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Mineral Deposits and the Evolution of the Biosphere pp 67–81Cite as

The Pre-Phanerozoic Fossil Record

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Part of the book series: Dahlem Workshop Report ((DAHLEM PHYSICAL,volume 3))

Abstract

The pre-Phanerozoic fossil record is dominated by stromatolites and microfossils. The most ancient traces of life that are now confidently recognized are the stromatolites and filamentous microfossils from the ~3500 Ma-old Warrawoona rocks in Western Australia. Younger Archean (up to 2500 Ma-old) stromatolites, though rare, indicate that the benthic microbial ecosystem was well established. It is not known whether the Archean microbes that built the stromatolites or may have inhabited the water column were oxygen-releasing photoautotrophs. The fossil record becomes conspicuous during the Proterozoic (2500 to 570 Ma ago). Stromatolites, some with well preserved cyanobacterial-like microfossils are plentiful, and the variety of microfossils found in rocks from different sedimentary environments suggest a considerable diversity of microbial ecosystems. Phytoplankton represented by acritarchs apparently underwent a major radiation ~1400 Ma ago. Microfossils that have been interpreted as eukaryotes have been reported from a few Proterozoic sequences and are the subject of great debate. Centimeter-sized algal (eukaryote) remains have been found in rocks ~1300 Ma-old.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA

    S. M. Awramik

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H. D. Holland M. Schidlowski

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© 1982 Dr. S. Bernhard, Dahlem Konferenzen, Berlin

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Awramik, S.M. (1982). The Pre-Phanerozoic Fossil Record. In: Holland, H.D., Schidlowski, M. (eds) Mineral Deposits and the Evolution of the Biosphere. Dahlem Workshop Report, vol 3. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68463-0_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68463-0_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

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