Summary ......................................................... 1
Zusammenfassung ................................................. 3
Introduction .................................................... 5
Chapter I: Ribosomal tag pyrosequencing of DNA and RNA reveals
'rare' taxa with high protein synthesis potential in the
sediment of a hypersaline lake in Western Australia ......... 28
Chapter II: Predominance of biotic over abiotic formation of
halogenated hydrocarbons in hypersaline sediments in
Western Australia ........................................... 65
Chapter III: Microbial community composition in acidic and pH
neutral sediments from two hypersaline lakes in Western
Australia ................................................... 91
Chapter IV: Halogenated hydrocarbon formation in a moderately
acidic salt lake in Western Australia - role of abiotic
and biotic processes ....................................... 126
Chapter V: Formation of volatile organohalogens by
Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 1021 ......................... 150
Chapter VI: A metagenomic approach to assess microbial
halogenation and dehalogenation potential in a German
forest soil ................................................ 166
General Discussion & Outlook .................................. 198
Acknowledgements .............................................. 208
Statement personal contribution ............................... 210
Curriculum vitae .............................................. 214
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