teaching Assistant for Eukaryotic Pathogens Course, Montana State University.
2009 Fellow, NSF Developing Global Scientists and Engineers Program, Bergen, Norway.
2008 Research Assistant, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Montana Tech.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Microbiology, Montana State University, 2014.
M.Sc. Microbiology, Montana State University, 2011.
B.S. Environmental Microbiology, Montana State University, 2009.
Science and Products
READI-Net: Providing Tools for the Early Detection and Management of Aquatic Invasive Species
Environmental DNA (eDNA): Combining Technology and Biology to Detect Aquatic Invasive Species and Pathogens
Using Robots in the River: Biosurveillance at USGS streamgages
High-Resolution, Interagency Biosurveillance of Threatened Surface Waters in the United States
Occurrence of pathogen Naegleria fowleri in northwestern Wyoming hot springs
Microbial Methanogenesis and Strategies for Enhancements
Portable Raman spectroscopic analysis of bulk crushed rock
qPCR Results for An Assessment of Naegleria fowleri in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Chemistry Data from the Birney Test Site, Montana, 2018-2020
Injection of Deuterium and Yeast Extract at USGS Birney Field Site, Powder River Basin, Montana, USA, 2016-2020
Data for Biogeochemical and Physical Processes Controlling Mercury and Selenium Bioaccumulation in Bighorn Lake, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Montana and Wyoming, 2015-2016
High water mark sign at Yellowstone River at Carters Bridge
Elk are not concerned with our work. USGS and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute conducted tests of the feasibility of real-time eDNA monitoring at USGS streamgage 06190540 Boiling River at Mammoth,YNP, September 13, 2017.
Elk are not concerned with our work. USGS and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute conducted tests of the feasibility of real-time eDNA monitoring at USGS streamgage 06190540 Boiling River at Mammoth,YNP, September 13, 2017.
Collecting a sample for detection of N. fowleri in a Teton County hot spring
Collecting a sample for detection of N. fowleri in a Teton County hot spring
Prokaryotic microbial ecology as an ecosurveillance tool for eukaryotic pathogen colonisation: Meiothermus and Naegleria fowleri
Krumholzibacteriota and Deltaproteobacteria contain rare genetic potential to liberate carbon from monoaromatic compounds in subsurface coal seams
Naegleria fowleri detected in Grand Teton National Park Hot Springs
Evaluation of portable Raman spectroscopic analysis for source-rock thermal maturity assessments on bulk crushed rock
Algal amendment enhances biogenic methane production from coals of different thermal maturity
Pressurized upflow reactor system for the bioconversion of coal to methane: Investigation of the coal/sand interface effect
A global perspective on bacterial diversity in the terrestrial deep subsurface
Methanogenic archaea in subsurface coal seams are biogeographically distinct: An analysis of metagenomically-derived mcrA sequences
Subsurface hydrocarbon degradation strategies in low- and high-sulfate coal seam communities identified with activity-based metagenomics
In situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane
Activity-based, genome-resolved metagenomics uncovers key populations and pathways involved in subsurface conversions of coal to methane
Effect of an algal amendment on the microbial conversion of coal to methane at different sulfate concentrations from the Powder River Basin, USA
Science and Products
- Science
READI-Net: Providing Tools for the Early Detection and Management of Aquatic Invasive Species
The USGS has developed the Rapid environmental (e)DNA Assessment and Deployment Initiative & Network (READI-Net) to accelerate the implementation of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a best practice for the early detection of aquatic biological threats. READI-Net provides tools and a strategy to collect and deliver early detection data for natural resource managers and public health protection...ByEcosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA LaboratoryEnvironmental DNA (eDNA): Combining Technology and Biology to Detect Aquatic Invasive Species and Pathogens
Using DNA, USGS researchers are able to detect the presence of invasive species in aquatic ecosystems. The DNA they use is literally floating around in the environment and is called environmental DNA (eDNA) and is a powerful tool for the early detection of invasive species and pathogens, which can cause serious ecological and economic damage. USGS researchers are also combining the use of eDNA...Using Robots in the River: Biosurveillance at USGS streamgages
