In the broadest terms, geomicrobiology is that branch of earth science that deals with the effects of microorganisms on geological processes. It is thus a subunit of geobiology (biogeology) that considers the role of all organisms in geological systems. Geomicrobiology is closely related to biogeochemical prospecting and overlaps considerably with biogeochemistry (q.v.). The terms biogeonomy , lithobiology , lithobiontics , and geological microbiology (Kuznetsov et al., 1963) are also related to the subject. The term microgeology (Ehrenberg, 1854) is sometimes applied to micropaleontology (q.v. in Vol. VII). The occurrence and description of fossil bacteria is also regarded as a part of paleontology, whereas geomicrobiology involves the description and analysis of dynamic processes–e.g., the cycling of material as influenced by microbial activities. Textbooks and reviews related to geomicrobiology were compiled by Davis (1967), Krumbein (1972, 1978, 1983), Kuznetsov et al. (1963), Silve...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Berner, R. A., 1971, Principles of Chemical Sedimentology. New York,: McGraw-Hill, 240p.
Berthelin, J., 1971, Alteration microbiologique d'une arène grantique. Science du Sol. Assoc. Français étude Sol Bull. 1 (suppl.), 11–29.
Bien, E., and W. Schwartz, 1965, Geomikrobiologische Untersuchungen,VI. über das Vorkommen lebender und toter Bakterienzellen in Salzgesteinen, Zeitschr. Allg. Mikrobiologie 5, 185–205.
Brock, T. D., 1978, Thermophilic Microorganisms and Life at High Temperature. New York: Springer, 465p.
Buchanan, R. E., and N. E. Gibbons, 1974, Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 410p.
Cohen, Y., 1975, Dynamics of Procaryotic Photosynthetic Communities of the Solar Lake, Ph.D. thesis, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 125p.
Cohen, Y., W. E. Krumbein, M. Goldberg, M. Shilo, 1977a, Solar Lake (Sinai) 1. Physical and chemical limnology, Limnology and Oceanography 22, 597–608.
Cohen, Y., W. E. Krumbein, M. Shilo, 1977b, Solar Lake (Sinai) 2. Distribution of photosynthetic microorganisms and primary production, Limnology and Oceanography 22, 609–620.
Cohen, Y., W. E. Krumbein, M. Shilo, 1977c, Solar Lake (Sinai) 3. Bacterial distribution and production, Limnology and Oceanography 22, 621–634.
Cohen, Y., W. E. Krumbein, M. Shilo, 1977d, Solar Lake (Sinai) 4. Stromatolitic cyanobacterial mats, Limnology and Oceanography 22, 635–656.
Davis, J. B., 1967, Petroleum Microbiology. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 605p.
Dombrowski, H. J., 1963, Lebende Bakterien aus dem Paläozoikum, Biol. Zentral-blatt 82, 477–484.
Dondero, N. C., 1975, The Sphaerotilus-Leptothrix group, Ann. Rev. Microbiology 29, 407–428.
Ehrenberg, C. G., 1854, Zur Mikrogeologie–Das Erden und Felsen schaffende Wirken des unsichtbar kleinen selbstandigen Lebens auf der Erde. Leipzig: Voss, 374p.
Fenchel, T., and T. H. Blackburn, 1979, Bacteria and Mineral Cycling. London: Academic Press, 225p.
Goldhaber, M. B., and I. R. Kaplan, 1974, The sulfur cycle, in E. D. Goldbert, ed., The Sea, vol. 5, Marine Chemistry. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 569–655.
Hartman, H., 1984, The evolution of photosynthesis and microbial mats: A speculation on the banded iron formations, in Y. Cohen, R. H. Castenholtz, and H. O. Halvorson, eds., Microbial Mats: Stromatolites. New York: Liss, 449–453.
Jackson, A. T., and D. W. Keller, 1970, A comparative study of the role of lichens and “inorganic” processes in the chemical weathering of recent Hawaiian lava flows, Am. Jour. Sci. 269, 446–466.
Jorgensen, B. B., 1978, A comparison of methods for the quantification of bacterial sulfate reduction in coastal marine sediments, Geomicrobiology Jour. 1, 29–47.
Kaplan, I. R., and S. C. Rittenberg, 1964, Basin sedimentation and diagenesis, in E. D. Goldbert, ed., The Sea, vol. 3. New York: Wiley Interscience, 963p.
Krumbein, W. E., 1969, über den Einflub der Mikroflora auf die exogene Dynamik (Verwitterung und Krustenbildung), Geol. Rundschau. 58, 333–363.
