Growth, Structure and Calcification Potential of an Artificial Cyanobacterial Mat

  • Michael Kühl
  • Tom Fenchel
  • Jozef Kazmierczak
Chapter

Abstract

Microbial mats growing on and within light-exposed surfaces harbor complex structured microbial communities of both aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic microbes, which in their concerted action exhibit almost closed cycles of carbon, sulfur and other essential elements for biological growth and development (Canfield and Des Marais 1993; van Gemerden 1993; Stal 2000). Diatoms and, primarily, cyanobacteria constitute the major primary producers in most microbial mats. Anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria (both photoautotrophs and photoheterotrophs) are also abundant, but their contribution to the primary production of mats is regarded minor (Canfield and Des Marais 1993), with the exception of certain hot spring mats (Jorgensen and Nelson 1988) and coastal mats of purple bacteria (van Gemerden et al. 1989). Due to the absence or very minor presence of higher organisms (macrophytes and animals), microbial mats represent well developed microbially driven ecosystems. In extreme environments, like in hypersaline or geothermal waters, microbial mat communities are relatively stable over time periods >1 year and they can develop into cm to m thick cohesive layers consisting of >90% exopolymer and cells (e.g. Krumbein et al. 1977; Jorgensen et al. 1983; DesMarais 1995). Coastal mats in temperate environments are thinner and have a more ephemeral occurrence (Stal et al. 1985; van Gemerden et al. 1989). Intertidal microbial mats play an important role for coastal morphology due to their sediment binding and stabilization properties (Krumbein et al. 1994). In special aquatic environments, like alkaline lakes and tropical intertidal and subtidal zones, sediment trapping by microbial mats in combination with calcification leads to formation of conspicuous solid structures like beachrock lining the intertidal of tropical lagoons (Krumbein 1979b), and laminated cushion (Logan 1961; Dravis 1983; Riding et al.1991; Reid et al. 2000) and dome shaped (Kempe et al. 1991) structures interpreted as living stromatolites.

Keywords

Calcium Carbonate Precipitation Saturation Index Purple Sulfur Bacterium Anoxygenic Photosynthesis Scalar Irradiance 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • Michael Kühl
    • 1
  • Tom Fenchel
    • 1
  • Jozef Kazmierczak
    • 2
  1. 1.Marine Biological LaboratoryUniversity of CopenhagenHelsingørDenmark
  2. 2.Biogeology DivisionInstitute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarszawaPoland

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