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The Biogeochemistry of Hypersaline Microbial Mats

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Advances in Microbial Ecology

Part of the book series: Advances in Microbial Ecology ((AMIE,volume 14))

Abstract

Microbial mats are structurally coherent macroscopic accumulations of microorganisms. Photosynthetic mats offer an opportunity to examine the dynamics of a complete microbial ecosystem. Microbial mats construct laminated “miniature reefs” called stromatolites, which occur typically as carbonate rocks and are among the oldest, most abundant fossil evidence of ancient life on Earth (Walter, 1976). Mats built by cyanobacteria created the most obvious and best-studied stromatolites in the fossil record (Walter, 1976; Walter et al., 1992).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, 94035-1000, USA

    David J. Des Marais

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  1. David J. Des Marais
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside, Cumbria, England

    J. Gwynfryn Jones

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© 1995 Plenum Press, New York

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Des Marais, D.J. (1995). The Biogeochemistry of Hypersaline Microbial Mats. In: Jones, J.G. (eds) Advances in Microbial Ecology. Advances in Microbial Ecology, vol 14. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-7724-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-7724-5_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-7726-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-7724-5

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