共查询到19条相似文献，搜索用时 156 毫秒
1.
陆地热泉钙华研究进展与展望 总被引：1，自引：1，他引：0
陆地热泉钙华是沉淀于富Ca2+和HCO3-热泉（普遍T≥30℃）的陆地碳酸盐沉积物/岩。热泉钙华独特的形成环境、岩石矿物学特征、地球化学特征和流体性质对古环境、古气候、早期生命起源、新构造运动、陆相热水沉积学、地热资源等方面研究具有重要指示意义。尽管相关学者对陆地热泉钙华开展了相关研究,但由于热泉钙华沉积-成岩过程中受复杂外界条件控制,其时空分布、沉积特征、矿物组成、地球化学特征、微生物作用、流体来源、成岩作用、古气候记录等系列科学问题有待深入研究。在国内外大量文献的基础上,结合研究团队对云南腾冲火山地热区热泉钙华的认识,综述了目前国内外学者对陆地热泉钙华的研究进展,总结了热泉钙华研究意义,提出了当前热泉钙华研究存在的问题及下步研究方向,为更加全面地认识陆地热泉钙华沉积及未来研究提供启示。 相似文献
2.
陆地热泉硅华是活动地热环境下,富含硅酸盐热液流体在地表形成的沉积物,其独特的微生物结构及地球化学特征对潜在地热资源、古环境、古气候、早期生命起源等研究具有重要指示意义。尽管近年来地质学家对形成陆地热泉硅华的热源类型、硅华结构特征、共生矿物、同位素及微量元素特征、微生物在成岩中的作用等方面做了不少研究,但由于热泉硅华沉积-成岩过程中受包括热储岩性、热泉水蒸发冷却、pH值改变、微生物生长等复杂外界条件影响,其形成环境、发育特征和控制因素等系列科学问题有待深入探讨。在国内外大量文献调研的基础上,结合近期对云南腾冲热海地热区硅华的研究,综述了目前国内外对陆地热泉硅华的研究进展,总结了陆地热泉硅华具有矿物种类多样、结构形态丰富、地球化学特征复杂、与地热系统热源关系密切等基本特征,还总结了影响陆地热泉硅华形成中冷却、蒸发、pH值、阳离子效应、微生物活动等非生物和生物控制因素,提出了当前陆地热泉硅华研究存在硅华结构成因解释不明确、微生物与热泉硅华微结构间的关系及微量元素和同位素地球化学研究薄弱、人类活动对硅华沉积影响使得研究更复杂等问题,指出下一步应加强同位素分馏、微量元素及常量元素在硅华沉积-成岩中的作用机理研究;通过全面的地球物理-化学-微生物关系分析,明确热泉硅华成因;弄清控制硅华沉积的因素及微生物在硅华生长中的作用;深入了解热泉硅华形成的复杂性及其在全球范围内的相关性,从而更加全面地认识陆地热泉硅华沉积,并为下一步研究提供启示。 相似文献
3.
生物岩石学是研究生物岩（即生物成因岩石）的特征、形成机制、形成环境及其与矿产资源关系的一门新兴交叉学科,其研究内容至少包括生物矿化、现代生物礁、古代生物礁、现代微生物岩石和古代微生物岩石5个方面。生物矿化作用和现代生物岩研究为古代生物岩研究提供了认识基础。由于现代生物圈和环境不同于古代,现代生物矿化作用和生物岩的研究成果并不能全部直接应用于古代生物岩研究。古代生物岩和生物矿化作用的类型比现代丰富得多,不可能全部从现代生物岩和生物矿化作用中找到参照,但可以为现代生物矿化实验研究提供设计思路。生物岩石学的相关学科包括生物学、微生物学、古生物学、古微生物学、沉积学、沉积岩石学、矿物学、地球化学、地质微生物学等。生物岩石学研究需要应用这些学科的知识,也会反哺这些学科。 相似文献
4.
生命活动中矿化作用的环境响应机制研究 总被引：2，自引：1，他引：1
生物矿化作用及其环境响应机制的研究,关键在于研究生命活动制约矿物形成、分解的机理及其环境响应机制,其内容主要包括生物矿化作用的机理、生物矿化作用的环境效应、生物矿化作用的调控理论和方法。可实现的研究目标是从多学科角度发展生物矿化作用的理论,阐明自然界中矿物－生物－重金属/POPs －水之间的相互作用机理与环境响应机制。有望揭示微生物控制重金属矿化的微观机制,提出微生物治理重金属污染原理;揭示半导体矿物－微生物协同作用降解POPs 机制,发展三元体系研究方法;揭示微生物促进多金属矿山硫化物分解机制,提出微生物分解矿物对生态环境影响的调控方法等。以促进地质生物学前沿交叉学科发展,形成未来环境污染防治重大新技术的科学基础。 相似文献
5.
董发勤 代群威 饶瀚云 王富东 赵学钦 蒋忠诚 张强 李博文 Alexander I.Malov Enrico Capezzuoli Augusto Auler 《中国岩溶》2021,40(2):264-272
本文通过调查黄龙风景区水体的环境地质特征与微生物群落结构及多样性,并与黄石公园对比分析,探讨了两种特殊地理环境下的微生物群落结构和多样性及其对钙华沉积的影响。结果表明:黄龙沟泉水属于地下冷泉,且景区内覆盖着大量植被,水体中有大量藻类和细菌;黄石公园猛犸象温泉区泉水属于地下热泉,植被覆盖率很低,泉水中微生物多为嗜热菌,藻类较少。黄龙与黄石钙华主要由方解石组成并且微生物参与了钙华的形成过程。微生物对钙华沉积的作用,主要分为模板作用、产物诱导作用和代谢调控作用,对比探讨了特殊地质环境下的微生物对钙华沉积的贡献,指出微生物沉积作用在钙华沉积过程中的重要性,可为黄龙钙华“黑化”防治提供理论依据。 相似文献
6.
沉积过程对自生黄铁矿硫同位素的约束 总被引：6，自引：3，他引：3
自生黄铁矿是海洋沉积物中还原态硫的主要赋存形式，其形成过程与有机质矿化相关，影响全球的C-S-Fe生物地球化学循环。自生黄铁矿硫同位素分馏主要受微生物硫酸盐还原的控制，但近期的研究成果表明局部沉积环境的改变也可以影响黄铁矿硫同位素的组成，特别是在浅海环境。在浅海非稳态沉积环境内，物理再改造和生物扰动作用，导致硫酸盐还原带内生成的硫化物被再氧化，进而影响黄铁矿的硫同位素值。浅海沉积过程容易受到古气候和海平面变化的影响，引起沉积速率的剧烈波动，导致有机质和活性铁输入的不稳定，进而影响成岩系统的开放性和硫酸盐还原速率，最终影响黄铁矿的硫同位素值。另外，沉积速率的改变还影响硫酸盐—甲烷转换带的迁移，造成有机质和甲烷厌氧氧化硫酸盐还原的相互转化，产生不同的硫同位素信号。东海内陆架泥质区为研究沉积过程对自生黄铁矿的形成及其硫同位素组成的约束机制提供了很好的研究材料。该区域有很好的沉积学研究基础，自生黄铁矿丰富、并且个别层位有生物气（甲烷为主）存在，是研究边缘海C-S-Fe循环的理想场所。 相似文献
7.
生物活动在吉林东南部寒武纪沉积铜形成过程中的作用 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
吉林东南部寒武纪沉积铜主要为沉积和后期热液改造综合作用的产物。它们在形成过程中，生物活动起了很大的作用，生物直接成因标志和间接成因迹象在本区都有体现。前者主要表现在由藻类群落形成的有机质胶体和胶团中聚集了大量的黄铜矿和黄铁矿颗粒，草莓状构造即为其典型构造之一。后者则为由生物形成的有机酸在通过红色矿源层时形成可溶性有机铜盐，并运移到适当部位富集起来，形成具一定程度的矿化现象。“圈闭构造”在形成本区这类矿化现象中起到了十分重要的作用。 相似文献
8.
董发勤 陈禹衡 代群威 郑飞 刘明学 蒋忠诚 张强 李博文 Alper Bab Mike O''Driscoll Andelka Plenkovic-Moraj 《中国岩溶》2021,40(1):34-43
本文总结了钙华体次生有机体系中生物群落特征和界面结晶行为,根据生物在碳酸盐沉积中的角色,将钙华体中次生有机体系的界面结晶矿化类型分为生物控制矿化沉积和生物诱导矿化沉积。分述了碳酸钙沉积矿化相关的五种生物代谢活动,讨论了生物胞外聚合物（EPS）对碳酸钙矿物晶型和形貌的影响。针对目前钙华研究中存在的问题,今后应深入研究生物体主要构成元素、生物小分子和生物体内部组织在钙华形成或退化中的作用,进一步厘清钙华体与次生有机体系的多界面溶化方式,为钙华保护修复及钙华退化治理措施提供科学依据。 相似文献
9.
