Epibenthic bacteria forming biofilms and microbial mats
Bacteria live in an extremely wide range of habitats, and their occurrence is only restricted by the requirement for water and the physicochemical stability limits of biomolecules (Knoll and Bauld, 1989). In sediments, epibenthic bacteria attach firmly to the surfaces of mineral particles by their adhesive and mucous, ‘extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)’ often more abundant than the cell material itself (Decho, 1990 for overview and introduction; Decho, 2000). The mucilaginous substances aid the microbes to sequester nutrients, to protect themselves against osmotic pressure caused by changing salinities, and to maintain an optimal chemical microenvironment for activities of extracellular enzymes (Decho, 1990). These coatings, composed of single cells and their mucilages enveloping mineral particles are known as biofilms (Marshall, 1984; Charaklis and Wilderer, 1989; compare also Stolz, 2000). Further biomass enrichment...
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Noffke, N. (1978). Bacteria in sediments. In: Sedimentology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg . https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-31079-7_17
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