In contrast to the large number of studies on humic waters from permafrost-free regions and oligotrophic waters from permafrost-bearing regions, the bio- and photolability of DOM from the humic surface waters of permafrost-bearing regions has not been thoroughly evaluated. Following standardized protocol, we measured biodegradation (at low, intermediate and high temperatures) and photodegradation (at one intermediate temperature) of DOM in surface waters along the hydrological continuum (depression → stream → thermokarst lake → Pechora River) within a frozen peatland in European Russia. In all systems, within the experimental resolution of 5 % to 10 %, there was no bio- or photodegradation of DOM over a 1-month incubation period. It is possible that the main cause of the lack of degradation is the dominance of allochthonous refractory (soil, peat) DOM in all waters studied. However, all surface waters were supersaturated with CO₂. Thus, this study suggests that, rather than bio- and photodegradation of DOM in the water column, other factors such as peat pore-water DOM processing and respiration of sediments are the main drivers of elevated pCO₂ and CO₂ emission in humic boreal waters of frozen peat bogs.

The relationship between environmental conditions and the development, mineralization and preservation of modern tufa microbialites was investigated in a 1.1 km long freshwater stream in Villiers-le-Bâcle, a tributary of Mérantaise river. Detailed mapping of the tufa microbialite distribution combined with sedimentological, petrographical and mineralogical analyses were coupled with chemical measurements. Six organosedimentary structures were identified; their distribution appears heterogeneous along the stream and responds to physicochemical conditions of water and specific biological components (e.g., microorganism, exopolymeric substance). Two of the organosedimentary structures show evidence of mineralization and only one is lithified. Based on field observations and in-situ deployment of mineralization markers (bricks), three zones with increasing mineralization intensities are defined, ranging from no mineralization to thick mineralized crusts forming riverine tufa. Both biotic and abiotic processes were proposed for the tufa microbialite formation. We explained changes in mineralization intensities by the specific physicochemical conditions (e.g., calcite saturation index (SI_calc) and partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) and a closed proximity of the cyanobacterial biofilm and carbonates precipitates. The physical and chemical composition of substrate impact development of microbial communities, mineralization potential of tufa microbialite. Even though the physicochemical and biological conditions were optimal for mineral precipitation, the potential of lithification depended on the presence of a suitable (physical and chemical) substrate.

Mixed cyanobacteria-dominated biofilms, enriched from a tributary of the Mérantaise (France) were used to conduct laboratory experiments in order to understand the relationship between the morphology of carbonate precipitates and the biological activity (e.g., cyanobacterial exopolymeric substances (EPS) production, photosynthetic pH increases). DNA sequencing data showed that the enriched biofilm was composed predominantly of two types of filamentous cyanobacteria that belonged to the Oscillatoriaceae and Phormidiaceae families, respectively. Microscopic analysis also indicated the presence of some coccoid cyanobacteria resembling Gloeocapsa. Analysis of carbonate precipitates in experimental biofilms showed three main morphologies: micro-peloids with different shapes of mesocrystals associated with Oscillatoriaceae filaments and theirs EPS, lamellae of carbonate formed directly on Phormidiaceae filaments, and rhombic sparite crystals wrapped in EPS. All crystals were identified by FT-IR spectroscopy as calcite. Similar structures as those that formed in laboratory conditions were observed in the microbial-tufa deposits collected in the stream. Microscopic and spectroscopic analysis of laboratory and natural samples indicated a close proximity of the cyanobacterial EPS and precipitated carbonates in both. Based on the laboratory experiments, we conclude that the microbial tufa in the stream is in an early stage of formation.