Biofilm communities host complex biogeochemical processes and play a role in the formation of many carbonate rocks by influencing both carbonate precipitation and dissolution. In this study, the biogeochemistry of microbial mats from a hypersaline pond and biofilm from a coral reef are described using SEM, microelectrode profiling, Biolog, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and carbon nitrogen analysis. Results show that the microbial mats are distinctly layered, having an oxic upper portion and an H2S-rich lower portion. The most significant conclusions are that the mats have exceptionally high TOC values and display significant differences in microbial communities present, both between layers and between cores. Additionally, organic matter is abundant in microbial mat and biofilm samples, but evidence of precipitation is surprisingly lacking.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-1880 |
| Date | 11 December 2009 |
| Creators | Puckett, Mary Keith |
| Publisher | Scholars Junction |
| Source Sets | Mississippi State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
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