Microbial Cell Preservation in a Saline-alkaline Lake Environment: A Laboratory Scale Model

Upon analysis, microcosms containing both N. magadii culture and erionite revealed preserved cells. No preserved cells were seen in microcosms containing only the culture in liquid media. This observed relationship between erionite and preserved microbial "fossils" sheds light on the geomicrobiology of Natrialba magadii and zeolites and specifically the association with potassium cycling. This relationship may have significance in the study of ion exchange in zeolitic soil and water bearing zeolite rich rock substrate under saline-alkaline conditions.