GEOPHYSIOLOGY THROUGH SPACE AND TIME - HOW MICROBES CATALYSE(D) GLOBAL

What is geophysiology? What relates biofilms and geophysiology? Are biofilms producers of all stromatolites? Geophysiology is defined as the science of the phenomena and processes of Earth as a living natural body.The Subaquatic and subaerial biofilms, microbial mats and microbial networks are covering practically any living and non-living surface on Earth. The weight of microorganisms in biofilms exceeds the weight of all macroorganisms by at least a factor of 1000. Their metabolic turnover rate exceeds that of macroorganisms. Biofilms truly are the first signs of life on Earth and can be regarded as the first terrestrial air exposed signs of life. The combination of biofilms with arthropods and insects can be regarded as the true scenario of life going on land. We may also consider a situation of a calcium ocean and a soda continental environment covered by different types of biofilms adapting themselves to extremely variable environmental conditions and organising the distribution of ion rich and iron poor water bodies in the geological record. Large terrestrial banded iron formations as well as the rise of oxygen in the biosphere and atmosphere with a drastic change in the formation of mineral deposits among which carbonates, phosphates and silica (chert) deposits are signs of global microbial activity. Later on biofilms were responsible for huge deposits of carbonatic uranium ores and many sulfidic ore deposits. Biofilms also must be at least partially the basis for petroleum, gas, coal and kerogen accumulations within the growing earth crust. Anderson (1984)and Vernadsky (Krumbein and Lapo, 1996) as well as Krumbein and Schellnhuber (1991) claim on the basis of different sets of arguments, that the evolution of the crustal portion of planet earth as well as the onset of Global Plate Tectonics is a direct or at least indirect consequence of the activity of biofilms. This must be so at least since huge amounts of solar energy were pumped into the crustal portion by photosynthesis, chemoorganic transformation and sulfate respiration.