Explore the complex relationship between microbes and lacustrine carbonates in this informative lecture. Delve into the challenges of distinguishing biotic and abiotic processes in microbialite development. Examine field and laboratory studies from the Andes to the Alps, revealing how environmental factors can rapidly shift mineral precipitation between biotic and abiotic origins. Investigate modern lacustrine environments, microbial cultures, and confocal microscopy techniques. Learn about François Alfonso's PhD project, white biofilms, and virus impacts. Analyze examples from the Bahamas and vertical locks, focusing on cyanobacteria. Compare findings with the fossil record and discuss implications for Mars exploration. Address questions about microbialite distribution, lake chemistry, magnesium-rich dolomite, and sulfate-reducing bacteria in this comprehensive exploration of microbial influence on carbonate formation.