This is my actual updated thesis. Please disregard the other one submitted on Dec, 30. Thank you and I apologize for this confusion. / Microbialites are sedimentary structures built by microorganisms through trapping and binding sediment and/or biological-mediated carbonate precipitation. Carbonate structures from four different locations in the Yucatan Peninsula have been documented and analyzed to determine origins and relationships with current and past hydrochemistry. Cenote Fatima had three carbonate structures: two at -13 m depth (CF1A, CF2A) and one at -27 m depth (CF3A) and they were in sheltered light conditions. Two samples were from La Concha (LC1A, LC2A) with a similar depth at -12 m and two more samples were at Hoyo Negro at -18 m (HN1A), and at -45 m (HN2A) which were in dark conditions. Samples from Xul Ha (XH1A and XH2A) next to Laguna Bacalar which has some of the largest freshwater microbialite formations in the world and both these locations were in full light conditions. S/Ca ratios in Xul Ha samples show a hydrogeochemical origin linked to the dissolution of gypsum from underground karst. Xul Ha had the highest recorded S and Sr levels and our results match previous geochemical research on stromatolites and thrombolites. Samples from Cenote Fatima had radiocarbon ages that matched past water levels that have been recorded in Hoyo Negro and Hells Bells showing a drop in δ 13C of ≈3.5‰ between ≈7600 – ≈9000 cal. yr. BP. Cenote Fatima also shows a narrow growth window in the sunlit upper water column (3-4m) indicating a biogenically influenced origin. Hoyo Negro samples were shown to match the geochemistry of Holocene aquifer based on calcite raft core records and were deemed to be more abiotic based on prior research on Hells Bells in Cenote Zapote. Based on radiocarbon ages they thought to have formed during Stage 5e (125,000 yr. BP). / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / This research aims to help our understanding in the role microbialites play in origins of life and biosignatures on exoplanets by looking at element geochemistry and isotopic differences within the structures. This study also examines ability of microbialites to store past and present records of hydrochemistry data.

Carboxylated macromolecules such as alginate and glycoproteins are abundant components of modern shallow marine sediments where they are secreted by bacteria and marine infauna. Both organic compounds are proton and metal reactive; hence, they have the potential to facilitate metal sorption and biomineralization reactions. In this study, lab experiments were coupled to field-based sampling to assess the role that these compounds play in microbial mats, with particular emphasis on the hypersaline lagoons of Los Roques, Venezuela. Here I applied a surface complexation approach to model proton and Cd adsorption behaviour of both uronic acid-rich alginate and mucin. Measured total site concentrations, available for metal adsorption, demonstrate that these compounds have the potential to induce metal partitioning in early diagenetic microenvironments. Field results from Venezuela are consistent with Mg- and trace metal- enrichment that follows a likely correlation with the degradation states of microbial biomass trapped during accretion of modern microbialites.

No description available.

Les microbialites sont des roches organo-sédimentaires dont les processus de formation restent mal compris. L'objectif central de cette thèse est de mieux comprendre les conditions environnementales permettant le développement de microbialites actuels provenant de 10 lacs volcaniques mexicains. Une grande diversité de compositions minéralogiques des microbialites a été observée, comprenant divers carbonates et la quasi omniprésence de silicates de magnésium authigènes. A partir de cette étude nous proposons une valeur minimale d'alcalinité permettant le développement des microbialites. De plus, une corrélation positive entre l'alcalinité et la teneur en sodium des lacs est apparue. Cette corrélation pourrait s'expliquer par des niveaux différents d'évaporation des lacs et/ou des degrés différents d'altération des silicates alentours. L'étude plus particulière des silicates de magnésium a révélé que ces phases sont faiblement cristallisées, semblables à la kérolite et ont un fort potentiel de fossilisation des microorganismes et de la matière organique. Ces silicates de magnésium sont parfois associés à du fer dont l'origine pose question dans ces environnements alcalins et oxygénés. Nous avons mis en évidence la présence de différents types de phases porteuses du fer : des hydroxydes doubles lamellaires (hydrotalcites), des oxy(hydroxy)des, des silicates de magnésium et des sulfures. Nous proposons plus spécifiquement que l'hydrotalcite pourrait être issue de l'altération des basaltes par la circulation de fluides souterrains et plus généralement que cette phase pourrait être un précurseur des silicates de magnésium abondamment observés dans les microbialites actuels. / The processes leading to the formation of microbialites, which are organo-sedimentary rocks, are not well understood. The main goal of this thesis is to better understand the environmental conditions allowing the development of modern microbialites. Here we performed geochemical analyses of water solutions and mineralogical analyses of microbialites in 10 Mexican volcanic lakes. We found a large diversity of microbialites in terms of mineralogical composition, with occurrence of diverse carbonate phases as well as the frequent presence of authigenic magnesium silicate phases. From this study, we infer a minimum alkalinity value for the formation of lacustrine microbialites. Moreover, we observe a positive correlation between the alkalinity and the sodium content of the lakes. This may relate to variations in evaporation intensity and/or various degrees of weathering of the surrounding silicates. The study of Mg-silicates revealed that this phase is similar to kerolite, a poorly crystalline hydrated talc phase, and has a strong potential for the fossilization of microorganisms and organic matter. These silicates are sometimes associated with iron, the origin of which remains uncertain in these alkaline and oxidized environments. By the mineralogical study of several microbialites, we found several phases bearing iron: layered double hydroxides (hydrotalcites), Mg-silicates, oxy(hydroxi)des and sulfides. We propose more specifically that hydrotalcite could be the by-product of basalts weathering by groundwater. We propose more generally that hydrotalcite could be a precursor phase of Mg-silicates abundantly observed in modern microbialites.

Les stromatolites sont des structures organo-sédimentaires formées grâce à l'activité des microorganismes. Ils dominent le registre fossile Précambrien et sont parmi les plus anciennes traces potentielles de vie sur Terre (datées à 3,5 Ga). Cependant les processus biotiques et abiotiques à l'origine de leur formation restent peu compris et ouvrent des débats sur leur interprétation. L'objectif central de ce travail est de contribuer à améliorer notre compréhension de la formation des microbialites modernes, en particulier du rôle et du devenir des microorganismes dans ces systèmes afin de mieux contraindre l'interprétation du registre fossile des stromatolites. Pour cela, nous avons étudié le système modèle des microbialites vivants du lac alcalin d'Alchichica (Mexique). La première partie de ce travail a été dédiée à la description générale des microorganismes et des minéraux du système. Les microbialites d'Alchichica sont composés d'aragonite [CaCO3] et d'hydromagnésite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2*4(H2O)]. L'analyse de la diversité microbienne par des méthodes moléculaires basées sur le clonage et le séquençage du SSU rDNA a révélé une grande diversité dans le domaine des bactéries (344 phylotypes répartis dans 21 phylums) et des eucaryotes (58 phylotypes répartis dans 9 phylums) en regard d'une faible diversité d'archées (2 phylotypes). Des analyses de phylogénie moléculaire ont permis d'attribuer ces phylotypes environnementaux à différents taxons et d'identifier les représentants cultivés les plus proches, ce qui a permis de définir les groupes métaboliques potentiellement importants dans ce système. Dans les microbialites d'Alchichica, la photosynthèse oxygénique est réalisée par les cyanobactéries, les algues vertes et les diatomées. Une grande diversité d'organismes incluant des membres des Alpha-proteobacteria et des Chloroflexi réalisent quant à eux la photosynthèse anoxygénique. Si le biofilm est dominé par les organismes autotrophes en termes de biomasse, la diversité taxonomique des organismes hétérotrophes s'est révélée supérieure. Nous avons notamment identifié des membres des Deltaproteobacteria et des Firmicutes réalisant la sulfato-réduction, ainsi qu'une grande diversité de taxons capables de dégrader des molécules organiques complexes tels que les Planctomycetales, les Bacteroidetes et les Verrucomicrobia. Ces résultats nous ont permis de construire un modèle hypothétique des réactions métabolico-géochimiques contribuant à la précipitation ou dissolution des carbonates au sein des biofilms des microbialites d'Alchichica. Dans la seconde partie de ce travail, nous avons décrit une association préférentielle entre les colonies de cyanobactéries de l'ordre des Pleurocapsales et l'aragonite. Nous avons pour cela couplé différentes techniques de microscopie et de spectroscopie. Nous avons décrit un gradient de fossilisation de ces cellules dans l'aragonite jusqu'à la nano-échelle. Ceci a montré que l'ultrastructure des cellules des Pleurocapsales était préservée lors de la minéralisation grâce à la mise en place séquentielle d'aragonite. C'est finalement la texture de l'aragonite et non pas la présence de matière organique qui signe l'organisation originelle des cellules de Pleurocapsales. Cette étude ouvre des perspectives intéressantes dans la recherche de microfossiles de cyanobactéries dans les stromatolites fossiles. La troisième partie enfin rapporte la découverte d'un cas de biominéralisation intracellulaire contrôlée chez une cyanobactérie de l'ordre basal des Gloeobacterales. Nous avons nommé cette souche Candidatus Gloeomargarita lithophora. Les inclusions intracellulaires produites par Ca. G. lithophora sont des carbonates amorphes de Ba-Sr-Ca-Mg. Les implications de la découverte de ce nouveau patron de minéralisation dans une lignée basale de cyanobactéries pour l'interprétation du registre fossile ancien sont discutées.

