Project Details
Projekt
FOR 571: Geobiology of Organo- and Biofilms: Coupling of the Geosphere and the Biosphere by Microbial Processes
Subject Area
Geosciences
Biology
Medicine
Biology
Medicine
Term
from 2005 to 2011
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5471545
Central focus of the Research Unit is on organic veneers ( organofilm ) and thin microbial veneers ( biofilms ) on rock surfaces in natural environments. These organo- and biofilms cover almost any rock-water interface on earth and influence biogeochemical cycles of mineral forming elements on a global scale.
Aim of the Research Unit to assess biodiversity and spatial distribution patterns of microorganisms within biofilms by several case studies. In combination with the analysis of organic mucus substances, chemical micro-environment, and mineral composition the effects on sedimentary rock formation and corrosion will be quantified.
One of the case studies deals with calcifying biofilms of methane and hydrogen sulphide supplying seepage sites 500 m below the surface within Hard Rock Laboratory in Äspö, Sweden. Here, the microbial communities provide insights into mineralisation processes of the deep biosphere.
Three further case studies are carried out on bacterial and algal biofilms of freshwater creeks. This microcosm composed of diatoms, green algae, cyanobacteria and other bacteria will be analysed with special focus on the microenvironment, composition, synthesis and degradation of mucus substances. The latter play a key role in the formation of microbial rocks since billions years, because they provide mineral nucleation sites and permit the establishment of chemical disequilibria in the immediate vicinity of microbial cells.
One further case study concentrates on microbial processes and mass transfer during mineral dissolution by biofilms. Calcareous tests of unicellular marine organisms are used for the dissolution experiments.
The results of these case studies will serve as a basis for modelling global element cycles during earth history and a feed-back of biofilms on these cycles, thereby providing new insights in the evolution of the geobiosphere.
Aim of the Research Unit to assess biodiversity and spatial distribution patterns of microorganisms within biofilms by several case studies. In combination with the analysis of organic mucus substances, chemical micro-environment, and mineral composition the effects on sedimentary rock formation and corrosion will be quantified.
One of the case studies deals with calcifying biofilms of methane and hydrogen sulphide supplying seepage sites 500 m below the surface within Hard Rock Laboratory in Äspö, Sweden. Here, the microbial communities provide insights into mineralisation processes of the deep biosphere.
Three further case studies are carried out on bacterial and algal biofilms of freshwater creeks. This microcosm composed of diatoms, green algae, cyanobacteria and other bacteria will be analysed with special focus on the microenvironment, composition, synthesis and degradation of mucus substances. The latter play a key role in the formation of microbial rocks since billions years, because they provide mineral nucleation sites and permit the establishment of chemical disequilibria in the immediate vicinity of microbial cells.
One further case study concentrates on microbial processes and mass transfer during mineral dissolution by biofilms. Calcareous tests of unicellular marine organisms are used for the dissolution experiments.
The results of these case studies will serve as a basis for modelling global element cycles during earth history and a feed-back of biofilms on these cycles, thereby providing new insights in the evolution of the geobiosphere.
DFG Programme
Research Units
Projects
- Biodiversität und DNA-Taxonomie von Algen und Cyanobakterien in kalzifizierenden Biofilmen (Applicants Arp, Gernot ; Friedl, Thomas )
- Biodiversität und DNA-Taxonomie von Algen und Cyanobakterien in kalzifizierenden Biofilmen (Applicant Arp, Gernot )
- Biological influence on calcification and iron oxide formation (Applicant de Beer, Dirk )
- Biomineralisationsprozesse, Biogeochemie und Biodiversität chemolithotropher Mikroorganismen im Tunnel von Äspö (Schweden) (Applicants Liebl, Wolfgang ; Reitner, Joachim )
- In situ Struktur und Funktion von Biofilm-Systemen bei der Mineralisation von Karbonaten (Applicant Neu, Thomas R. )
- Koordinationsantrag (Applicant Reitner, Joachim )
- Microbial control of mineralization processes in non-marine biofilms (Applicants Arp, Gernot ; Daniel, Rolf ; Klenk, Hans-Peter ; Stackebrandt, Erko )
- Steuerung von Mineralisationsprozessen durch heterotrophe und autotrophe Prokaryota in Hoch-pCO2-Biofilmen von Kalktuffsystemen (Applicant Stackebrandt, Erko )
- Time-of-Flight - Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS): exploring the sources and distributions of microbial biomarkers at the µm-range (Applicant Thiel, Volker )
Spokesperson
Professor Dr. Joachim Reitner
Deputy
Professor Dr. Gernot Arp
