Stromatolites: Interaction of Microbes with Sediments provides an overview and latest information about the formation of Stromatolites as a result of interaction of microbes with sediments. Eighty-three expert scientists from twenty-seven countries present the chapters in Stromatolites: Interaction of Microbes with Sediments which have been reviewed by thirty four referees. Stromatolites: Interaction of Microbes with Sediments deals with ancient to modern examples of stromatolites and microorganisms which are observed in various diverse environments, such as marine, nonmarine, lacustrine and extreme geographical areas covering almost the whole earth.
The reviews are original articles written by leading experienced experts, some chapters deal with latest instrumental techniques used for the study of microbes and Stromatolites. Other chapters have been contributed by young researchers who revealed updated data on Stromatolites. The astrobiological implications of early microbiota, sulfur isotopic ratios, microbialites in extreme conditions on earth has opened up new vistas in the search of extraterrestrial life.
- PART 1: ARCHAEAN -- PROTEROZOIC STROMATOLITES AND MICROBIOTA
- Proterozoic Stromatolites of the Itaiacoca Group, Southeast Brazil [Filho, W.S. and Fairchild, T.R.]
- Meso-Neoproterozoic Stromatolites from the Indravati and Chhattisgarh Basins, Central India [Guhey, R. et al.]
- Stromatolites and Cyanobacterial Mats in Peritidal Evaporitive Environ-ments in the Neoproterozoic of Bascongo (Democratic Republic of Congo) and South Gabon [Preat, A.R. et al.]
- Microbiota and Microbial Mats within Ancient Stromatolites in South China [Ruiji C. and Leiming, Y.]
- Morphological Changes in Micro-Megascopic life and Stromatolites, recorded during Late Palaeoproterozoic --Neoprotertozoic transition : The Vindhyan Supergroup, India [Srivastava, P and Tewari, V.C.]
- Farrel Quartzite Microfossils in the Goldsworthy Greenstone Belt, Pilbara Craton, Western Australia [Sugitani et al.]
- Ediacaran Krol Carbonates of the Lesser Himalaya, India: Stromatolitic facies, Depositional Environment, Isotope Stratigraphy and Diagenesis [Tewari, V.C. and Tucker, M.E.]
PART 2: PHANEROZOIC STROMATOLITES
- Aptian to Cenomanian Deeper Water Hiatal Stromatolites from the Northern Tethyan Margin [ Follmi, K. et al.]
- Phosphatic Microbialites in the Triassic Phosphogenic Facies of Svalbard [Krajewski, K.]
- Microbialites in the Middle -- Upper Ammonitico Rosso of the Southern Alps (Italy) [Massari, F and Westphal, H.]
- Microbialites as Markers of Biotic and Abiotic Events in the Karst District, Slovenia and Italy [Tunis, G. et al.]
- Lower Cretaceous Stromatolites in the Far --East Asia: Examples in Japan and Korea [Yamamoto, A. et al.]
PART 3: MODERN STROMATOLITES (MARINE, LACUSTRINE, HOTSPRINGS)
- Modern Marine Stromatolitic Structures: The Sediment Dilemma [Browne, K.]
- Are Cyanobacterial Mats Precursors of Stromatolites [Chacon, E., et al.]
- Living Stromatolites of Shark Bay, Western Australia: Microbial Inhabitants [Goh, F.]
- Character, Analysis and Preservation of Biogenicity in Terrestrial Siliceous Stromatolites from Geothermal Settings [Handley, K. and Campbell, K.A.]
- Microbial Diversity in Modern Stromatolites [Foster, J.S. and Green, S.J.]
- Microbialites and Sediments : A Two Year Record of Burial and Exposure of Stromatolites and Thrombolites at Highborne Cay Bahamas [Reid, R.P. et al.]
- Modern Stromatolite Ecosystems at Alkaline and Hypersaline High Altitude Lakes at the Argentinian Puna [Farias, M.E. et al.]
PART 4: MODERN INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUES FOR THE STUDY OF STROMATOLITES AND MICROBIOTA
- MICRO--FTIR Spectroscopic Imaging of 1900 Ma Stromatolitic Chert [Igisu, M. et al.]
- Elemental and Isotopic Analysis by NANOSIMS: Insights for the Study of Stromatolites and Early Life on Earth [Kilburn, R. K. and Wacey, D.]
- Stromatolites, Organic Walled Microorganisms, Laser Raman Spectroscopy and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy of the Meso - Neoproterozoic Buxa Formation, Ranjit Window, Sikkim Lesser Himalaya, NE India [Tewari, V.C.]
PART 5: GEOCHEMISTRY AND GEOMICROBIOLOGY OF STROMATOLITES AND MICROBIOTA
- Petrology, Elemental and Isotopic Geochemistry, and Geomicrobiology of Carbonate Infillings and Biofilms Lining Cracks below the Neoproterozoic Cap Carbonate in the Mirabat Inlier, Southernmost Oman [Brookfield, M. E. et al.]
- Cave Geomicrobiology in India : Status and Prospects [Baskar S. et al.]
- The Role of Sulfate Reduction in Stromatolites and Microbial Mats: Ancient and Modern Perspectives [Dillon, J.]
- Carbonate Sediments Microbially Induced by Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane in Hydrocarbon Seeps [Jenkins, R.G. and Hikida, Y.]
- Biostratigraphy, Sedimentation and Chemostratigraphy of the Tertiary Neotethys Sediments from the NE Himalaya, India [Lokho, K and Tewari, V.C.]
- Evidence of Microbial Biomineralization in Modern and Ancient Stromatolites [Perri, E. and Spadafora, A.]
- Possible Fe Isotope Fractionation During Microbiological Processing in Ancient and Modern Marine Environments [Preat, A.R. et al.]
- New Representation on the Nature of Stromatolites [Sumina, E.L. and Sumin, D.L.]
- Sulfur Isotopes in Stromatolites [Strauss, H.]
PART 6: ASTROBIOLOGY
- Preservation Potential of Organics and Habitability of Clay Minerals and Iron Rich Environments: Novel Analogs for MSL Landing Sites [Bonaccorsi, R.]
- The Sulfur Cycle on the Early Earth : Implications for the Search of Life on Europa and Elsewhere [Chela Flores, J and Tewari, V.C.]
PART 7: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
- Summary, Conclusions and Future Prospects [Seckbach, J. and Tewari, V.C.]
- Organism Index
- Subject Index
- Author Index