Laurence G Miller

Research Oceanographer
U.S. Geological Survey, Headquarters, Water Resources discipline

Short Biography

A. Education

1972    B.A., Marine Science, Southampton College, Long Island University

1980    M.S., Geological Science, University of Southern California

B. Professional Experience

May 1984 to Present: Research Oceanographer, National Research Program, Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA

Sept. 1981 to May 1984: Oceanographer III, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Jan. 1977 to Sept. 1981: Research and Teaching Assistant, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

April 1973 to Dec. 1976: Research Technician, Lamont Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY

Publications

1.      Simpson, H.J., Trier, R.M., Olsen, C.R., Hammond, D.E., Ege, A., Miller, L., and Melack, J.M., 1980.  Fallout plutonium in an alkaline, saline lake. Science, vol. 207, 1071-1073.

2.      Hammond, D.E., Teng, T.L., Miller, L., and Haraguchi, G., 1981.  A search for co-variance among seismicity, groundwater chemistry, and groundwater radon in Southern California.  Geophys. Res. Lett., vol. 8, 445-448.

3.      Hammond, D.E., Fuller, C., Harmon, D., Hartman, B., Korosec, M., Miller, L.G., Rea, R., Warren, S., Berelson, W., and Hager, S.W., 1985.  Benthic fluxes in San Francisco Bay.  Hydrobiologia, vol. 129, 69-90.

4.      Miller, L.G., Oremland, R.S., and Paulsen S., 1986.  Measurement of N₂O reductase activity in aquatic sediments.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol., vol. 51, 18-24.

5.      Sanchez, A.L., Murray, J.W., Schell, W.R., and Miller, L.G., 1986.  Fallout plutonium in two oxic-anoxic environments.  Limnol. Oceanogr., vol. 31, 1110-1121.

6.      Kiene, R.P., Oremland, R.S., Catena, A., Miller, L.G., and Capone, D.G., 1986.  Metabolism of reduced methylated sulfur compounds in anaerobic sediments and by a pure culture of an estuarine methanogen.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol., vol. 52, 1037-1045.

7.      Oremland, R.S., Cloern, J.E., Smith, R.L., Culbertson, C.W., Zehr, J., Miller, L., Cole, B., Harvey, R., Iversen, N., Klug, M., DesMarais, D.J., Rau, G., and Sofer, Z., 1988.  Biogeochemical and microbial processes of Big Soda Lake, Nevada, 59-75, in Lacustrine Petroleum Source Rocks, K. Kelts, M. Talbot, and A. Fleet, eds., Geol. Soc. of London, Special Publication.

8.      Oremland, R.S., Miller, L.G., and Whiticar, M. J., 1987.  Sources and flux of natural gas from Mono Lake, California.  Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, vol. 51, 2915-2929.

9.      Miller, L.G. and Oremland, R.S., 1988.  Methane efflux from the pelagic regions of four lakes.  Global Biogeochem. Cycles, vol. 2, 269-277.

10.  McKnight, D.M., Aiken, G.R., Andrews, E.D., Bowles, E.C., Smith, R.L., Duff, J.M., and Miller, L.G., 1988.  Dissolved organic material in desert lakes in the dry valleys.  Antarct. Journ., vol. 23, 152-153.

11.  Oremland, R.S., Hollibaugh, J.T., Maest, A., Presser, T., Miller, L., and Culbertson, C., 1989.  Selenate reduction to elemental selenium by anaerobic bacteria in sediments and culture: Biogeochemical significance of a novel, sulfate-independent respiration.  Appl. Eviron. Microbiol., vol. 55, 2333-2343.

12.  Oremland, R.S., Steinberg, N.A., Maest, A.S., Miller, L.G., and Hollibaugh, J.T., 1990.  Measurement of in situ rates of selenate removal by dissimilatory bacterial reduction in sediments.  Env. Sci. & Technol., vol. 24, 1157-1164.

13.  Aiken, G., McKnight, D., Wershaw, R. and Miller, L., 1991.  Evidence for the diffusion of aquatic fulvic acid from the sediments of Lake Fryxell, Antarctica.  In Baker, R. ed., Proceedings of the ACS Symposium "Organic Substances in Sediment and Water”, 75-88.

14.  Oremland, R.S., Steinberg, N.S., Presser, T.S. and Miller, L.G., 1991. In situ bacterial selenate reduction in the agricultural drainage systems of western Nevada. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., vol. 57, 615-617.

15.  Maest, A.S., Pasilis, S.P., Miller, L.G. and Nordstrom, D.K. 1992. Redox geochemistry of arsenic and iron in Mono Lake, California, USA. In Water-Rock Interaction (VII), Kharaka and Maest eds., 507-511.

