Biogeochemistry of Hypersaline Microbial Mats Illustrates the Dynamics of Modern Microbial Ecosystems and the Early Evolution of the Biosphere

2003/04/01 by David J. Des Marais · 5 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Anoxygenic photosynthesis #Bacteria #Biogeochemical cycle #Biogeochemistry #Biology #Biosphere #Botany #Cyanobacteria #Ecology #Ecosystem #Environmental biotechnology #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Geomicrobiology #Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology #Microbial ecology #Microbial mat #Microbial population biology #Paleontology #Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils #Photosynthesis #Phototroph

paper · doi:10.2307/1543552

openalex publication_date 2003/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Photosynthetic microbial mats are remarkably complete self-sustaining ecosystems at the millimeter scale, yet they have substantially affected environmental processes on a planetary scale. These mats may be direct descendents of the most ancient biological communities in which even oxygenic photosynthesis might have developed. Photosynthetic mats are excellent natural laboratories to help us to learn how microbial populations associate to control dynamic biogeochemical gradients.

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