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Microbial biomineralization processes forming modern Ca:Mg carbonate stromatolites

2009; Wiley; Volume: 57; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1365-3091.2009.01083.x

1365-3091

Alessandra Spadafora, Edoardo Perri, Judith A. McKenzie, CRISÓGONO VASCONCELOS,

Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis

SedimentologyVolume 57, Issue 1 p. 27-40 Microbial biomineralization processes forming modern Ca:Mg carbonate stromatolites ALESSANDRA SPADAFORA, ALESSANDRA SPADAFORA Geological Institute, ETH-Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland Present address: A.R.P.A. Calabria, Dipartimento di Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy.Search for more papers by this authorEDOARDO PERRI, EDOARDO PERRI Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra – Università della Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy (E-mail: [email protected])Search for more papers by this authorJUDITH A. MCKENZIE, JUDITH A. MCKENZIE Geological Institute, ETH-Zürich, 8092 Zürich, SwitzerlandSearch for more papers by this authorCRISÓGONO VASCONCELOS, CRISÓGONO VASCONCELOS Geological Institute, ETH-Zürich, 8092 Zürich, SwitzerlandSearch for more papers by this author ALESSANDRA SPADAFORA, ALESSANDRA SPADAFORA Geological Institute, ETH-Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland Present address: A.R.P.A. Calabria, Dipartimento di Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy.Search for more papers by this authorEDOARDO PERRI, EDOARDO PERRI Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra – Università della Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy (E-mail: [email protected])Search for more papers by this authorJUDITH A. MCKENZIE, JUDITH A. MCKENZIE Geological Institute, ETH-Zürich, 8092 Zürich, SwitzerlandSearch for more papers by this authorCRISÓGONO VASCONCELOS, CRISÓGONO VASCONCELOS Geological Institute, ETH-Zürich, 8092 Zürich, SwitzerlandSearch for more papers by this author First published: 15 December 2009 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3091.2009.01083.xCitations: 151 Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Modern Ca:Mg carbonate stromatolites form in association with the microbial mat in the hypersaline coastal lagoon, Lagoa Vermelha (Brazil). The stromatolites, although showing diversified fabrics characterized by thin or crude lamination and/or thrombolitic clotting, exhibit a pervasive peloidal microfabric. The peloidal texture consists of dark, micritic aggregates of very high-Mg calcite and/or Ca dolomite formed by an iso-oriented assemblage of sub-micron trigonal polyhedrons and organic matter. Limpid acicular crystals of aragonite arranged in spherulites surround these aggregates. Unlike the aragonite crystals, organic matter is present consistently in the dark, micritic carbonate comprising the peloids. This organic matter is observed as sub-micron flat and filamentous mucus-like structures inside the interspaces of the high-Mg calcite and Ca dolomite crystals and is interpreted as the remains of degraded extracellular polymeric substances. Moreover, many fossilized bacterial cells are associated strictly with both carbonate phases. These cells consist mainly of 0·2 to 4 μm in diameter, sub-spherical, rod-like and filamentous forms, isolated or in colony-like clusters. The co-existence of fossil extracellular polymeric substances and bacterial bodies, associated with the polyhedrons of Ca:Mg carbonate, implies that the organic matter and microbial metabolism played a fundamental role in the precipitation of the minerals that form the peloids. By contrast, the lack of extracellular polymeric substances in the aragonitic phase indicates an additional precipitation mechanism. 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