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Microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) result from the interaction of microbial mats with physical sediment dynamics in siliciclastic, evaporite, and carbonate marine environments. Microbial mats affect sediments by biostabilization, baffling, trapping, and binding. Mineral precipitation leads to preservation of the structures, but does not play any role in their primary formation. MISS come in 17 main morphotypes much different to stromatolites. Thin sections under the microscope reveal textures that are related to, have been caused by, or represent biofilms or microbial mats. In response to the long-term hydraulic pattern of their environment, microbial mats form biofilm-catenae. Consequently, MISS are also not distributed at random but form a lateral suite from low- to high-energy settings. MISS occur from the early Archean to the present. The morphology and distribution of the structures allow conclusions on ancient...
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References and Further Reading
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Noffke, N. (2014). Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1004-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1004-4
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Latest
Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures- Published:
- 08 June 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1004-5
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Original
Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures- Published:
- 06 May 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1004-4