FIG 2 .

Relative importance of the individual Maxwell elements of different biofilms as a function of their characteristic relaxation time constants in relation to the different matrix chemistries according to Table 1. Each data point represents one Maxwell element with its time constant plotted against its relative importance. Each individual biofilm possessed an average of four or five Maxwell elements. Similar biofilms were grown and investigated minimally three times with separate initial bacterial cultures. Maxwell elements with 0% relative importance have no accompanying time constant and are not plotted, while characteristic time constants exceeding 7,000 s have been assigned a value of 7,000 s. Vertical lines indicate divisions of relaxation time constant ranges (C_i). Panels: a, P. aeruginosa biofilms; b, S. mutans biofilms; c, S. aureus and S. epidermidis biofilms.