For more than a decade, researchers around the world have shown that sampling a water body and analyzing for DNA (a method known as eDNA) is an effective method to detect an organism in the water. The challenge is that finding organisms that are not very abundant requires a lot of samples to locate this needle in a haystack. Enter the "lab in a can", the water quality sampling and processing robot...High-Resolution, Interagency Biosurveillance of Threatened Surface Waters in the United States
Advances in information technology now provide large volume, high-frequency data collection which may improve real-time biosurveillance and forecasting. But, big data streams present challenges for data management and timely analysis. As a first step in creating a data science pipeline for translating large datasets into meaningful interpretations, we created a cloud-hosted PostgreSQL database thaOccurrence of pathogen Naegleria fowleri in northwestern Wyoming hot springs
Naegleria fowleri ( N. fowleri ) commonly referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba", is a thermophilic free-living amoeba found in warm and hot surface water that include freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs (Yoder and others. 2010).Microbial Methanogenesis and Strategies for Enhancements
Microbial (biogenic) natural gas is present in shale, coal and petroleum reservoirs and is estimated to account for 20% of the world’s natural gas resources. We provide hydrological, geochemical and microbial information related to the production of biogenic natural gas and new methods to monitor and enhance the production of this energy resource. Generating microbial methane at a faster rate from... - Data
Portable Raman spectroscopic analysis of bulk crushed rock
This study presents a simplified method and empirical relationships for determining organic matter thermal maturity using a portable Raman system equipped with a 785 nm laser, for analysis of crushed, whole-rock samples. Several sets of rocks comprised of shale and coal samples with various mineralogical composition, thermal maturity, total organic carbon (TOC), and age were used to test the methoqPCR Results for An Assessment of Naegleria fowleri in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
In 2016, a multidisciplinary team from the U.S. Geological Survey Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, National Park Service, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Montana State University’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology in cooperation with the Teton Conservation District, initiated a small study to document the presence or absence of Naegleria fowleri at several hot sprChemistry Data from the Birney Test Site, Montana, 2018-2020
Data were collected to monitor geochemistry before and after an injection designed to stimulate microbial methanogenesis in the shallow Flowers-Goodale coal bed, near Birney in southeastern Montana. Waters from wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale, Nance, Knobloch, and Terret coalbeds at the Birney Test Site were sampled. Geochemical characterization of the water included non-purgeable dissolvedInjection of Deuterium and Yeast Extract at USGS Birney Field Site, Powder River Basin, Montana, USA, 2016-2020
Subsurface microbial (biogenic) methane production is an important part of the global carbon cycle and has resulted in natural gas accumulations in many coal beds worldwide. Laboratory experiments indicate coal beds can act as natural geobioreactors and produce additional low carbon renewable natural gas with algal or yeast compounds, yet the effectiveness of these nutrients in situ are unknown. TData for Biogeochemical and Physical Processes Controlling Mercury and Selenium Bioaccumulation in Bighorn Lake, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Montana and Wyoming, 2015-2016
This dataset includes the field measurements and laboratory analyses of surface water, seston, fish tissue, and sediment samples collected from Bighorn Lake, within Bighorn Canyon National Recreation area (BICA), during high flow (July 2015) and low flow (August 2016) conditions. The study area includes 7-9 sampling sites that follow a transect spanning the entire length of the reservoir from the - Multimedia
High water mark sign at Yellowstone River at Carters BridgeHigh water mark sign at Yellowstone River at Carters Bridge
High water mark sign at Yellowstone River at Carters Bridge
High water mark sign at Yellowstone River at Carters Bridge
Testing the feasibility of real-time eDNA monitoringTesting the feasibility of real-time eDNA monitoringElk are not concerned with our work. USGS and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute conducted tests of the feasibility of real-time eDNA monitoring at USGS streamgage 06190540 Boiling River at Mammoth,YNP, September 13, 2017.
Elk are not concerned with our work. USGS and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute conducted tests of the feasibility of real-time eDNA monitoring at USGS streamgage 06190540 Boiling River at Mammoth,YNP, September 13, 2017.
