Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mats of Filamentous and Unicellular Cyanobacteria in Hypersaline Environments

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Microbial Mats

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

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are characteristic components of many types of microbial mat ­ecosystems: these include terrestrial and marine environments, hypersaline lakes, thermal springs, and many others. Because of their large metabolic flexibility and their ability to adapt to low as well as high temperatures, extremely high salinities, high pH, and low nutrient levels, they can be found in nearly any microbial mat system in which light is available for photosynthesis. As many cyanobacteria excrete massive amounts of polysaccharide as extracellular slime or sheaths, the cyanobacteria are often the organisms that are primarily responsible for the formation of a cohesive biofilm structure that is then colonized by other types of microorganisms. This, and the fact that their presence is so evident due to their pigmentation, has made the cyanobacteria very popular objects for microbial mat research (Stal, 1995, 2000).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Brock, T.D. (1978) Thermophilic Microorganisms and Life at High Temperatures. Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casillas-Martinez, L., Gonzalez, M.L, Fuentes-Figueroa, Z., Castro, C.M., Nieves-Mendez, D., Hernandez, C., Ramirez, W., Sytsma, R.E., Perez-Jimenez, J. and Visscher, P.T. (2005) Community structure, geochemical characteristics and mineralogy of a hypersaline microbial mat, Cabo Rojo, PR. Geomicrobiol. J. 22: 269–281.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caumette, P., Matheron, R., Raymond, N. and Relexans, J.-C. (1994) Microbial mats in the hypersaline ponds of Mediterranean salterns (Salins-de-Giraud, France). FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 13: 273–286.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clavero, E., Grimalt, J.O., Merino, V. and Hernández-Mariné, M. (1994) Structure of the sediment at depositional saline environments, In: L.J. Stal and P. Caumette (eds.) Microbial Mats. Structure, Development and Environmental Significance. Springer, Berlin, pp. 91–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Antoni D’Amelio, E., Cohen, Y. and Des Marais, D.J. (1989) Comparative functional ultrastructure of two hypersaline submerged cyanobacterial mats: Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and Solar Lake, Sinai, Egypt, In: Y. Cohen and E. Rosenberg (eds.) Microbial Mats; Physiological Ecology of Benthic Microbial Communities. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, pp. 97–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Des Marais, D.J. (1995) The biogeochemistry of hypersaline microbial mats, In: J.G. Jones (ed.) Advances in Microbial Ecology, Vol. 14. Plenum, New York, pp. 251–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubinin, A.V. and Gerasimenko, L.M. (1994) Dark anaerobic metabolism of halophilic cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes. Microbiology (translation of Mikrobiologiya) 62: 391–394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubinin, A.V., Gerasimenko, L.M. and Gusev, M.V. (1992) Physiological features of a strain of Microcoleus chthonoplastes from a hypersaline reservoir. Microbiology (translation of Mikrobiologiya) 61: 47–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Pichel, F., Prufert-Bebout, L. and Muyzer, G. (1996) Phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses show Microcoleus chthonoplastes to be a cosmopolitan cyanobacterium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62: 3284–3291.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Pichel, F., Nübel, U. and Muyzer, G. (1998) The phylogeny of unicellular, extremely halotolerant cyanobacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 169: 469–482.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Geitler, L. (1932) Cyanophyceae, In: Kolkwitz R. (ed.) Dr. L. Rabenhorst’s Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Vierzehnter Band – Die Algen. Reprinted 1985, Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerasimenko, L.M., Mityushina, L.L. and Namsaraev, B.B. (2003) Microcoleus mats from alkaliphilic and halophilic communities. Microbiology (translation of Mikrobiologiya) 72: 71–79.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Golubic, S. (1980) Halophily and halotolerance in cyanophytes. Origin of Life 10: 169–183.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grimalt, J.O., de Wit, R., Teixidor, P. and Albaiges, J. (1992) Lipid biogeochemistry of Phormidium and Microcoleus mats. Org. Geochem. 19: 509–530.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gunde-Cimerman, N., Oren, A. and Plemenitaš, A. (2005) Mikrosafari – Čudoviti Svet Mikroorganizmov Solin – The Beautiful World of Microorganisms in the Salterns. Bilingual Slovenian/English publication. Državna Založba Slovenije, Ljubljana.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauer, G. and Rogerson, A. (2005) Heterotrophic protozoa from hypersaline environments, In: N. Gunde-Cimerman, A. Oren and A. Plemenitaš (eds.) Adaptation to Life at High Salt Concentrations in Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 521–539.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, C. (1942) Beiträge zur Vegetation des Farbstreifen-Sandwattes. Kieler Meeresforsch. 4: 85–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hornemann, J.W. (ed.) (1813) Flora Danica. Icones Plantarum sponte nascentium in regnis Daniae et Norvegiae, in ducatibus Slesvici et Holsatiae et in comitatibus Oldenburgi et Delmenhorstiae: Ad illustrandum opus de iisdem Plantis, Regio jussu exarandum Florae Danicae nomine inscriptum, Vol. 9. Hafniae, Copenhagen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ionescu, D., Lipski, A., Altendorf, K. and Oren, A. (2007) Characterization of the endoevaporitic microbial communities in a hypersaline gypsum crust by fatty acid analysis. Hydrobiologia 576: 15–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jahnke, LL., Lee, B., Sweeney, M.J. and Klein, H.P. (1989) Anaerobic biochemistry of unsaturated fatty acids in the cyanobacterium, Oscillatoria limetica: Ann. Microbiol. 152: 215–217.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Javor, B. (1989) Hypersaline Environments. Microbiology and Biogeochemistry. Springer, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karsten, U. (1996) Growth and organic osmolytes of geographically different isolates of Microcoleus chthonoplastes (Cyanobacteria) from benthic microbial mats: response to salinity change. J. Phycol. 32: 501–506.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karsten, U. and Garcia-Pichel, F. (1996) Carotenoids and mycosporine-like amino acid compounds in members of the genus Microcoleus (Cyanobacteria): a chemosystematic study. System. Appl. Microbiol. 