Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures (MISS) and their Involvement in Sediment Stabilization and Formation of Gravelly Coastal Landforms (Berms, Spits and Bars) in Salman Hypersaline Lagoon, Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

his study documents the occurrence of several MISS such as laminated microbial mats, biostabilized ripples, gas domes, mat folds, erosional pockets and remnants, microbial cracks, and gypsified mat chips in Salman hypersaline lagoon, north Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. This study indicates that both microbial and physical processes are reponsible for sediments biostablization and formation of spits,