Phototrophic biofilms

Phototrophic biofilm cultivated in a lab
Cross-section of microbial mat

Phototrophic biofilms occur on contact surfaces in a range of terrestrial and aquatic environments. Phototrophic biofilms can best be described as surface attached microbial communities (see also Biofilm and Chemistry of Biofilm Prevention) mainly driven by light as the energy source with phototrophic organisms clearly present. Eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria generate energy and reduce carbon dioxide, providing organic substrates and oxygen. The photosynthetic activity fuels processes and conversions in the total biofilm community, including the heterotrophic fraction.

Thick laminated multilayered phototrophic biofilms are usually referred to as microbial mats or phototrophic mats (see also biofilm). Phototrophic biofilms and microbial mats have been described in extreme environments like thermal springs,[1] hyper saline ponds,[2] desert soil crusts, and in lake ice covers in Antarctica. The 3.4-billion-year fossil record of benthic phototrophic communities, such as microbial mats and stromatolites, indicates that these associations represent the Earth's oldest known ecosystems. It is thought that these early ecosystems played a key role in the build-up of oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere.[3]

There is a growing interest in the application of phototrophic biofilms, for instance in wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands, bioremediation, aquaculture, and biohydrogen production.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Roeselers G, Norris TB, Castenholz RW (Jan 2007). "Diversity of phototrophic bacteria in microbial mats from Arctic hot springs (Greenland)". Environmental Microbiology. 9 (1): 26–38. doi:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01103.x. PMID 17227409.
  2. ↑ Sørensen KB, Canfield DE, Teske AP, Oren A (Nov 2005). "Community composition of a hypersaline endoevaporitic microbial mat". Applied and Environmental Microbiology 71 (11): 7352–65. doi:10.1128/AEM.71.11.7352-7365.2005. PMC 1287706. PMID 16269778.
  3. ↑ Hoehler TM, Bebout BM, Des Marais DJ (Jul 2001). "The role of microbial mats in the production of reduced gases on the early Earth". Nature 412 (6844): 324–7. doi:10.1038/35085554. PMID 11460161.
  4. ↑ Roeselers G, van Loosdrecht MCM, Muyzer G (Jun 2007). "Phototrophic biofilms and their potential applications". Journal of Applied Phycology 20 (3): 227–35. doi:10.1007/s10811-007-9223-2. PMC 2668646. PMID 19396356.
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