Some microorganisms, including various kinds of bacteria, fungi, algae, and
protozoa, serve as geochemical agents in the uppermost lithosphere and in
the hydrosphere. Some promote rock weathering by mobilizing mineral constit
uents with inorganic or organic acids or ligands that they excrete. Others
promote rock weathering by redox attack of mineral constituents such as Fe
and Mn. Still others cause active or passive mineral formation by precipita
tion and subsequent nucleation of crystal formation on or in the cell, or i
n the bulk phase. They play a role in some phases of fossil fuel formation
and accumulation. They modulate the terrestrial and marine cycles of C, N,
S, and P and some other elements, and they influence the composition of the
atmosphere in respect to O-2, CO2, and CH4. Some discriminate between stab
le isotopes of H, C, O, N, and S. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights
reserved.