Abstract
Intra-terrestrial life has been found at kilometre depths in deep subseafloor sediments and in the basement crust beneath the sediments, up to 2800 m deep in continental sedimentary rocks, in igneous rock aquifers down to 3500 m and in fluid inclusions in ancient salt deposits from salt mines (Pedersen 2000). The biomass of these organisms may be equal to the total weight of all marine and terrestrial plants (Whitman et al. 1998). The intra-terrestrial microbes generally seem to be active at very low but significant rates, and several investigations indicate chemolithoautotrophs to form a chemosynthetic base (Stevens and McKinley 1995; Kotelnikova and Pedersen 1998). Hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide gases are continuously generated in the interior of our planet (Apps and van de Kamp 1993) and seem to constitute sustainable sources of carbon and energy for deep intra-terrestrial biosphere ecosystems.
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
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Apps J A, van de Kamp P C, 1993. Energy gases of abiogenic origin in the Earth’s crust. In: Howell G (ed) In The future of Energy gases, U.S. geological Survey Professional Papers. United States Government Printing Office, Washington. pp 81–132.
Ekendahl S, Arlinger J, Stahl F, Pedersen K, 1994. Characterization of attached bacterial populations in deep granitic groundwater from the Stripa research mine with 16SrRNA gene sequencing technique and scanning electron microscopy. Microbiology 140, 1575–1583.
Ekendahl S, Pedersen K, 1994. Carbon transformations by attached bacterial populations in granitic ground water from deep crystalline bed-rock of the Stripa research mine. Microbiology 140, 1565–1573.
Ferris F G, Hallberg R O, Lyvén B, Pedersen K, 2000. Retention of strontium, cesium, lead and uranium by bacterial iron oxides from a subterranean environment. Applied Geochemistry 15, 1035–1042.
Ferris F G, Konhauser K O, Lyuvén B, Pedersen K, 1999. Accumulation of metals by bacteriogenic iron oxides in a subterranean environment. Geomicrobiology Journal 16, 181–192.
Fletcher M, Murphy E, 2001. Transport of microorganisms in the subsurface: The role of attachment and colonization of particle surfaces. In: Fredrickson JK, Fletcher M (eds) In Subsurface microbiology and biogeochemistry. Wiley-Liss Inc., New York. pp 3968.
Gàal G, Gorbatschev R, 1987. An outline of the Precambrian evolution of the Baltic shield. Precambrian Research 35, 15–52.
Hallbeck L, Pedersen K, 1990. Culture parameters regulating stalk formation and growth rate of Gallionella ferruginea. J Gen Microbiol 136, 1675–1680.
Hallbeck L, Pedersen K, 1991. Autotrophic and mixotrophic growth of Gallionella ferruginea. J Gen Microbiol 137, 2657–2661.
Hallbeck L, Pedersen K, 1995. Benefits associated with the stalk of Gallionella ferruginea, evaluated by comparison of a stalk-forming and a non-stalk-forming strain and biofilm studies in situ. Microbial Ecology 30, 257–268.
Hallbeck L, Stahl F, Pedersen K, 1993. Phylogeny and phenotypic characterization of the stalk-forming and iron-oxidizing bacterium Gallionella ferruginea. J Gen Microbiol 139, 1531–1535.
Kirchman D, K’nees E, Hodson R, 1985. Leucine incorporation and its potential as a measure of protein synthesis by bacteria in natural aquatic systems. Appl Environ Microbiol 49, 599–607.
Kotelnikova S, Pedersen K, 1998. Distribution and activity of methanogens and homoacetogens in deep granitic aquifers at Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, Sweden. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 26, 121–134.
Laaksoharju M, Skârman C, Skhrman E, 1999. Multivariate mixing and mass balance ( M3) calculations, a new tool for decoding hydrogeochemical information. Applied Geochemistry 14, 861–871.
Pedersen K, 1982a. Method for studying microbial biofilms in flowing-water systems. Appl Environ Microbiol 43, 6–13.
Pedersen K, 1982b. Factors regulating microbial biofilm development in a system with slowly flowing seawater. Appl Environ Microbiol 44, 1196–1204.
Pedersen K, 1990. Biofilm development on stainless steel and PVC surfaces in drinking water. Water Research 24, 239–243.
Pedersen K, 1997. Microbial life in granitic rock. FEMS Microbiol Rev 20, 399–414.
Pedersen K, 2000. Exploration of deep intraterrestrial life — current perspectives. FEMS Microbiol Lett 185, 9–16.
Pedersen K, 2001. Diversity and activity of microorganisms in deep igneous rock aquifers of the Fennoscandian Shield. In: Fredrickson JK, Fletcher M (eds) In Subsurface microbiology and biogeochemistry. Wiley-Liss Inc., New York. pp 97–139.
Pedersen K, Arlinger J, Ekendahl S, Hallbeck L, 1996. 16S rRNA gene diversity of attached and unattached groundwater bacteria along the access tunnel to the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, Sweden. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 19, 249–262.
Pedersen K, Ekendahl S, 1992. Assimilation of CO2 and introduced organic compounds by bacterial communities in ground water from Southeastern Sweden deep crystalline bedrock. Microbial Ecology 23, 1–14.
Pedersen K, Ekendahl S, Tullborg E-L, Fumes H, Thorseth I-G, Tumyr O, 1997. Evidence of ancient life at 207 m depth in a granitic aquifer. Geology 25, 827–830.
Pedersen K, Holmström C, Olsson A-K, Pedersen A, 1986. Statistic evaluation of the influence of species variation, culture conditions, surface wettability and fluid shear on attachment and biofilm development of marine bacteria. Arch Microbiol 145, 1–8.
Stevens T O, McKinley J P, 1995. Lithoautotrophic microbial ecosystem in deep basalt aquifers. Science 270, 450–453.
Tullborg E-L, Landström O, Wallin B, 1999. Low-temperature trace element mobility influenced by biogenic activity- Indications from L8O, L3C, 34S and trace element analyses of fracture calcite and pyrite in crystalline basement. Chemical Geology 157, 199–218.
Vreeland R H, Piselli Jr A F, McDonnough S, Meyers S S, 1999. Distribution and diversity of halophilitic bacteria in a subsurface salt formation. Extremophiles 2, 321–331
Whitman W B, Coleman D C, Wiebe W J, 1998. Prokaryotes: The unseen majority. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 95, 6578–6583.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pedersen, K. (2003). Past and Present Biofilm Formation in Deep Fennoscandian Shield Groundwater. In: Krumbein, W.E., Paterson, D.M., Zavarzin, G.A. (eds) Fossil and Recent Biofilms. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0193-8_26
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0193-8_26
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6412-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-0193-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive