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Geology; September 2004; v. 32; no. 9; p. 781-784; DOI: 10.1130/G20681.1
© 2004 Geological Society of America
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Micrometer-scale porosity as a biosignature in carbonate crusts

Tanja Bosak1, Virginia Souza-Egipsy*,2, Frank A. Corsetti*,2 and Dianne K. Newman*,3

1 California Institute of Technology, MC 100-23, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
2 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, 3651 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
3 California Institute of Technology, MC 100-23, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA

We formed calcite crusts in the presence and absence of the heterotrophic bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans strain G20 to investigate microbial morphological signatures in fast-accreting carbonate precipitates. Submicrometer- to micrometer-sized pores (micropores) were present and ubiquitous in the G20 crusts but absent in abiotically precipitated crusts. Bacterial micropores resemble inclusions under transmitted light, but have distinct size, biological shapes and patterns (swirling or dendritic) and are distributed differently from common fluid inclusions. We observed similar porosity in both modern and ancient carbonate crusts of putative biotic origin. Our experiments support the microbial origin of micropores and help define specific criteria whereby to recognize these features as biosignatures in the rock record.

Key Words: bacteria • biomarkers • carbonates • porosity




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 Journal of Sedimentary ResearchHome page
T. Bosak and D. K. Newman
Microbial Kinetic Controls on Calcite Morphology in Supersaturated Solutions
Journal of Sedimentary Research, March 1, 2005; 75(2): 190 - 199.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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