Collecting a sample for detection of N. fowleriCollecting a sample for detection of N. fowleri in a Teton County hot spring
Collecting a sample for detection of N. fowleri in a Teton County hot spring
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 30
Prokaryotic microbial ecology as an ecosurveillance tool for eukaryotic pathogen colonisation: Meiothermus and Naegleria fowleri
Naegleria fowleri has been detected in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) in Australia, Pakistan and the United States and is the causative agent of the highly fatal disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Previous small scale field studies have shown that Meiothermus may be a potential biomarker for N. fowleri. However, correlations between predictive biomarkers in small sample sizesAuthorsNatalia Malinowski, Matthew J. Morgan, Jason Wylie, Tom Walsh, Sergio Domingos, Suzanne Metcalfe, Anna H. Kaksonen, Elliott Barnhart, Rebecca C. Mueller, Brent M. Peyton, Geoffrey J. PuzonKrumholzibacteriota and Deltaproteobacteria contain rare genetic potential to liberate carbon from monoaromatic compounds in subsurface coal seams
Biogenic methane in subsurface coal seam environments is produced by diverse consortia of microbes. Although this methane is useful for global energy security, it remains unclear which microbes can liberate carbon from the coal. Most of this carbon is relatively resistant to biodegradation, as it is contained within aromatic rings. Thus, to explore for coal-degrading taxa in the subsurface, this sAuthorsBronwyn C. Campbell, Paul Greenfield, Elliott Barnhart, Se Gong, David J. Midgley, Ian T. Paulsen, Simon C. GeorgeNaegleria fowleri detected in Grand Teton National Park Hot Springs
The free-living thermophilic amoeba Naegleria fowleri (N. fowleri) causes the highly fatal disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. The environmental conditions that are favorable to the growth and proliferation of N. fowleri are not well-defined, especially in northern regions of the United States. In this study, we used culture-based methods and multiple molecular approaches to detect and anAuthorsElliott Barnhart, Stacy Kinsey, Peter R. Wright, Sara L. Caldwell Eldridge, Vince Hill, Amy Kahler, Mia Mattioli, Robert S. Cornman, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Zachary Eddy, Sandra Halonen, Rebecca C. Mueller, Brent Peyton, Geoffrey PuzonEvaluation of portable Raman spectroscopic analysis for source-rock thermal maturity assessments on bulk crushed rock
This study presents a simplified method and empirical relationships for determining organic matter thermal maturity using a portable Raman system equipped with a 785 nm laser, for analysis of crushed, whole-rock samples. Suites of rocks represented by shale and coal samples with various mineralogical composition, thermal maturity, and total organic carbon (TOC) were used to test the method and buiAuthorsMartha (Rebecca) Stokes, Aaron M. Jubb, Paul C. Hackley, Justin E. Birdwell, Elliott Barnhart, Clint Scott, Jenna L. Shelton, Margaret M. Sanders, Javin J. HatcherianAlgal amendment enhances biogenic methane production from coals of different thermal maturity
The addition of small amounts of algal biomass to stimulate methane production in coal seams is a promising low carbon renewable coalbed methane enhancement technique. However, little is known about how the addition of algal biomass amendment affects methane production from coals of different thermal maturity. Here, we show that biogenic methane can be produced from five coals ranging in rank fromAuthorsGeorge A. Platt, Katherine J. Davis, Hannah D. Schweitzer, Heidi J. Smith, Matthew W. Fields, Elliott Barnhart, Robin GerlachPressurized upflow reactor system for the bioconversion of coal to methane: Investigation of the coal/sand interface effect
Microbial generation of coal bed methane (CBM) represents a significant source of natural gas on Earth. While biostimulation has been demonstrated in batch cultures, environmental parameters such as overburden pressure and formation water flow need to be tested at the laboratory scale to understand in situ potential. We designed and constructed a high-pressure (HP) flow-through reactor system thatAuthorsMargaux Mesle, Logan H. Hodgskiss, Elliott Barnhart, Laura Dobeck, Joachim Eldring, Randy Hiebert, Alfred B. Cunningham, Robin Gerlach, Adrienne Phillips, Matthew W. FieldsA global perspective on bacterial diversity in the terrestrial deep subsurface