董发勤 李刚 代群威 周琳 王富东 赵学钦 蒋忠诚 张强 李博文 Enrico Capezzuoli Mike O''Driscoll Andelka Plenkovic-Moraj 《中国岩溶》2021,40(1):11-18
钙华不仅具有重要的景观旅游价值,而且对确定区内碳酸盐沉积特征、环境演化规律及同期环境生物的作用与贡献有重要的研究意义。本文在对比国内外典型钙华特征的基础上,以黄龙和九寨沟为例,对雪宝顶区块流域内钙华的沉积特征、环境化学与生物作用进行阐述,指出了雪宝顶区块流域冷水型钙华的形成与演化是化学沉积-溶解作用、生物沉积与溶蚀作用等共同作用的结果,并受非生物、生物因素影响。在雪宝顶冷水型钙华的形成过程中,微生物协同参与了钙华的沉积与溶蚀过程,通过自身新陈代谢促活动促使使钙离子结晶,并诱导晶型变化;其他生物体如植物、藻类等或以间接的方式促进或加快了钙华形成,或为钙华生长提供模板和体量。 相似文献
10.
四川汉源-峨边地区上震旦统灯影组藻白云岩特征及成因研究 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
"藻白云岩"术语的提出已有五十年历史,震旦系藻白云岩以其巨大的厚度,精美的原生结构、构造,以及丰富的微生物化石和矿产资源而闻名,但至今其成因仍存在争议。以四川汉源-峨边地区上震旦统灯影组藻白云岩为研究对象,对其宏观的剖面、岩石学、原生构造特征,微观的白云石和微生物化石形态、原生结构特征,以及相应的地球化学特征进行了详细研究。结果表明:研究区灯影组藻白云岩为一套在潮坪和潟湖环境下形成的微生物（碳酸盐）岩的岩石类型组合,以藻黏结型的叠层状、纹层状、葡萄状和均一状（藻）白云岩为主要的次级类型;藻白云岩中主要发育原生的隐晶状微生物白云石和次生的纤维状拟晶白云石,其形成与蓝细菌、硫酸盐还原细菌、中度嗜盐好氧细菌和红藻等微生物的矿化作用密切相关:沉积-同生阶段,主要由微生物诱导矿化作用形成大量纳米似立方体粒状和（亚）微米级片状微生物白云石,同时共（伴）生纤维状文石和高镁方解石;同生-准同生阶段,主要由微生物影响矿化作用形成纳米球粒状和微米级不规则状、球状和卵状微生物白云石,同时纤维状文石和高镁方解石因微生物催化矿化作用和拟晶白云石化作用形成纤维状拟晶白云石;随后微生物白云石与拟晶白云石一起组成具纹层状、叠层状、均一状等构造的藻白云岩。对藻白云岩特征及成因的研究有助于理解微生物-矿物交互作用和过程的复杂性、多样性,也为前寒武纪微生物矿化作用、微生物白云石和拟晶白云石研究提供了新的实例。 相似文献
11.
J.L. Fernandez-Turiel M. Garcia-Valles D. Gimeno-Torrente J. Saavedra-Alonso S. Martinez-Manent 《Sedimentary Geology》2005,180(3-4):125-147
The siliceous sinter deposits of El Tatio geothermal field in northern Chile have been examined petrographically and mineralogically. These sinters consist of amorphous silica (opal-A) deposited around hot springs and geysers from nearly neutral, silica-saturated, sodium chloride waters. Water cooling and evaporation to dryness are the main processes that control the opal-A deposition in both subaqueous and subaerial settings, in close spatial relation to microbial communities. All fingerprints of organisms observed in the studied sinter samples represent microbes and suggest that the microbial community is moderately diverse (cyanobacteria, green bacteria, and diatoms). The most important ecological parameter is the temperature gradient, which is closely related to the observed depositional settings: 1) Geyser setting: water temperature = 70–86 °C (boiling point at El Tatio: 4200 m a.s.l.); coarse laminated sinter macrostructure with rapid local variations; biota comprises non-photosynthetic hyperthermophilic bacteria. 2) Splash areas around geysers: water temperature = 60–75 °C; laminated spicule and column macrostructure, locally forming cupolas (< 30 cm); predominant Synechococcus-like cyanobacteria. 3) Hot spring setting: water temperature = 40–60 °C; laminated spicules and columns and subspherical oncoids characterize the sinter macrostructure; filamentous cyanobacteria Phormidium and diatoms (e.g., Synedra sp.) are the most characteristic microbes. 4) Discharge environments: water temperature = 20–40 °C; sinter composed of laminated spicules and oncoids of varied shape; cyanobacterial mats of Phormidium and Calothrix and diatoms (e.g., Synedra sp.) are abundant. El Tatio is a natural laboratory of great interest because the sedimentary macrostructures and microtextures reflect the geological and biological processes involved in the primary deposition and early diagenesis of siliceous sinters. 相似文献
12.
Formation of silica oncoids around geysers and hot springs at El Tatio, northern Chile 总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2
Siliceous oncoids, up to 4 cm in diameter, are common on the laterally extensive sinter aprons that surround the spectacular geysers and hot springs at El Tatio in northern Chile. Many of these complex oncoids developed close to geyser and spring vents that discharge boiling water. Internally the oncoids, which are composed of precipitated amorphous silica, are formed of complex arrays of spicules and concentric laminae as well as detrital volcanic grains. Spicular growth is dominant in most examples. The formation and growth of the spicules and concentric laminae were mediated by a microbial community which included filamentous microbes, mucus, and possibly bacteria. The microbes and mucus were silicified by replacement and encrustation. In some laminae the filamentous microbes lay parallel to the growth surface; in other laminae most filaments forming the thin mats were suberect. Amorphous silica precipitated between the filaments occluded porosity and commonly disguised the microbial fabric. The oncoids grew on the proximal sinter aprons around the geyser vents and hot spring pools. Most growth took place subaerially with the silica delivered to the precipitation sites by splashing water from the geysers and/or periodic shallow flooding of the discharge aprons. Unlike silica oncoids at other geothermal sites, vertical growth of oncoids that formed in some rimstone pools was not limited by water depth. 相似文献
13.
察尔汗盐湖盐壳类型及形成条件 总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2
察尔汗盐湖，除其边缘分布有１０个卤水湖或季节性卤水湖外，其余均为盐壳所覆盖。盐壳划分为４种不同类型：①龟裂状盐壳；②尖棱状盐壳；③疙瘩状盐壳；④平坦状盐壳。盐壳主要以卤水湖为中心向外，由新至老呈环带或半环带状分布，构成了察尔汗盐湖独特的微地貌景观，并为研究湖区古气候及盐湖演化提供了重要信息。 相似文献
14.
黄厂雄黄矿床成矿作用若干问题的研究 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
黄厂雄黄矿床是一个优质大型隐伏富矿。形成于喜山期。具有岩性、构造、古岩溶洞穴等多因素控矿的特征。热液硅质岩(硅泉华)、古岩溶角砾岩和广布的巨厚矿源层与成矿关系极为密切。应属浅层低温热液构造岩溶充填型矿床或称渗滤热卤水(泉)岩溶充填型矿床。 相似文献
15.
E. V. Lazareva S. M. Zhmodik M. S. Melgunov I. V. Petrova A. V. Bryanskaya 《Doklady Earth Sciences》2011,439(2):1131-1137
The features of present deposits that form in the vicinity of hot springs can provide clues to the parameters of paleowaters
in places of past hydrothermal activity marked by remnant carbonate and/or siliceous sinter. We investigated a large carbonate
body at the Garga hot spring developing in the Baikal zone of nitric hydrotherms in the Barguzin Rift Zone valley. The main
focus was on the structure of the carbonate mound, as well as on the partitioning of radioactive elements between the cyanobacterial
mat and the inorganic component of the body (the issue that has never been explored before). The cyanobacterial community
of the Garga spring is an active biosorbent of 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb. The radionuclides accumulated by biosorption become preserved in minerals that form within the bacterial community. The
reported data of mineral formation in the cyanobacterial mat along with the mineralogy and structure of the carbonate mound
of the Garga spring have implications for the complex history of the Garga body. It has been produced jointly by precipitation
from the venting thermal water (opal-calcite-fluorite-barite-celestine assemblage) and microbial metabolic activity (coarse
calcite and thin black encrustation rich in Mn minerals). 相似文献
16.