16.  Jellison, R., Miller, L.G., Melack, J.M., and Dana, G.L., 1993.  Meromixis in hypersaline Mono Lake, California 2: Nitrogen fluxes. Limnol. Oceanog., vol. 38, 1020-1039.

17.  Miller, L.G., Jellison, R., Oremland, R.S. and Culbertson, C.W., 1993. Meromixis in hypersaline Mono Lake, California 3: Biogeochemical response to stratification and overturn. Limnol. Oceanogr. vol. 38, 1040-1051.

18.  Oremland, R.S., Miller, L.G., Culbertson, C.W., Robinson, S., Smith, R.L., Lovley, D., Whiticar, M.J., King, G.M., et al. 1993. Aspects of the biogeochemistry of methane in Mono Lake and the Mono Basin of California, USA. In  R.S. Oremland (ed.) The Biogeochemistry of Global Change: Radiative Trace Gases, Chapman & Hall, NY. 705-744.

19.  Smith, R.L., Miller, L.G., and Howes, B.L. 1993. The geochemistry of methane in Lake Fryxell, an amictic, permanently ice-covered, antarctic lake. Biogeochemistry, vol. 21, 95-115.

20.  Miller, L.G., Coutlakis, M.D., Oremland, R.S. and Ward, B.B. 1993. Selective inhibition of ammonium oxidation and nitrification linked N₂O formation by methyl fluoride and dimethyl ether. Appl. and Environm. Microbiol., vol. 59, 2457-2464.

21.  Oremland, R.S. and Miller, L.G. 1993. Biogeochemistry of natural gases in three alkaline, permanently stratified (meromictic) lakes. In D. Howell, ed. “The Future of Energy Gases”, 439-452.

22.  Oremland, R.S., Miller, L.G. and Strohmaier, F.E. 1994. Degradation of methyl bromide in anaerobic sediments. Env. Sci, And Technol., vol 28, 514-520.

23.  Oremland, R.S., Miller, LG., Culbertson, C.W., Connell, T.L., and Jahnke, L.L. 1994. Degradation of methyl bromide by methanotrophic bacteria in cell suspensions and soils. Appl. and Environm. Microbiol., vol. 60, 3640-3646.

24.  Oremland, R.S., Switzer-Blum, J. Culbertson, C.W., Visscher, P.T., Miller, L.G., Dowdle. P., and Strohmaier, F.E.1994. Isolation, growth, and metabolism of an obligately anaerobic, selenate-respiring bacterium, strain SES-3. Appl. and Environm. Microbiol., vol. 60, 3011-3019.

25.  Oremland, R.S., Miller, L.G., Dowdle, P., Connell, T., and Barkay, T. 1995. Methylmercury oxidative degradation potentials in contaminated and pristine sediments of the Carson River, Nevada.. Appl. and Environm. Microbiol., vol. 61, 2745-2753.

26.  Caffrey, J.M. and Miller, L.G. 1995. A comparison of two nitrification inhibitors used to measure nitrification rates in estuarine sediments. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol., vol. 17, 213-220.

27.  Caffrey, J.M., Hammod, D.E., Kuwabara, J.S., Miller, L.G., and Twilley, R.R. 1996. Benthic processes in South San Francisco Bay: The role of organic inputs and bioturbation. Hollibaugh, J.T., ed. “San Francisco Bay: The Ecosystem” AAAS, 425-442.

28.  Miller, L.G. and Aiken, G.R. 1996. The effects of meltwater inflows and moat freezing on mixing in an ice-covered antarctic lake as interpreted from stable isotope and tritium distributions. Limnol. and Oceanogr., vol. 41, 966-976.

29.  Miller, L.G., Connell, T.L., Guidetti, J.R., and Oremland, R.S. 1997. Bacterial oxidation of methyl bromide in fumigated agricultural soils. Appl. and Environm. Microbiol., vol. 63, 4346-4354.

30.  Connell, T.L., Joye, S.B., Miller, L.G., and Oremland, R.S. 1997. Bacterial oxidation of methyl bromide in Mono Lake, California. Env. Sci. & Technol., vol. 31, 1489-1495.

31.  Miller, L.G., Sasson, C. and Oremland, R.S. 1998. Difluromethane: a new and improved inhibitor of methanotrophy. Appl. and Environm. Microbiol., vol. 64, 4357-4362.

32.  Joye, S.B., Connell, T.L., Miller, L.G., Oremland, R.S., and Jellison, R. 1999. Oxidation of ammonia and methane in an alkaline, saline lake. Limnol. and Oceanogr., vol 44, 178-188.

