Microbial Mats Around the Grand Prismatic Spring
Thermophiles produce some of the bright colors of Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park. The color of the mats of algae and bacteria is due to the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoid molecules produced by the organisms. During summertime the chlorophyll content of the organisms is low and thus the mats appear orange, red, or yellow. However during the winter, the mats are usually dark green, because sunlight is more scarce and the microbes produce more chlorophyll to compensate, thereby masking the carotenoid colors.
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