New evidence of microbe origin for ferromanganese nodules from the East Pacific deep sea floor

Using a fluorescence microscope and EPMA, abundant microbe ”bodies“ and clear microbic fluorescent microstructure are determined in the ferromanganese nodules recently collected from the East Pacific deep sea floor. The microbic fluorescent structure shows a close relation to the formation of the ferromanganese nodules. According to their morphological features, the microbes are classified into two types: one is named clumpy microbe, which takes a bar-shaped manganese mineral as a pillar and grows like fasciculate coral, resulting in irregular cauliflorate nodules with rough surfaces; the other is called filamentous microbe, which grows in very thin arcuate and/or concentric circular laminae composed of a microbe layer and a metal (manganese and iron)-rich layer, leading to potato-shaped nodules with relatively smooth surfaces. It also can be seen that the two types of microbes are intergrown together, resulting in nodules complicated in compositions and shapes.