Microbial–silica interactions in Icelandic hot spring sinter: possible analogues for some Precambrian siliceous stromatolites

Silicified deposits, such as sinters, occur in several modern geothermal environments, but the mechanisms of silicification (and crucially the role of microorganisms in their construction) are still largely unresolved. Detailed examination of siliceous sinter, in particular sections of microstromatolites growing at the Krisuvik hot spring, Iceland, reveals that biomineralization contributes a major component to the overall structure, with approximately half the sinter thickness attributed to silicified microorganisms. Almost all microorganisms observed under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) are mineralized, with epicellular silica ranging in thickness from < 5 μm coatings on individual cells, to regions where entire colonies are cemented together in an amorphous silica matrix tens of micrometres thick. Within the overall profile, there appears to be two very distinct types of laminae that alternate repeatedly throughout the microstromatolite: ‘microbial’ layers are predominantly consisting of filamentous, intact, vertically aligned, biomineralized cyanobacteria, identified as Calothrix and Fischerella sp.; and weakly laminated silica layers which appear to be devoid of any microbial component. The microbial layers commonly have a sharply defined base, overlying the weakly laminated silica, and a gradational upper surface merging into the weakly laminated silica. These cyclic laminations are probably explained by variations in microbial activity. Active growth during spring/summer allows the microorganisms to keep pace with silicification, with the cell surfaces facilitating silicification, while during their natural slow growth phase in the dark autumn/winter months silicification exceeds the bacteria’s ability to compensate (i.e. grow upwards). At this stage, the microbial colony is probably not essential to microstromatolite formation, with silicification presumably occurring abiogenically. When conditions once again become favourable for growth, recolonization of the solid silica surface by free‐living bacteria occurs: cell motility is not responsible for the laminations. We have also observed that microbial populations within the microstromatolite, some several mm in depth, appear viable, i.e. they still have their pigmentation, the trichomes are not collapsed, cell walls are unbroken, cytoplasm is still present and they proved culturable. This suggests that the bulk of silicification occurred rapidly, probably while the cells were still alive. Surprisingly, however, measurements of light transmittance through sections of the microstromatolite revealed that photosynthetically active light (PAL) only transmitted through the uppermost 2 mm. Therefore the ‘deeper’ microbial populations must have either: (i) altered their metabolic pathways; (ii) become metabolically inactive; or (iii) the deeper populations may be dominated by different microbial assemblages from that of the surface. From these collective observations, it now seems unequivocal that microstromatolite formation is intimately linked to microbial activity and that the sinter fabric results from a combination of biomineralization, cell growth and recolonization. Furthermore, the similarities in morphology and microbial component to some Precambrian stromatolites, preserved in primary chert, suggests that we may be witnessing contemporaneous biomineralization processes and growth patterns analogous to those of the early Earth.     

理塘毛垭温泉近期特大异常的调查与分析

本文首次弄清了毛垭温泉测点的局部地质环境，确定了测泉的水文地质性质和类型，弥补了建点基础资料之不足。采用常规的调查追踪方法对该前兆观测点近期出现的特大异常进行了较为详细地落实，并简要分析了调查结果。     

对太白山旅游资源开发与保护的探讨

太白山具有丰富而独特的地质、生物和自然景观,气势磅礴、变化万千,而为古今中外科学家和文人学士所向往。太白山第四纪冰川遗迹保存完整;生物资源丰富多彩,仅珍稀动物如熊猫、金丝猴、羚牛、大鲵(娃娃鱼)等就有10多种。太白山已被列为国家级自然保护区。对该区旅游资源必须在切实加强保护的前提下合理开发利用,为此,本文对其开发与保护规划提出探讨性意见。     

Thermal bidirectional gap probability model for row crop canopies and validation

Land surface temperature is a key parameter in monitoring the status of crop water stress by remote sensing, and studying the water and energy balance in cropland ecosystem. The component temperatures of crop and soil are especially significant in remote …     

四川少数民族自治区域旅游开发与贫困缓解

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Manifestation and measurement of the fractal characteristics of karst hydrogeological formations

A new method of estimating the fractal dimension of the percolation backbone of karst systems, which are discharged through karst springs, is presented. This method is based on the simulation of the spring by the MODKARST deterministic mathematical model. Application has been made to the Psiloritis karst formation in Crete, which feeds the periodically brackish karst spring “Almiros” in Crete. Furthermore, the estimated dimension justifies an independently determined power law that quantifies the sea intrusion into the karst system.     

夏热冬暖地区建筑节能设计分析

本文根据夏热冬暖地区的气候特点，针对目前建筑节能设计存在的薄弱环节，分析了建筑围护结构的构造措施及其热工性能，提出在节能设计中应注意的问题。     

试论大连市旅游资源开发中的市场定位

从大连市旅游资源特点和目前旅游市场需求状况出发,分析了大连市旅游资源开发中不同层次的市场定位,为合理开发丰富的旅游资源、使优势充分转化为经济效益科学依据。     

韶关市旅游业发展前景初探

通过分析韶关市旅游业的发展现状及存在问题,结合城市旅游业发展条件的论述,探讨了韶关市旅游业发展前景,提出了市域旅游业应贯彻以市场为导向,实施“内筹外引,重点突出,综合配套,持续发展”的发展战略     

加拿大的城市旅游开发评述

旅游业是加拿大发展最快的产业之一,加拿大也是国际上开展城市旅游比较成熟的国家,其城市和地方政府都把旅游业看作创造就业机会和增加税收的源泉。加拿大的城市旅游开发包括文化旅游、体育旅游、会议旅游三个主要方面。文章指出加拿大城市在城市吸引旅游者方面采取和其他商业活动类似的竞争手段,如参与市场促销、创建城市形象和建设基础设施等。30多年来城市增加了博物馆、体育运动场、会议中心和大型节事活动等项目吸引旅游者。这些投资重新塑造了城市结构,城市旅游景观也已经有了雏形。本文对此作出了评述。