Krumbein, W. E., 1972, Role des microorganismes dans la génèse, la diagénèse et la dégradation des roches en place, Rev. Ecol. Biol. Sol 9, 283–319.
Krumbein, W. E., 1973,über den Einflub von Mikroorganismen auf die Bausteinverwitterung–eine ökologische Studie, Deutsch. Kunst-und Denk-malspflege 31, 54–71.
Krumbein, W. E., 1974, On the precipitation of aragonite on the surface of marine bacteria, Naturwissenschaften 61, 167.
Krumbein, W. E., ed., 1978, Environmental Biogeochemistry and Geomicrobiology. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Ann Arbor Science, 1055p.
Krumbein, W. E., 1979, Photolithotrophic and chemoorganotrophic activity of bacteria and algae as related to beachrock formation and degradation (Gulf of Aqaba, Sinai), Geomicrobiology Jour. 1, 139–203.
Krumbein, W. E., ed., 1983, Microbial Geochemistry. Oxford: Blackwell.
Krumbein, W. E., and Y. Cohen, 1974, Biogene, klastische und evaporitische Sedimentation in einem mesothermen monomiktischen ufernahen See (Golf von Aqaba), Geol. Rundschau 63, 1035–1064.
Krumbein, W. E., and Y. Cohen, 1977, Primary production, mat formation and lithification: Contribution of oxygenic and facultative anoxygenic cyanobacteria, in E. Flugel, ed., Fossil Algae. Berlin: Springer, 37–56.
Kuznetsov, S. I., M. V. Ivanov, and N. N. Lyalikova, 1963, Introduction to Geological Microbiology (transl. from Russian). New York: McGraw-Hill, 252p.
LaRock, P. A., and H. L. Ehrlich, 1975, Observations of bacterial microcolonies on the surface of ferromanganese nodules from Blake Plateau by scanning electron microscopy, Microbial Ecology 2, 84–96.
Lauwers, A. M., and W. Heinen, 1974, Bio-Degradation and Utilization of Silica and Quartz, Arch. Microbiol. 95, 67–78.
Lovelock, J. A., 1979, Gaia, A New Look at Life on Earth. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 157p.
Lyalikova, N. N., 1974, Stibiobacter senarmontii–a new antimony-oxidizing microorganism, Mikrobiologiya 43, 941–948.
Müller, C., and R. Blaschke, 1969, Zur Entstehung des Tiefsee-Kalkschlammes im Schwarzen Meer, Naturwissenschaften 56, 561–562.
Murr, L., A. E. Torma, and J. A. Brierley, eds., 1978, Metallurgical Applications of Bacterial Leaching and Related Microbiological Phenomena. New York: Academic Press, 526p.
Nealson, K. H., 1981, The microbial manganese cycle, in W. E. Krumbein, ed., Microbial Geochemistry. Oxford: Blackwell, in press.
Parès, Y., 1964, Action de Serratia marcescens dans le cycle biologique des métaux, Annales Inst. Pasteur 107, 132–143.
Schneider, J., 1967, Biological and inorganic factors in the destruction of a lime stone coast, Contr. Sedimentology 6, Schweizerbarth'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, 112p.
Schneider, J., 1975, Manganknollen–Rohstoffquelle und Umweltproblem für die Zukunft, Umschau 75, 724–726.
Schwartz, W., ed., 1977, Conference on Bacterial Leaching 1977. Weinheim: Verlag Chemie, 270p.
Shilo, M., 1979, Strategies of Microbial Life in Extreme Environments, Dahlem Konferenzen, Weinheim: Verlag Chemie.
Silverman, M. P., and H. L. Ehrlich, 1964, Microbial formation and degradation of minerals, Adv. Appl. Microbiology 6, 153–206.
Trudinger, P. A., and D. J. Swaine, ed., 1979, Biogeochemical Cycling of Mineral-Forming Elements. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 612p.
Trudinger, P. A., and M. R. Walter, 1980, Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modern Environments. Berlin: Springer, 723p.
Widdel, F., and N. Pfennig, 1984, Dissimilarity sulfate-or sulfur reducing bacteria, in N. R. Krieg and J. G. Holt, eds., Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, vol. 1. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 663–679.
Zajic, J. E., 1969, Microbial Biogeochemistry. New York: Academic Press.
Cross-references
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1988 Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
About this entry
Cite this entry
Krumbein, W.E. (1988). Geomicrobiology . In: General Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30844-X_48
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30844-X_48
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-442-22499-8
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-30844-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive