General Geochemistry and Microbiology Techniques

Geomicrobiological investigations benefit from knowledge of geochemical and biological systems at different scales, including information about both the abiotic and the biotic components. Gathering this information requires analysis and characterization of both abiotic and biotic components of the target system. The techniques presented in this chapter were selected to cover a variety of needs in geomicrobiological studies, including general sample collection and storage, organic and inorganic compound quantification, and best practices for cultivation, observation, and analysis of microorganisms and microbial communities. In this chapter, introductions and discussions for common techniques provide the reader with a basic understanding of the technique itself, which samples can be analyzed using the technique, and how to prepare samples for analysis. Detailed methods are provided for select techniques, and citations to standard methods are provided for techniques whenever available. For techniques that are rapidly evolving, recent developments and applications are discussed.