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Why are some microorganisms boring?

Charles S Cockell1, Aude Herrera

  • 1Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research , Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK. c.s.cockell@open.ac.uk

Trends in Microbiology
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbial boring into rocks aids weathering, with potential evolutionary drivers including nutrient access and protection. Researchers propose boring may have initially evolved as a defense against mineralization entombment.

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Area of Science:

  • * Microbial Ecology
  • * Geomicrobiology
  • * Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • * Microorganisms significantly contribute to rock weathering by actively boring into substrates.
  • * While carbonates are common, microbial boring also occurs in volcanic glass.
  • * The evolutionary reasons behind microbial boring remain an intriguing question.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To explore the potential selection pressures driving the evolution of microbial boring.
  • * To investigate the hypothesis that microbial boring may have originated as a defense against mineralization.

Main Methods:

  • * Literature review of studies on microbial boring across diverse environments.
  • * Analysis of potential evolutionary advantages conferred by boring behavior.
  • * Hypothesis formulation based on existing data and evolutionary principles.

Main Results:

  • * Identified nutrient acquisition, UV protection, and predator avoidance as potential selection pressures.
  • * Recognized that multiple pressures likely acted in concert.
  • * Proposed a novel hypothesis for the origin of microbial boring.

Conclusions:

  • * Microbial boring is a widespread phenomenon with significant geobiological implications.
  • * A combination of environmental factors likely drove the evolution of boring.
  • * The initial development of boring may have served as a crucial anti-entombment strategy against mineralization.