Microbial nucleation of calcium carbonate in the Precambrian

Abstract

Research Article| July 01, 2003 Microbial nucleation of calcium carbonate in the Precambrian Tanja Bosak; Tanja Bosak 1California Institute of Technology, MC 100-23, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dianne K. Newman Dianne K. Newman 1California Institute of Technology, MC 100-23, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2003) 31 (7): 577–580. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0577:MNOCCI>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 27 Feb 2003 rev-recd: 31 Mar 2003 accepted: 02 Apr 2003 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Tanja Bosak, Dianne K. Newman; Microbial nucleation of calcium carbonate in the Precambrian. Geology 2003;; 31 (7): 577–580. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0577:MNOCCI>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Microbial sulfate reduction is thought to stimulate carbonate precipitation in modern stromatolites, yet whether this metabolism was important in shaping Precambrian stromatolites is unknown. Here we use geochemical modeling to suggest that the influence of sulfate reduction on the saturation index of calcite (SI) is negligible when seawater is in equilibrium with high pCO2, as is thought for the Precambrian. Our laboratory experiments with heterotrophic bacteria in a medium mimicking Precambrian seawater chemistry show that even if sulfate reduction does not significantly change the SI, the presence of bacteria stimulates calcite precipitation over sterile controls by effectively increasing the SI over a pH range from 7.3 to 7.8. Under our experimental conditions, dead cells stimulate in situ carbonate precipitation equally, if not more, than active sulfate-reducing bacteria. Heterogeneous nucleation of calcite by microbial cell material appears to be the driving mechanism that explains this phenomenon. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.