Currently, there is a significant knowledge gap in our understanding of how the natural microbial ecology overcomes thermodynamic limitations in recovering contaminated environments.  Results indicate that a microbial syntrophic cooperation has been established represented by the oxygenic and anoxygenic phototrophs, sustained through the efficient use of novel cellular mechanistic adaptations tailored to these unique thermodynamic conditions.  Overall the more diversified functionality within sub-oxic sample locations indicates an ability to maintain efficient metabolism under thermodynamic constraints.  This is the first study to holistically identify and characterize these types of in-situ, metabolic processes and address their thermodynamic feasibility within a global context for large landscape reconstruction. 
THERM