19: 285–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kevbrin, V.V., Dubinin, A.V. and Osipov, G.A. (1992) Osmoregulation in the marine cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes. Microbiology (translation of Mikrobiologiya) 60: 407–410.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kedar, L., Kashman, Y. and Oren, A. (2002) Mycosporine-2-glycine is the major mycosporine-like amino acid in a unicellular cyanobacterium (Euhalothece sp.) isolated from a gypsum crust in a hypersaline saltern pond. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 208: 233–237.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Margheri, M.C., Tredici, M.R., Barsanti, L. and Balloni, W. (1987) The photosynthetic community of the ­Trapani saline lagoons: an alternative option for the exploitation of an extreme environment: Ann. Microbiol. 37: 203–215.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nübel, U., Garcia-Pichel, F., Clavero, E. and Muyzer, G. (2000) Matching molecular diversity and ecophysiology of benthic cyanobacteria and diatoms in communities along a salinity gradient. Environ. Microbiol. 2: 217–226.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. (1997) Mycosporine-like amino acids as osmotic solutes in a community of halophilic cyanobacteria. Geomicrobiol. J. 14: 233–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. (2000) Salts and brines, In: B.A. Whitton and M. Potts (eds.) Ecology of Cyanobacteria: Their Diversity in Time and Space. Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 281–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. (2001) The bioenergetic basis for the decrease in metabolic diversity in increasing salt concentrations: implications for the functioning of salt lake ecosystems. Hydrobiologia 466: 61–72.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. (2002) Halophilic Microorganisms and Their Environments. Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. (2005) Microscopic examination of microbial communities along a salinity gradient in saltern evaporation ponds: a ‘Halophilic Safari’, In: N. Gunde-Cimerman, A. Oren and A. Plemenitaš (eds.) Adaptation to Life at High Salt Concentrations in Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 41–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. (2006) Life at high salt concentrations, In: M. Dworkin, S. Falkow, E. Rosenberg, K.H. Schleifer and E. Stackebrandt (eds.) The Prokaryotes. A Handbook on the Biology of Bacteria, Vol. 2. Springer, New York, pp. 263–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. (2010) Paper from outer space – on ‘meteorpapier’ and microbial mats, In: J. Seckbach and A. Oren (eds.) Microbial Mats. Springer, Dordrecht, This volume.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A. and Gunde-Cimerman, N. (2005) The variety of microbial life forms in the salterns – a microsafari from seawater to saturated brines, In: N. Gunde-Cimerman, A. Oren and A. Plemenitaš (eds.) Mikrosafari – Čudoviti Svet Mikroorganizmov Solin (The Beautiful World of Microorganisms in the Salterns). Bilingual Slovenian/English publication. Državna Založba Slovenije, Ljubljana, pp. 24–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A., Fattom, A., Padan, E. and Tietz, A. (1985) Unsaturated fatty acid composition and biosynthesis in Oscillatoria limnetica and other cyanobacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 141: 138–142.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A., Kühl, M. and Karsten, U. (1995) An endoevaporitic microbial mat within a gypsum crust: zonation of phototrophs, photopigments, and light penetration. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 128: 151–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A., Ionescu, D., Lipski, A. and Altendorf, K. (2005) Fatty acid analysis of a layered community of cyanobacteria developing in a hypersaline gypsum crust. Algol. Stud. 117: 339–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oren, A., Sørensen, K.B., Canfield, D.E., Teske, A.P., Ionescu, D., Lipski, A. and Altendorf, K. (2009) Microbial communities and processes within a hypersaline gypsum crust in a saltern evaporation pond (Eilat, Israel). Hydrobiologia 626: 15–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prufert-Bebout, L. and Garcia-Pichel, F. (1994) Field and cultivated Microcoleus chthonoplastes: the search for clues to its prevalence in marine microbial mats, In: L.J. Stal and P. Caumette (eds.) Microbial Mats. Structure, Development and Environmental Significance. Springer, Berlin, pp. 111–116.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rothschild, L.J., Giver, L.J., White, M.R. and Mancinelli, R.L. (1994) Metabolic activity of microorganisms in evaporites. J. Phycol. 30: 431–438.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, J. (1995) Eindunstung von Meerwasser und Salzbildung in Salinen. Kali und Steinsalz 11: 325–330.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, J. and Herrmann, A.G. (1979) Saltworks – natural laboratories for microbiological and geochemical investigations during the evaporation of seawater, In: A.H. Coogan and L. Hauder (eds.) 5th Symposium on Salt. Northern Ohio Geological Society, Cleveland, pp. 371–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegesmund, M.A., Johansen, J.R., Karsten, U. and Friedl, T. (2008) Coleofasciculus gen. nov. (Cyanobacteria): morphological and molecular criteria for revision of the genus Microcoleus Gomont. J. Phycol. 44: 1572–1585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, K.B., Canfield, D.E. and Oren, A. (2004) Salt responses of benthic microbial communities in a solar saltern (Eilat, Israel). Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 1608–1616.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, K.B., Canfield, D.E., Teske, A.P. and Oren, A. (2005) Community composition of a hypersaline endoevaporitic microbial mat. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 7352–7365.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stal, L.J. (1995) Physiological ecology of cyanobacteria in microbial mats and other communities. New Phytol. 131: 1–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stal, L.J. (2000) Cyanobacterial mats and stromatolites. In: B.A. Whitton and M. Potts (eds.) Ecology of Cyanobacteria: Their Diversity in Time and Space. Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 61–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J.-C. (1984) Formations benthiques à Cyanobactéries des salins de Santa Pola (Espagne): composition spécifique, morphologie et charactéristiques biologiques des principaux peuplements. Rev. Inv. Geol. 38/39: 139–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J.-C. and Geisler, D. (1982) Peuplements benthiques à Cyanophycées des marais salants de Salin-de-Giraud (sud de la France). Geol. Médit. 9: 391–411.

