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What are Microbial Mats?

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Book cover Microbial Mats

Part of the book series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology ((COLE,volume 14))

Abstract

Awareness of biofilms and microbial mats is not a modern attribute (see, in this context, Krumbein, 1993, 1994; Krumbein et al., 2003). Slippery surfaces, mucilage-embedded organic films, plaques, or rock patina may have not only stimulated olfactory, tactile, and visual senses, but also initiated questions about reasons. Today, various fields in biology, chemistry, medicine, geology, paleontology, and finally astrobiology share interest in biofilms and microbial mats. Their wealth of scientific questions results in a choice of definitions.

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  1. Department of Marine Science, c/o Senckenberg Research Institute, Südstrand 40, D-26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

    Gisela Gerdes

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  1. Gisela Gerdes
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Correspondence to Gisela Gerdes .

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  1. University of Jerusalem, Mevo Hadas 20, Efrat, 90435, Israel

    Joseph Seckbach

  2. Inst. Life Sciences, Div. Microbial and Molecular Ecology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram Campus, Jerusalem, 91 904, Israel

    Aharon Oren

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Gerdes, G. (2010). What are Microbial Mats?. In: Seckbach, J., Oren, A. (eds) Microbial Mats. Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3799-2_1

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