Talk:Snottites

Comment 1

I found your page on snottites particularly interesting, especially the part regarding the structural formation of the snottites as a result of their oxidation process. I find it intriguing that the gypsum is able to coat the walls and ceilings of the caves in layers that are so deep and thick. I was also curious to see the SEM images of some of the species involved. It seems that maybe some of the structure of these biofilms is not as organized as some of the other biofilm structures we have seen, which is interesting. Where in the United States can snottites be found? I have learned a lot about these interesting structures from your paper, and I think you did a very good job of organizing the information.

Kim Miller's comments:
- this is an amazing page. Good job! It is really well written and organized.
- I've always wanted to know more about snotties (ever since I saw Planet Earth), so I think this topic is really interesting.
- I thought that including the SEM images of the microbes was a great idea. I think the pictures are really interesting.
- I didn't notice any typos or things to change, again your page is fantastic.

Your paper provided a lot of interesting information on an ecosystem that I previously knew little about. I think it helped greatly that you included chemical details about the species involved in snottites because it helped explain exactly why the conditions they exist in are so acidic. Maybe creating sub-topics within the first topic could be useful to help the reader follow your discussion on cave formation and environmental conditions. I had some difficulty focusing on what topic was being discussed in that first section. Overall, I think you picked good topics to explain what snottites are and how they fit into the larger ecosystem. Your figures were interesting, well captioned and aided in your explanations of your topics.

Khalid Eldahan's comments

You picked an interesting topic, and I think the photos you picked were great choices. The photos are high quality and provide some visualization to your topic. In terms of the page layout, I would work on making the 'Species Identified' section less cluttered. You might even consider making one or two of your larger photos thumbnail images. You can check my page on the FMO complex in green sulfur bacteria to find the image syntax if you do decide to make thumbnail images.

In your conclusion, you state that these cave systems are 'relatively constant'. I felt that this statement was somewhat ambiguous, so I would try to elaborate on that more.

I think you cover the breadth of your topic quite well and that you at least brush up on all of the important items.

Although you've already done a nice job, I would like to hear more about the ecology within the cave system and how the Snottites fit in their ecosystem.

Overall, your grammar and sentence structures are excellent. I didn't notice any major mistakes. Your page looks great!