Calcification of cyanobacterial mats in Solar Lake, Sinai

Pore-water samples were obtained from the shallow-water part of Solar Lake (Sinai) where luxurious cyanobacterial mats grow. These samples were analyzed for Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Sr²⁺, Cl⁻, , and titration alkalinity (TA) to determine the role of cyanobacterial growth and degradation on the calcification of the mats. The data are modeled thermodynamically to predict mineral–pore-water equilibria. Our data support earlier bacterial and sedimentological studies suggesting that the degradation of the cyanobacterial mat via sulfate reduction is of major importance in the calcification process.