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Microbial biosignatures in ancient deep-sea hydrothermal sulfides
Eric Alexander Runge1, Muammar Mansor2, Andreas Kappler2,3
1Sedimentology and Organic Geochemistry, Department of Geosciences, Tübingen University, Tübingen, Germany.
Geobiology
|December 16, 2022
Summary
Microbial biosignatures in ancient deep-sea hydrothermal sulfide deposits offer clues to early life. Understanding their formation and preservation is key to reconstructing life
Area of Science:
- Geobiology
- Astrobiology
- Paleontology
Background:
- Deep-sea hydrothermal systems are prime locations for prebiotic chemistry and early metabolic pathways, potentially crucial for life's origin.
- Understanding microbial life's role in these ancient systems requires examining interactions between hydrothermal processes, non-living matter, and microbes over geological time.
- The distribution, diversity, and preservation of microbial communities and their biosignatures in ancient deep-sea hydrothermal systems are poorly understood, hindering evolutionary and ecological insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore microbial biosignatures within Precambrian deep-sea hydrothermal sulfide deposits.
- To provide a resource for scientists studying the origins of life by detailing preservable biosignatures.
- To review and discuss the geobiological significance of reported biosignatures in these ancient deposits.
Main Methods:
- Review of different types of microbial biosignatures preserved over geological timescales (rock fabrics, microfossils, mineral precipitates, carbonaceous matter, geochemical signatures).
- Survey and discussion of published reports on biosignatures from Precambrian deep-sea hydrothermal sulfide deposits.
- Emphasis on the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches combining geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, and microbiology for interpretation.
Main Results:
- Precambrian hydrothermal sulfide deposits contain potential information on environmental conditions and microbial life.
- These deposits reveal complex interactions between fluids, microorganisms, and minerals.
- Geobiological interpretation of these ancient records is challenging, requiring integrated analytical and experimental methods.
Conclusions:
- Multidisciplinary studies are essential for understanding the formation and preservation of microbial biosignatures in deep-sea hydrothermal systems.
- This understanding is critical for reconstructing the origin and early evolution of life on Earth.
- Insights gained are vital for the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life.
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