Abstract
Summary
- The oceans that cover 70% of the Earth’s surface lie above 3×108 km3 of sediment containing an estimated 3×1029 microbial cells.
- The role played by spores in low-energy sedimentary ecosystems remains an enigma.
- Despite conflicting results from earlier analyses, archaea and bacteria apparently exist in similar abundances within deep-sea sediments.
- Within these sediments, anaerobic metabolisms dominate, especially those in which sulfate reduction and oxidation of organic matter are coupled.
- Modeling proves crucial when trying to connect sedimentary microorganisms to their appropriate geochemical environments.