What is a microbial mat?
Q: What is a microbial mat?
A: A microbial mat is a multi-layered sheet of microorganisms, mainly bacteria and archaea. They are found in various environments ranging from submerged or moist surfaces to deserts.
Q: Who first described microbial mats?
A: Microbial mats were first described by Paracelsus (~1519).
Q: How do microbial mats form?
A: Microbial mats form when layers of microorganisms feed on or tolerate the chemicals at their level, and are held together by slimy substances (polysaccharides) secreted by the microorganisms. In some cases, micro-organisms form tangled webs of filaments which make the mat tougher.
Q: What physical forms can microbial mats take?
A: Microbial mats can take the form of flat mats, stubby pillars called stromatolites, and spherical forms.
Q: When did microbial mats first appear on Earth?
A: There is good fossil evidence that suggests that microbial mats have been around since 3500 million years ago.
Q: Where can we find them today?
A: Today, we can find microbial mats in many environments where burrowing is limited or impossible such as rocky seabeds and shores, hyper-saline and brackish lagoons, and floors of deep oceans.
Q: What industrial uses do they have?
A: Because of their ability to use almost anything as nutrients, there is considerable interest in using them for industrial purposes such as water treatment and cleaning up pollution.
