Mineral Deposits and the Evolution of the Biosphere

will probably be clarified by the continued cooperative efforts of scientists such as those in the group that met in Berlin last September. The staff of Dahlem Konferenzen is responsible for making the meeting of this group memorably pleasant and pleasantly mem­ orable. Dr. Bernhard's gifts of charm, organizational skill, and administrative toughness assured that the conference was run elegantly, smoothly, and decisively, even down to the choice of editors for this volume. Marie Cervantes-Waldmann performed minor miracles extracting manuscripts gently but persistently from the authors and in turning the typescripts into a book. The other staff members of Dahlem Konferenzen were unfailingly helpful even under trying circumstances. They will be well rememberedbyall who were fortunate enough to be asked to Berlin for the first week in September, 1980. Mineral Deposits and the Evolution of the Biosphere, eds. H. D. Holland and M. Schidlowski, pp. 5-30. Dahlem Konferenzen, 1982. Berl in, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag. Microbial Processes in the Sulfur Cycle Through Time H. G. TrUper Institut f. Microbiologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat, 5300 Bonn 1, F. R. Germany Abstract. Two microbial processes are involved in the sulfur cycle of the earth's biosphere: anoxic dissimilatory sulfur oxidation by phototrophic bacteria and dissimilatory sulfate reduction by sulfate-reducing bacteria. In the presence of oxygen at chemoclines and redoxclines dissimilatory sulfur oxidation by chemolithotrophic bacteria (Thiobacillus, Beg­ giatoa, and others) occurs. In addition, dissimilatory sulfur reducing bacteria participate in the sulfur cycle.