Bacterial stromatolites; origin of laminations
Doemel WN and Brock TD. 1974. Bacterial stromatolites; origin of laminations. Science. 184(4141):1083-1085
Laminated mats composed of motile filamentous photosynthetic bacteria and nonmotile unicellular blue-green algae occur in a large number of Yellowstone hot springs at temperatures between 55° and 70°C. Field studies indicate that the bacteria are the predominant mat-forming component. Under low light intensities, mats composed exclusively of bacteria can be formed. The bacteria undergo a diurnal migration, moving on top of the algae during the night and becoming mixed again with the algae during the day as a result of algal growth. Thus, the laminations probably arise as a result of differential migration of the bacteria in daily response to reduced light intensities. This response to light is exactly opposite to that previously reported for filamentous stromatolite-forming, blue-green algae, but the net relult is the same-formation of a laminated mat.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Doemel, William; Brock, Thomas
- Units
- YELL
- Keywords
- Algae, Bacteria, Ecosystems, Hot Springs, Microbial Mats, Microbiology, Photosynthesis, Stromatolites, Temperature, Thermal Streams, Thermophilic Algae, Thermophilic Bacteria, Water Temperature