The Foundation Stone atop Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. This photograph is titled “Temple area,
Mosque of Omar (i.e., Dome of the Rock), etc. Rock Moriah, from the south LOC matpc.23162.
jpg.” It is a public domain image from the G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection, United
States Library of Congress
I arrived at the theme for this book from knowing some of the legends about the
Foundation Stone. The biblical legend of creation is that God first created the
Foundation Stone and then God touched that rock which caused heaven to spring
from one side and earth to spring from the other side. I do not believe that legend.
Microbes are, however, the foundation stone of the biosphere. Life on this planet
began with the microbes, and the microbes are essential for sustaining all of life.
My colleagues and I have created this volume of essays which considers different
aspects of the concept that microbes are the foundation stone of the biosphere. Each
of us had the same assignment for this volume, to share the personal understanding
of microbiology which we have gained individually and collectively. Three of us,
Ann Hirsch, Ron Oremland, and Aharon Oren, have entered the Dome of the Rock
building and seen the Foundation Stone.
The contents of this volume are organized into seven sections.
The first section is titled “Recognizing the Role of Microorganisms in our
World.” It presents the fact that life is a constant and continuing struggle for habitat
and niche. The first section also mentions our philosophical inheritance from Charles
Darwin, continuing through considerations of more recent times, and it also presents
an introduction to the ways in which microorganisms prepare the sediments and soils
upon which many other life forms depend for a necessary physical and nutritive base
of support.
The second section helps us to consider that “Microbial life persists within even
the most extreme environments” and provides examples of how microbial life
manages to exist in some amazing ways and places. Microbes are metabolically
xiv
Volume Preface
Mosque of Omar (i.e., Dome of the Rock), etc. Rock Moriah, from the south LOC matpc.23162.
jpg.” It is a public domain image from the G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection, United
States Library of Congress
I arrived at the theme for this book from knowing some of the legends about the
Foundation Stone. The biblical legend of creation is that God first created the
Foundation Stone and then God touched that rock which caused heaven to spring
from one side and earth to spring from the other side. I do not believe that legend.
Microbes are, however, the foundation stone of the biosphere. Life on this planet
began with the microbes, and the microbes are essential for sustaining all of life.
My colleagues and I have created this volume of essays which considers different
aspects of the concept that microbes are the foundation stone of the biosphere. Each
of us had the same assignment for this volume, to share the personal understanding
of microbiology which we have gained individually and collectively. Three of us,
Ann Hirsch, Ron Oremland, and Aharon Oren, have entered the Dome of the Rock
building and seen the Foundation Stone.
The contents of this volume are organized into seven sections.
The first section is titled “Recognizing the Role of Microorganisms in our
World.” It presents the fact that life is a constant and continuing struggle for habitat
and niche. The first section also mentions our philosophical inheritance from Charles
Darwin, continuing through considerations of more recent times, and it also presents
an introduction to the ways in which microorganisms prepare the sediments and soils
upon which many other life forms depend for a necessary physical and nutritive base
of support.
The second section helps us to consider that “Microbial life persists within even
the most extreme environments” and provides examples of how microbial life
manages to exist in some amazing ways and places. Microbes are metabolically
xiv
Volume Preface