| Abstract: | The extractable lipid composition of four layers of a microbial mat from Hao, French Polynesia, shows differences that reflect both the imprint of their microbial populations and the selective diagenetic transformations of specific microbial compounds.The uppermost layers, principally composed of cyanobacteria and other bacteria, contain lipids typical of such microbes, namely n-heptadecane, heptadecene, hexadecanoic acid, and various sterols. With increasing depth the selective degradation of lower n-alkane homologues occurs; n-alkenes also show enhanced degradation.The predominant sterols in the bottom horizon of the mat are C2, and C30 components, including dinosterol and other 4-methylsterols presumably derived from dinofiagellates. In addition, there is an increase in the proportion of stanols with depth, perhaps arising from preferential degradation of δ5-stenols. |
