Joachim Reitner: Professor (chair) for Paleontology and Geobiology, director of the Department of Geobiology and the Courant Research Centre of Geobiology at the University of Gottingen. Awardee of the DFG G.W.-Leibniz award and ordinary member of the Gottingen Academy of Science. Coordinator of the DFG research unit 571 "Geobiology of Organo- and Biofilms" Nadia-Valerie Queric:PhD in microbial ecology of deep marine sediments at the University of Bremen. Research assistant for geomicrobiology at the Department of Geobiology of the University of Gottingen. Gernot Arp:PhD in paleontology and geobiology of ancient microbial systems at the University of Gottingen. Research associate for paleontology and geomicrobiology at the Department of Geobiology of the University of Gottingen. Associate coordinator of the DFG research unit 571 "Geobiology of Organo- and Biofilms". .