33.  Oremland, R.S., Dowdle, P.R., Hoeft, S., Sharp, J.O., Schaefer, J.K., Miller, L.G., Blum, J.S., Smith, R.L., Bloom, N.S., and Wallschlager, D. 2000. Bacterial dissimilatory reduction of arsenate and sulfate in meromictic Mono Lake, California. Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta, vol. 64, 3073-3084.

34.  Kalin, R.M., Hamilton, J.T.G., Harper, D.B., Miller, L.G., Lamb, C., Kennedy, J.T., Downey, A., McCauley, S.E., and Goldstein, A.H. 2001. Continuous flow stable isotope methods for study of δ¹³C fractionation during halomethane production and degradation. Rapid Comm. in Mass Spectr., vol. 15, 357-362. 

35.  Miller, L.G., Kalin, R.M., McCauley, S.E., Hamilton, J.T.G., Harper, D.B., Millet, D.B., Oremland, R.S., and Goldstein, A.H. 2001. Large carbon isotope fractionation associated with oxidation of methyl halides by methylotrophic bacteria. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA, vol. 98, 5833-5837.

36.  Roesler, C.S., Culbertson, C.W., Etheridge, S.M., Goericke, R., Kiene, R.P., Miller, L.G., and Oremland, R.S. 2002. Distribution, production, and ecophysiology of Picosystis strain ML in Mono Lake, California. Limnol. and Oceanogr., vol. 47, 440-452.

37.  Miller, L.G. and Goodwin, K.D. 2002. Foreword to special issue on biogeochemistry of halomethanes. Biogeochem., vol. 60, 119-120.

38.  Bill, M., Miller, L.G., and Goldstein, A.H. 2002. Carbon isotope fractionation of methyl bromide during agricultural soil fumigations, Biogeochem., vol. 60, 181-190.

39.  Miller, L.G., Baesman, S.M., and Oremland, R.S. 2003. Bioreactors for removing methyl bromide following contained fumigations. Environ. Sci. & Tech., vol. 37, 1698-1704.

40.  Miller, L.G., Warner, K.L., Baesman, S.M., Oremland, R.S., McDonald, I.R., Radajewski, S., and Murrell, J.C. 2004. Degradation of methyl bromide and methyl chloride in soil microcosms: Use of stable C isotope fractionation and stable isotope probing to identify reactions and the responsible microorganisms. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, vol. 68, 3271-3283.

41.  Miller, L.G., and Baesman, S.M. 2004. Removing excess methyl iodide from fumigated soil using bacteria. Final report to California Strawberry Commission Project 03-68371, 11 pp.

42.  McDonald, I.R., Kampfer, P., Warner, K., Connell Hancock, T., Harper, D.B., Murrell, J.C., Miller, L.G., and Oremland, R.S. 2005. Aminobacter ciceronii sp. nov. and Aminobacter liesaraensis sp. nov., isolated from various terrestrial environments. Int. Journ. Syst. & Evol Microbiol., vol. 55, 1827-1832.

43.  Oremland, R.S., Kulp, T.R., Switzer-Blum, J., Hoeft, S.E., Baesman, S.M., Miller, L.G., and Stolz, J.F.2005. A microbial arsenic cycle in a salt-saturated, extreme environment: Searles Lake, California. Science, vol. 308, 1305-1308.

44.  Baesman, S.M., and Miller, L.G. 2005. Laboratory determination of the carbon kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for reactions of methyl halides with various nucleophiles in solution. Journ. Atmos. Chem., vol. 52, 203-219.

45.  Kulp, T.R., Hoeft, S.E., Miller, L.G., Saltikov, C., Murphy, J.N., Han, S., Lanoil, B., and Oremland, R.S. 2006, Dissimilatory arsenate and sulfate reduction in sediments of two hypersaline, arsenic-rich soda lakes: Mono and Searles Lakes, California. Appl. and Environm. Microbiol., vol. 72, 6514-6526.

46.  Schäfer, H., Miller, L.G., Oremland, R.S., and Murrell, J.C. 2006. Bacterial cycling of methyl halides. Adv. in Appl. Microbiol., vol. 61, 307-346.

47.  Miller, L.G. 2007. Book review of “Geothermal biology and geochemistry in Yellowstone National Park, eds. WP Inskeep and TR McDermott”. Geofluids, vol. 7, 270-271.

48.  Kulp, T.R., Hoeft, S.E., Asao, M., Madigan, M.T., Hollibaugh, J.T., Fisher, J.C., Stolz, J.F., Culbertson, C.W., Miller, L.G., and Oremland, R.S. 2008. Arsenic (III) fuels anoxygenic photosynthesis in hot spring biofilms from Mono Lake, California. Science, vol. 321, 967-970.

