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CABO ROJO SALTERNS MICROBIAL OBSERVATORYUniversity of Puerto Rico at Humacao

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Transmission Electron Microscopy of Cabo Rojo Mats

 

 

Dry Season                                            Wet Season

 

Green Layer

 

A

B

C

 
D

 E

  

 

Transmission electron micrographs of communities found in the green layer of the Cabo Rojo mats during the Dry season.  The predominant microorganisms in this layer are cyanobacteria from the: Lyngbya (A and B), Microcoleus (C) genus.  Unidentified flagellate organisms (D) are also present in this layer along with thick empty sheaths of polysaccharides probably from degraded cyanobacteria (E).

 

Green Layer

 

A B C
D E F
   

G

   

 

Transmission electron micrographs of communities found in the different layers of the Cabo Rojo microbial mats during the Wet (Rainy) season. Several diatoms (A), marine protozoans (E), and flagellate organisms (F, G) are observed. Again cyanobacteria such as Microcoleus (B, C) and Oscillatoria (D) are found in this layer.

 

Pink or Cream Layer

A

B C
D E F
   

G

   

 

Transmission electron micrographs of communities found in the beige layer of the Cabo Rojo mats during the Dry season. The microbial communities in this layer consist  of unidentified phototrophs (A, E); anoxyphototrophic bacteria (B); filamentous cyanobacteria such as Cloroflexus (C) and Microcoleus (D); Beggiatoa (F), and other unidentified bacteria surrounded by exopolymeric sheaths of unknown origin (G).

Pink or Cream Layer

A B C

D

E

F

 
G H  

 

Transmission electron micrographs of communities found in the different layers of the Cabo Rojo microbial mats during the Wet (Rainy) season. A series of unidentified unicelullar and filamentous cyanobacteria are present (A-D) as well as other unknown bacteria (E-H).

Brown Layer

A B C
D E F
 
G H  

 

Transmission electron micrographs of communities found in the different layers of the Cabo Rojo microbial mats during the Wet (Rainy) season.  Anoxyphotothrophic organisms found during the dry period have now moved to a newly formed brown layer (A-E). Beggiatoa (F), Microcoleus (G) and a nematode (H) now inhabit this new layer.

 

Black Layer

A B C
D E F
G H I
 
J K  

 

Transmission electron micrographs of communities found in the beige layer of the Cabo Rojo mats during the Dry season. Several filamentous cyanobacteria such as Cloroflexus (A) and the other unidentified oscillatorians (B, C).  Other predominant microorganisms found in this layer are spirochetes  (D-F) that have invaded empty cyanobacterial sheaths and series of unknown organisms (G-K).

 

Black Layer

A B C
D E F
G H I

 

Transmission electron micrographs of communities found in the different layers of the Cabo Rojo microbial mats during the Wet (Rainy) season.  A series of empty cyanobacterial sheaths (A-B) are observed some of which are invaded by spirochetes (C-D). A series of unknown unicelullar organisms are also present (E-I).

 

Web page designed and maintained by Beatriz Hernández Machado

Last revision February 21, 2006