A2: Geomicrobiology of submarine mineralization processes

(J. Peckmann, W. Bach, Bremen)

Microbial life has significantly affected Earth’s environment through time. Particularly, settings with steep geochemical gradients provide favourable conditions for microbial life in the absence of photosynthesis. In the marine realm, these settings include but are not limited to hydrothermal vents, hydrocarbon seeps, alteration fronts, and sediments of high productivity areas. A variety of geochemical energy sources is used in these chemosynthesis-based ecosystems.
This session will focus on submarine, sediment and igneous rock-hosted environments of mineral formation and weathering. We encourage colleagues from different fields to participate and help make this the interdisciplinary session we hope it will be.