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BackgroundSundarban is the world's largest coastal sediment comprising of mangrove forest which covers about one million hectares in the south-eastern parts of India and southern parts of Bangladesh. The microbial diversity in this sediment is largely unknown till date. In the present study an attempt has been made to understand the microbial diversity in this sediment using a cultivation-independent molecular approach.ResultsTwo 16 S rRNA gene libraries were constructed and partial sequencing of the selected clones was carried out to identify bacterial strains present in the sediment. Phylogenetic analysis of partially sequenced 16 S rRNA gene sequences revealed the diversity of bacterial strains in the Sundarban sediment. At least 8 different bacterial phyla were detected. The major divisions of detected bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta), Flexibacteria (CFB group), Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Planctomycetes and Gammatimonadates.ConclusionThe gammaproteobacteria were found to be the most abundant bacterial group in Sundarban sediment. Many clones showed similarity with previously reported bacterial lineages recovered from various marine sediments. The present study indicates a probable hydrocarbon and oil contamination in this sediment. In the present study, a number of clones were identified that have shown similarity with bacterial clones or isolates responsible for the maintenance of the S-cycle in the saline environment.

12 It is widely believed that atmospheric oxygen saturation rose from <10 -5 Present 13Atmospheric Level (PAL) in the Archean to >10 -2 PAL at the Great Oxidation Event 14

Cross sections for the dissociative recombination of N + 2 for v + i = 0-3 are computed using multichannel quantum defect theory with molecular data generated using the R-matrix method. The calculation is completely ab initio and includes three electronic cores of the ion. Extensive comparisons are made with previous experimental and theoretical studies. Our cross section is in excellent agreement with experimental results and other theoretical results. Cross sections and isotropic rate coefficients are provided for all computed vibrational levels.