Seven distinctly different museum-quality concretionary morphotypes of elongate, spheroidal, banded, botryoidal, columnar, rosette, and speleothem in regolith at two small sites at the base of the Meski Plateau near Erfoud, Morocco are described. Although most are isolated hand samples, the largest concretions are meter-sized blocks. Not one sample resembles any surrounding outcrop or bedrock. The barite rosettes formed first via periodic mixing of Ba2+/SO42- saturated solutions. They provided nuclei for cyclical precipitation-based concentric concretion development. The speleothem formed via precipitation from a carbonate-saturated solution in a large void within porous sandstone. The sand concretions formed when calcite precipitated around grains in unconsolidated quartz sands with cyclic fluctuation of Ca2+/CO32- saturated ground water. Petrographic analyses, stable isotope data, sample morphology, coupled with light and scanning electron microscopy indicate that microbial processes induced the periodic cement precipitation that produced the unique concretions.

Ooids of Great Salt Lake, Utah (GSL) have been studied periodically by geologists since the 1960's. These studies have documented the locations of ooid deposits, bulk composition, mineralogy, and internal structural variations of GSL ooids. Ooids have also been identified in sediment cores from lakes predating the Great Salt Lake, but similar descriptions have not been made for these ooids. Samples of ooids from cores in Pilot Valley, UT/NV and Knolls, UT have been obtained, along with samples from the Great Salt Lake at Bridger Bay and Rozel Point. The cortical fabrics and crystal morphologies of these ooids were studied in thin section and under scanning electron microscopy. Examples of cortex morphologies previously documented in GSL ooids were observed, to some degree, in ooids from Pilot Valley and Knolls. Knolls ooids had unique cortical layers that were resistive to acid and appeared to be dominantly comprised of clays. Bulk dissolution ages were obtained for ooids from each location. Ooids form both Pilot Valley and Knolls had average ages that pre-date Lake Bonneville, whereas GSL ooids from Bridger Bay had an average age of roughly 3,500 years before present (yr BP) and Rozel Point ooids had an average age of 500 yr BP. Along with a bulk age, ooids from Bridger Bay at the Great Salt Lake were subjected to serial dissolutions during which a split of gas was taken from each stage and an age was obtained. Ages spanned 7,000 years with the final dissolution stage delivering an average age of 9,000 yr BP. Based on this data it is likely that GSL ooids at Bridger Bay have been forming since the cessation of Lake Bonneville and that many of the nuclei in Bridger Bay ooids are remnant peloids from the Gilbert level of Lake Bonneville.

Modern microbialites provide the opportunity to explore the influences of biology on microbialite formation and understand how biosignatures can be preserved in these structures. In this study, we compared δ13Ccarb values from nodule and surface biofilm carbonates on microbialite structures across depths and locations throughout Pavilion Lake to evaluate whether variable light exposure produced limitations to biosignature formation. At depths below 21 m, vertical profiling of δ13Ccarb across colour transitions of surface biofilm on microbialite structures was performed to identify spatial arrangement of autotrophic and heterotrophic biosignatures. Finally, preservation of the photosynthetic biosignature over time was investigated by collecting carbonates beneath the microbialite surface. These investigations were performed in order to better characterize the factors controlling biosignature formation, distribution, and preservation within Pavilion Lake.Decreasing trends of δ13Ccarb with depth across study sites indicated that attenuated sunlight in the water column is likely the primary control on biosignature formation. Below 21 m, photosynthetic enrichments representing biosignatures on microbialite surfaces were reduced and recorded δ13Ccarb values that fell within the predicted equilibrium range. Biosignature loss is suggested to result from the relative proportions of autotrophic and heterotrophic processes changing at depths and producing average δ13Ccarb values. Variability of where biosignatures are lost on the microbialite surface indicated that the spatial extent of photosynthetic communities producing enrichments is potentially influenced by variable incidences of light at these depths. Although no definitive biosignatures of heterotrophy were identified, several interfaces were identified where the balancing proportions of autotrophic and heterotrophic processes influenced by light variability potentially mediate biosignature loss. Decreasing trends of δ13Ccarb beneath the microbialite surface and estimates of past microbialite growth rates indicated that surface biosignatures are lost within 100 – 400 years. It is suggested that infilling processes overprint enrichments and deplete δ13Ccarb values due to heterotrophic abundance below the microbialite surface. This is supported by an isotopic mass balance that predicts smaller inputs of heterotrophically-depleted DIC are required to sufficiently overprint δ13Ccarb enrichments. These results concluded that the photosynthetic biosignature identified in Pavilion Lake is short-lived and mitigated by biological processes. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

