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Microbial mat ecosystems: Structure types, functional diversity, and biotechnological application
Prieto-Barajas, Cristina M.; Valencia-Cantero, Eduardo & Santoyo, Gustavo
Abstract
Microbial mats are horizontally stratified microbial communities, exhibiting a structure defined by
physiochemical gradients, which models microbial diversity, physiological activities, and their dynamics as a
whole system. These ecosystems are commonly associated with aquatic habitats, including hot springs,
hypersaline ponds, and intertidal coastal zones and oligotrophic environments, all of them harbour
phototrophic mats and other environments such as acidic hot springs or acid mine drainage harbour
non-photosynthetic mats. This review analyses the complex structure, diversity, and interactions between the
microorganisms that form the framework of different types of microbial mats located around the globe.
Furthermore, the many tools that allow studying microbial mats in depth and their potential biotechnological
applications are discussed.
Keywords
Acid microbial mats; Biofilm; Coastal mats; Extreme environments; Hot springs; Hypersaline mats; Microbial biotechnology; Microbial diversity; Microbial mats in oligotrophic environments; Microbial mats; Psychrophile microbial mats
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