Microbial Mats: Impact on Geology

Abstract

Geobiology is an emergent discipline in which the principles and tools of biology are applied to studies of the Earth. How life began, how it evolved, and how environmental conditions have influenced these processes are studied under the geobiology umbrella, that contribute to a better comprehension of Earth in modern and past times. The microbiota world joins the past with the present, as microbial communities forming microbial mats live nowadays since the early times of Earth. Geobiological studies that take place in modern environments are presented in order to understand the geobiological process and to comprehend what has happened during the geological past. The formation of biofilms to multilayered microbial mats is explained where geochemical processes are important. Differences between carbonatic and siliciclastic environment are presented. One of the actions associated to the sediment colonization by microbial mats is the modification and stabilization of the sediment surface, and the final formation of sedimentary microbially structures, which are described in detail.