West Reflex Lake is a hypersaline lake in the Canadian Great Plains. The lake contains four types of shoreline carbonate structures: isolated pinnacles, bioherms (aggregates of pinnacles), laminated coatings, and beachrock. This study investigates the processes of formation of West Reflex Lake’s shoreline carbonates. A variety of petrographic and geochemical techniques were used to characterize the texture, mineralogy, and chemistry of the carbonates. The shoreline carbonates formed as a result of biotic and abiotic precipitation at the site of saline springs that supply Ca2+ to the lake. Evidence for biologically-influenced precipitation includes strong epifluorescence, presence of micrite cements, and abundance of microbial filaments. Abiotically-precipitated cements formed due to groundwater inflow. The isolated pinnacles and bioherms formed as a result of groundwater percolating through a framework of microbial filaments, whereas the laminated coatings formed as a result of calcification of coherent microbial mats adhering to a substrate. / May 2017

Microbialitos são depósitos biossedimentares formados a partir do aprisionamento, aglutinação e/ou precipitação de sedimentos por intermédio de microbiotas bentônicas, geralmente cianobacterianas. Ocasionalmente, esses depósitos podem preservar suas microbiotas formadoras, especialmente quando apresentam silicificação precoce, antes da degradação total de sua matéria orgânica. Organismos alóctones, como formas planctônicas decantadas e outras trazidas pelas correntes também costumam se preservar, ainda que em número muito menor. Microbialitos são elementos comuns dos depósitos permianos do Grupo Passa Dois na Bacia do Paraná, onde ocorrem em diversos níveis e em uma área geográfica ampla, apresentando também diversidade e abundancia consideráveis, com alguns exemplos silicificados. Todavia, os microbialitos e microbiotas associadas do Grupo Passa Dois são pouco conhecidos. Este estudo consiste em uma análise de microbialitos silicificados e suas microbiotas dos afloramentos da Formação Teresina no Km 168 da Rodovia Presidente Castelo Branco, no sudoeste do Município de Porangaba, centro do Estado de São Paulo. Foram encontrados abundantes oncólitos e também raros representantes de uma nova categoria, denominada estromatoncólito. Esta nova categoria é caracterizada por uma estrutura interna oncolítica que serviu de base para um crescimento estromatolítico em seu topo. A presença destes dois morfotipos de microbialitos é indicativa da mudança no nível de base. A preservação de uma microbiota abundante e relativamente bem preservada indica que a silicificação ocorreu eodiageneticamente. A assembleia microfossilífera é formada quase exclusivamente por formas filamentosas, com raros palinomorfos e espículas de esponjas depositadas entre as tramas microbialíticas. A ausência de descrições detalhadas de microbialitos e microbiotas permianas da mesma unidade impossibilitou a comparação em grande escala, mas pode-se afirmar que os filamentos aqui descritos se assemelham taxonômica e tafonomicamente àqueles associados a estromatólitos da Formação Teresina em Angatuba, Estado de São Paulo. Isto encoraja a prospecção e descrição de novas ocorrências, visando melhor entendimento da paleobiologia e paleoambiente da Bacia do Paraná durante o Permiano. / Microbialites are biosedimentary deposits formed through the trapping, binding and/or precipitation of sediments by benthonic microbiotas, composed mainly of cyanobacteria. The microbialite-building organisms can be preserve within microbialites, especially when, in eodiagenesis, silicification occurs before the complete organic matter degradation. Planktonic and other allochthonous organisms decanted on microbial mats can also be preserved, although they occur in smaller numbers. Microbialites are common elements of the Permian Passa Dois Group of the Paraná Basin. They occur in several levels and over a large area, showing great diversity and abundance; silicified specimens also appear in these beds. The Passa Dois Group microbialites and associated microbiota were barely studied before and are, therefore, poorly known. The present study analyzes silicified microbialites and their associated microbiota in the outcrops of the Teresina Formation at the Km 168 of the Presidente Castelo Branco Highway, southwestern Porangaba County, center of São Paulo State. Abundant oncolites and rare specimens of a new category, designated stromatoncolites, were found. Stromatoncolites are characterized by an oncolitic internal structure which served as a foundation for a stromatolitic development on its top. The presence of these two kinds of microbialite morphotypes indicates base level changes. The well-preserved, abundant microbiota indicates that the silicification occurred during eodiagenesis. The microfossil assemblage is composed almost exclusively of filamentous forms, with rare palynomorphs and sponge spicules deposited within the microbialitic fabrics. The lack of detailed descriptions of other Permian microbialites and microbiotas of the Paraná Basin prevented major comparisons, but it can be said that the filaments here reported are taxonomically and taphonomically similar to those described for Teresina Formation at the Angatuba County, São Paulo State. Thus, the prospection and description of new occurrences are encouraged, in order to improve paleobiological and paleoenvironmental knowledge of the Paraná Basin during the Permian.