Site-specific incubations reveal biofilm diversity and functional adaptations in deep, ancient desert aquifers.

ABSTRACT: Deep pristine aquifers are ecological hotspots with diverse microbial life, where microorganisms exist either attached (sessile) to solid substrates or suspended in groundwater (planktonic). Characterizing the attached microbial communities is of paramount importance, especially in the context of biofouling. However, obtaining samples of attached microbes that thrive under natural (undisturbed) conditions is challenging. Our study addresses this by retrieving sessile microbes on-site. We installed columns filled with site-specific rock cuttings at the wellhead, allowing fresh groundwater to flow continuously for approximately 60 days. We hypothesized that the attached microbial communities would differ structurally from planktonic microbes due to the aquifer's lithological and mineralogica

SUBMITTER: Atencio B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11968702 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature