Investigation of stromatolite formation by chemosynthetic microbes

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05468
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Stratigraphy/Paleontology
• Research Institution: Kochi University (2017); Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: Okumura Tomoyo 高知大学, 海洋コア総合研究センター, 特任助教 (90750000)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ストロマトライト / シアノバクテリア / 化学合成微生物 / 深海 / 蛇紋岩化作用 / 炭酸塩 / ブルーサイト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Stromatolite is one of abundant fossil record in Precambrian Era, and thought to be formed by association with cyanobacteria. However its formation processes are still unknown because of some counter-examples. This study showed that stromatolitic textures were formed within deep-sea chimneys by association with chemosynthetic microbes. Biogeochemical dataset such as sedimentary texture, mineralogy, stable isotope characteristics, chronology, and microbial composition and distributions could be useful information for reinterpretation of fossil stromatolites.

Free Research Field

地球生命科学