While recent efforts to catalogue Earth’s microbial diversity have focused upon surface and marine habitats, 12–20 % of Earth’s biomass is suggested to exist in the terrestrial deep subsurface, compared to ~1.8 % in the deep subseafloor. Metagenomic studies of the terrestrial deep subsurface have yielded a trove of divergent and functionally important microbiomes from a range of localities. HoweveAuthorsA. Soares, A. L. Edwards, A. Bagnoud, J. Bradley, Elliott Barnhart, M. Bomberger Brown, K. Budwill, S. M. Caffrey, M. Fields, J. Gralnick., V. Kadnikov, L. Momper, M. Osburn, A. Mu, J.W. Moreau, D. Moser, L. Purkamo, S. M. Rassner, C. S. Sheik, B. Sherwood Lollar, B. M. Toner, G. Voordouw, K. Wouters, A. C. MitchellMethanogenic archaea in subsurface coal seams are biogeographically distinct: An analysis of metagenomically-derived mcrA sequences
The production of methane as an end-product of organic matter degradation in the absence of other terminal electron acceptors is common, and has often been studied in environments such as animal guts, soils, and wetlands due to its potency as a greenhouse gas. To date however, the study of the biogeographic distribution of methanogens across coal seam environments has been minimal. Here, we show tAuthorsBronwyn C Campbell, Paul Greenfield, Se Gong, Elliott Barnhart, David J. Midgley, Ian T. Paulsen, Simon C. GeorgeSubsurface hydrocarbon degradation strategies in low- and high-sulfate coal seam communities identified with activity-based metagenomics
Environmentally relevant metagenomes and BONCAT-FACS derived translationally active metagenomes from Powder River Basin coal seams were investigated to elucidate potential genes and functional groups involved in hydrocarbon degradation to methane in coal seams with high- and low-sulfate levels. An advanced subsurface environmental sampler allowed the establishment of coal-associated microbial commAuthorsHannah S. Schweitzer, Heidi J. Smith, Elliott Barnhart, Luke J. McKay, Robin Gerlach, Alfred B. Cunningham, Rex R. Malmstrom, Danielle Goudeau, Matthew W. FieldsIn situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane
Subsurface microbial (biogenic) methane production is an important part of the global carbon cycle that has resulted in natural gas accumulations in many coal beds worldwide. Laboratory studies suggest that complex carbon-containing nutrients (e.g., yeast or algae extract) can stimulate methane production, yet the effectiveness of these nutrients within coal beds is unknown. Here, we use downholeAuthorsElliott Barnhart, Leslie F. Ruppert, Randy Heibert, Heidi J. Smith, Hannah Schweitzer, Arthur Clark, Edwin Weeks, William H. Orem, Matthew S. Varonka, George A. Platt, Jenna L. Shelton, Katherine J Davis, Robert Hyatt, Jennifer C. McIntosh, Kilian Ashley, Shuhei Ono, Anna M. Martini, Keith Hackley, Robin Gerlach, Lee Spangler, Adrienne Phillips, Mark Barry, Alfred B. Cunningham, Matthew W. FieldsActivity-based, genome-resolved metagenomics uncovers key populations and pathways involved in subsurface conversions of coal to methane
Microbial metabolisms and interactions that facilitate subsurface conversions of recalcitrant carbon to methane are poorly understood. We deployed an in situ enrichment device in a subsurface coal seam in the Powder River Basin (PRB), USA, and used BONCAT-FACS-Metagenomics to identify translationally active populations involved in methane generation from a variety of coal-derived aromatic hydrocarAuthorsLuke J. McKay, Heidi J. Smith, Elliott Barnhart, Hannah S. Schweitzer, Rex R. Malmstrom, Danielle Goudeau, Matthew W. FieldsEffect of an algal amendment on the microbial conversion of coal to methane at different sulfate concentrations from the Powder River Basin, USA
Biogenic methane is estimated to account for one-fifth of the natural gas worldwide and there is great interest in controlling methane from different sources. Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM) production relies on syntrophic associations between fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea to anaerobically degrade recalcitrant coal and produce methanogenic substrates. However, very little is knownAuthorsHeidi J. Smith, Hannah S. Schweitzer, Elliott Barnhart, William H. Orem, Robin Gerlach, Matthew W. Fields - News