Mineral-microbe interactions: a review 总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2
Hailiang DONG 《Frontiers of Earth Science》2010,4(2):127-147
The studies of mineral-microbe interactions lie at the heart of the emerging field of Geomicrobiology, as minerals and rocks
are the most fundamental earth materials with which microbes interact at all scales. Microbes have been found in a number
of the Earth’s extreme environments and beyond. In spite of the diverse geological environments in which microbes are found
and diverse approaches taken to study them, a common thread, mineral-microbe interactions, connects all these environments
and experimental approaches under the same umbrella, i.e., Geomicrobiology. Minerals and rocks provide microbes with nutrients
and living habitats, and microbes impact rock and mineral weathering and diagenesis rates through their effects on mineral
solubility and speciation. Given a rapid growth of research in this area in the last two decades, it is not possible to provide
a comprehensive review on the topic. This review paper focuses on three area, i.e., microbial dissolution of minerals, microbial
formation of minerals, and certain techniques to study mineral-microbe interactions. Under the first area, three subjects
are reviewed; they include siderophores as important agents in promoting mineral dissolution, microbial oxidation of reduced
minerals (acid mine drainage and microbial leaching of ores), and microbial reduction of oxidized minerals. Under the second
topic, both biologically controlled and induced mineralizations are reviewed with a special focus on microbially induced mineralization
(microbial surface mediated mineral precipitation and microbial precipitation of carbonates). Under the topic of characterization,
the focus is on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy. It is the author’s hope that
this review will promote more focused research on mineral-microbe interactions and encourage more collaboration between microbiologists
and mineralogists. 相似文献
17.
Kathleen A. Campbell† K. A. Rodgers‡ Jane M. A. Brotheridge P. R. L. Browne§ 《Sedimentology》2002,49(4):835-854
ABSTRACT A silica–carbonate deposit is forming from the dilute alkali chloride waters of Pavlova spring, a small thermal pool and outflow channel (85 to <40 °C), situated at the northern extent of the South Orakonui area of the Ngatamariki geothermal field, Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), New Zealand. It is one of a small but growing number of thermal spring features known to yield deposits of mixed mineralogy. At Pavlova, a distinctive, crustose, chalk‐white, meringue‐like sinter, comprising non‐crystalline opal‐A silica with subordinate calcite, is actively precipitating both around the margins of and as small islets within the spring, with an average accumulation rate of ≈ 2 mm year?1. Both emergent and partly submerged substrates host the sinter, including fallen pine branches, twigs, needles and cones, gum leaves, grass blades, bracken fronds, pumice, sediment and microbial mats. The sinter is thin (25–35 mm thickness), finely laminated and contains three distinct types of stacked horizons. Submerged basal layers constitute stratiform to undulatory microstromatolites with pseudocolumns, which grew outwards and upwards on narrow twig nuclei. Emergent middle layers comprise discontinuous, spicular microstromatolites (to 10 mm height), with prostrate and erect microbial filaments, silica spheres and silicified mucus, overlain by silicified structures of probable fungal origin. In places, lower and middle sinter layers are capped by white, smooth, convex surfaces that coalesce into subdued, curved ridges, resembling laterally continuous peaks of egg‐white meringue. The meringue is internally laminated, with fossilized microbes preserved in thin horizons. Small lensoid masses of calcite crystals nestle between silica laminae throughout the sinter. The near‐neutral (pH ≈ 7·2) spring water is a dilute chloride‐carbonate type (HCO≈ 470 µg g?1, Cl–≈ 600 µg g?1) with low (≈ 50 µg g?1), typical of TVZ thermal fields where deep chloride fluid mixes with CO2‐rich, steam‐heated shallow waters before discharge. The hot water changed little in composition from 1993 to 1999 and, despite dilution by meteoric waters, contains sufficient SiO2 (≈ 220 µg g?1) for opal‐A to deposit at the surface upon cooling. However, the concentration of Ca2+ (≈ 6 µg g?1) is such that the precipitation of calcite is not expected without modification of spring waters. Precipitation occurs by evaporation of thin water films at exposed substrate surfaces, via meniscoid as well as capillary creep (wicking), through porous sinter horizons and across emergent vegetative surfaces in contact with spring water or steam. The height of the deposit above the water surface is restricted by the upper limit of moisture bathing these substrates. Splash and spray are not involved in the formation of Pavlova spicular microstromatolites, as is the case for other texturally similar deposits from hotsprings elsewhere. This young (< 15 years), mineralogically and morphologically complex hot‐spring deposit exhibits > 10 times lower accumulation rates than typical siliceous sinters in the TVZ, and deposition of both silica and calcite is controlled by microchemical conditions and local temperature gradients, rather than by bulk spring water chemistry. 相似文献
18.