49.  Miller, L.G. and Oremland, R.S. 2008. Electricity generation by anaerobic bacteria and anoxic sediments from hypersaline soda lakes. Extremophiles, vol. 12, 837-848.

50.  Oremland, R.S., Stolz, J.F., Madigan, M., Hollibaugh, J.T., Kulp, T.R., Hoeft, S.E., Fisher, J, Miller, L.G., Culbertson, C.W., and Asao, M. 2009. Response to comment on “Arsenic (III) fuels anoxygenic photosynthesis in hot spring biofilms from Mono Lake, California”. Science vol. 323, 583d.

My USGS Science Strategy Areas

Science Center Affiliation

Arsenic Cycling in Hypersaline Lakes: Field Studies. Arsenic is a rare toxic element in the Earth’s crust, however it can be an important contaminant in drinking water. Considerable effort is directed at understanding its fate in surface and ground waters where microbes cycle arsenic oxyanions between the two major oxidation states, As (V) and As (III). Arsenic is often bound to particles in neutral or acidic environments, however in alkaline saline lakes most of the arsenic remains in solution and is therefore readily measured without further treatment. Our project identified two such environments in California (Mono Lake and Searles Lake) which have elevated arsenic concentrations resulting from hydrothermal activity and evaporative concentration. I participate in all phases of field and laboratory research conducted by our project in collaboration with several academic groups. This includes defining goals (with project chief Ron Oremland) and coordinating the work of other scientists. I develop new sampling strategies and identify methods to determine physical and chemical properties of brines that previously have not been measured in our lab. I help interpret the results of research to characterize the activities of heterotrophic, chemo- and photoautotrophic bacteria, which significantly furthers our understanding of the role of bacteria in transforming As (V) and As (III). These are highly recognizable studies, judged by the impact of two papers recently published in Science magazine (2005 and 2008) and the publicity resulting from featuring our research in two national television documentaries (History Channel, 2008 and Discovery Channel, 2009). See left for a list of some of the publications resulting from these studies. For a more complete list see Ron Oremland’s Professional Page. For further information on this topic look under 'Geomicrobiology' within  the USGS Microbiology Website  http://microbiology.usgs.gov/index.html

Arsenic Cycling in Hypersaline Lakes: Microbial Fuel Cells. Energy stored in organic matter or in reduced inorganic compounds may be recovered during electron transfer within microbial fuel cells (MFCs). MFCs operate like a battery, with two electrodes separated by a proton exchange membrane. These fuel cells capitalize on the ability of certain bacteria to facilitate transfer of electrons to an anode. We found that pure cultures of arsenate respiring bacteria from Mono Lake and Searles Lake were equally capable of generating electricity but that sediments and sediment slurries from Mono Lake produced more electricity than Searles Lake sediments. This was the first use of MFCs to demonstrate electricity production in extreme hypersaline environments and could be used to design life detection experiments for Mars or elsewhere. We published this work in Extremophiles (Miller and Oremland, 2008). This 3-year research effort began with a joint proposal to NASA with JPL scientists Suresh Seshadri and Martin Buehler and was a significant departure from our previous work. The study required familiarization with new literature and theories. I made my own fuel cells and developed new methods to manipulate electrolyte solutions. 

Acetylene oxidation by bacteria. Acetylene (C₂H₂) is a trace gas in today’s atmosphere but, like methane (CH₄), was much more abundant in the early Earth’s history and is substantially present in the atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn and Titan. Acetylene fermenting organisms have been identified that may have played a role in the evolution of life on Earth. These organisms retain the ability to synthesize an enzyme, acetylene hydratase, which may be useful only during anoxic periods in Earth’s history. However, we have discovered several fresh- and saltwater environments where this activity persists and we are searching for others. This project employs culturing and culture-independent techniques to evaluate the diversity of these organisms in nature. This is currently my primary effort and is in collaboration with Ron Oremland and Mary Voytek (NRP) and others. It follows earlier studies in our lab and others to characterize the oxidation of acetylene by Pelobacter acetylenicus. 

Additional descriptions of projects that I am involved with can be found, listed under my name, on the USGS Microbiology website

http://microbiology.usgs.gov/scientists.html

Awards-

Performance Award, USGS: 2007

Antarctic Service Award, NSF: 1988, 1990

Superior Service Award, USGS: 2003

Membership-

American Geophysical Union (Biogeosciences Guidance Committee 2009-2011),

American Association for the Advancement of Science,

International Society on Environmental Biogeochemistry (International Committee 1999-2011, National Committee for the 2005 meeting in Jackson, WY)