This research used samples and/or data provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). ODP is sponsored by the U.S National Science Foundation (NSF) and participating countries under management of Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI), Inc. We thank the ODP Publication Services staff for their invaluable and competent support in completing this volume, in particular Gigi Delgado for handling all manuscripts and contacts to authors and reviewers, Lorri Peters for carefully editing the chapters, and Jennifer Rumford for the online publication. We acknowledge the important contributions of all Leg 201 shipboard and land-based scientists to the results presented in this volume. We are indebted to several Leg 201 scientists for allowing us to cite their unpublished data, in particular Heribert Cypionka, Bert Engelen, Kai-Uwe Hinrichs, Jürgen Wiegel, Udo Fehn, and Glen Snyder. Each chapter went through peer review with two external reviewers and we thank the many reviewers whose constructive comments and suggestions have greatly helped to improve the quality of this volume. Finally, we thank all Leg 201 scientists and staff members on board the JOIDES Resolution for making this a most successful and enjoyable cruise.