Xiaotong Peng Jiangtao Li Jiwei Li Shun Chen Huiqiang Yao Zijun Wu 《Sedimentary Geology》2010,229(4):193-368
Microbial biomineralization in submarine hydrothermal environments provides an insight into the formation of vent microfossils and the interactions between microbes, elements and minerals throughout the geological record. Here, we investigate microbial biomineralization of a deep-sea vent community in the Edmond vent field and provide ultrastructural evidence for the formation of microfossils and biogenic iron-rich minerals related to Archaea and Bacteria. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis shows that filamentous and spiral microbes are encrusted by a non-crystalline silica matrix and minor amounts of iron oxides. Examination by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals acicular iron-rich particles and aggregates that occur either intracellularly or extracellularly. A culture-independent molecular phylogenetic analysis demonstrates a diverse range of Bacteria and Archaea, the majority of which are related to sulfur metabolism in the microbial mats. Both Archaea and Bacteria have undergone silicification, in a similar manner to microorganisms in some terrestrial hot springs and indicating that silicification may be driven by silica supersaturation and polymerization. Formation mechanisms of intracellular and extracellular iron oxides associated with microbes are discussed. These results enhance our understanding of microbial mineralization in extreme environments, which may be widespread in the Earth's modern and ancient hydrothermal vent fields. 相似文献
19.
Kurt O. Konhauser Vernon R. Phoenix Simon H. Bottrell David G. Adams & Ian M. Head 《Sedimentology》2001,48(2):415-433
Silicified deposits, such as sinters, occur in several modern geothermal environments, but the mechanisms of silicification (and crucially the role of microorganisms in their construction) are still largely unresolved. Detailed examination of siliceous sinter, in particular sections of microstromatolites growing at the Krisuvik hot spring, Iceland, reveals that biomineralization contributes a major component to the overall structure, with approximately half the sinter thickness attributed to silicified microorganisms. Almost all microorganisms observed under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) are mineralized, with epicellular silica ranging in thickness from < 5 μm coatings on individual cells, to regions where entire colonies are cemented together in an amorphous silica matrix tens of micrometres thick. Within the overall profile, there appears to be two very distinct types of laminae that alternate repeatedly throughout the microstromatolite: ‘microbial’ layers are predominantly consisting of filamentous, intact, vertically aligned, biomineralized cyanobacteria, identified as Calothrix and Fischerella sp.; and weakly laminated silica layers which appear to be devoid of any microbial component. The microbial layers commonly have a sharply defined base, overlying the weakly laminated silica, and a gradational upper surface merging into the weakly laminated silica. These cyclic laminations are probably explained by variations in microbial activity. Active growth during spring/summer allows the microorganisms to keep pace with silicification, with the cell surfaces facilitating silicification, while during their natural slow growth phase in the dark autumn/winter months silicification exceeds the bacteria’s ability to compensate (i.e. grow upwards). At this stage, the microbial colony is probably not essential to microstromatolite formation, with silicification presumably occurring abiogenically. When conditions once again become favourable for growth, recolonization of the solid silica surface by free‐living bacteria occurs: cell motility is not responsible for the laminations. We have also observed that microbial populations within the microstromatolite, some several mm in depth, appear viable, i.e. they still have their pigmentation, the trichomes are not collapsed, cell walls are unbroken, cytoplasm is still present and they proved culturable. This suggests that the bulk of silicification occurred rapidly, probably while the cells were still alive. Surprisingly, however, measurements of light transmittance through sections of the microstromatolite revealed that photosynthetically active light (PAL) only transmitted through the uppermost 2 mm. Therefore the ‘deeper’ microbial populations must have either: (i) altered their metabolic pathways; (ii) become metabolically inactive; or (iii) the deeper populations may be dominated by different microbial assemblages from that of the surface. From these collective observations, it now seems unequivocal that microstromatolite formation is intimately linked to microbial activity and that the sinter fabric results from a combination of biomineralization, cell growth and recolonization. Furthermore, the similarities in morphology and microbial component to some Precambrian stromatolites, preserved in primary chert, suggests that we may be witnessing contemporaneous biomineralization processes and growth patterns analogous to those of the early Earth. 相似文献