    Google Scholar 

  • Volkmann, M., Gorbushina, A.A., Kedar, L. and Oren, A. (2006) The structure of euhalothece-362, a novel red-shifted mycosporine-like amino acid, from a halophilic cyanobacterium (Euhalothece sp.). FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 258: 50–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Žagar, Z. (1995) Salt-making on the northeastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, In: Museum of Salt-Making – Salzgartenmuseum. Maritime Museum “Sergej Mašera”, Piran, Slovenia. Catalogue no. 7, pp. 24–41.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Different aspects of our work on the gypsum crusts in the Eilat salterns have been financially supported by the Danish Basic Research Foundation (Grundforskningsfonden), the Danish Research Agency (Statens Naturvidenskablige Forskningsråd), the Israel Science Foundation, the NASA Astrobiology Institutes “Subsurface Biospheres” and “Environmental Genomics,” and the State of Lower-Saxony, and the Volkswagen Foundation, Hannover, Germany. We thank the Israel Salt Company in Eilat, Israel, for allowing access to the salterns, and the staff of the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat and the Moshe Shilo Minerva Center for Marine Biogeochemistry for logistic support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Institute of Life Sciences, and the Moshe Shilo Minerva Center for Marine Biogeochemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel

    Aharon Oren

Authors
  1. Aharon Oren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aharon Oren .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  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

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Oren, A. (2010). Mats of Filamentous and Unicellular Cyanobacteria in Hypersaline Environments. 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_20

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation