Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano)
Interpreting the paleoecosystems of ancient microbialites relies on our understanding of how modern microbialites form in relation with the bio-physico-chemical conditions of their environment. In this study, we investigated the formation of modern carbonate microbialites in the hydrothermal system...
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| author | Elodie Muller Magali Ader Giovanni Aloisi Cédric Bougeault Christophe Durlet Emmanuelle Vennin Karim Benzerara Eric C. Gaucher Aurélien Virgone Marco Chavez Pierre Souquet Emmanuelle Gérard |
| author_facet | Elodie Muller Magali Ader Giovanni Aloisi Cédric Bougeault Christophe Durlet Emmanuelle Vennin Karim Benzerara Eric C. Gaucher Aurélien Virgone Marco Chavez Pierre Souquet Emmanuelle Gérard |
| author_sort | Elodie Muller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Interpreting the paleoecosystems of ancient microbialites relies on our understanding of how modern microbialites form in relation with the bio-physico-chemical conditions of their environment. In this study, we investigated the formation of modern carbonate microbialites in the hydrothermal system of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivia), which spans a wide range of physicochemical conditions and associated microbial communities. By combining dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) isotope mass balance modeling, analysis of carbonates solubility diagram, and imaging of the microorganisms–mineral assemblages within microbial mats, we found that several modes of carbonate precipitation dominate in distinct portions of the hydrothermal system. (1) In high-[DIC] waters, undersaturated to slightly saturated with respect to calcite, cyanobacterial calcification is promoted by CO<sub>2</sub> degassing and photosynthetic activity within the microbial mats. (2) In alkaline waters undergoing sustained evaporation, the precipitation of an amorphous calcium carbonate phase seems to control the water a(Ca<sup>2+</sup>)/a(CO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup>) ratio and to serve as a precursor to micritic calcite formation in microbial mats. (3) In saline ephemeral ponds, where the carbonate precipitation is the highest, calcite precipitation probably occurs through a different pathway, leading to a different calcite texture, i.e., aggregates of rhombohedral crystals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:51:15Z |
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| id | doaj.art-cd140c98b35041d38e07e9b3bd4d27fc |
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| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:51:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd140c98b35041d38e07e9b3bd4d27fc2023-11-23T20:06:49ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632022-02-011228810.3390/geosciences12020088Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano)Elodie Muller0Magali Ader1Giovanni Aloisi2Cédric Bougeault3Christophe Durlet4Emmanuelle Vennin5Karim Benzerara6Eric C. Gaucher7Aurélien Virgone8Marco Chavez9Pierre Souquet10Emmanuelle Gérard11Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, FranceInstitut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, FranceInstitut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, FranceBiogéosciences, UMR CNRS 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, FranceBiogéosciences, UMR CNRS 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, FranceBiogéosciences, UMR CNRS 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, FranceMuséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR CNRS 7590, Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, FranceInstitute of Geological Sciences, Baltzerstrasse 1-3, CH-3012 Bern, SwitzerlandTotal CSTJF, Avenue Larribau, CEDEX, 64018 Pau, FranceTOTAL E&P, 40 Calle Las Violetas, Edificio Arcus, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, BoliviaTotal CSTJF, Avenue Larribau, CEDEX, 64018 Pau, FranceInstitut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, FranceInterpreting the paleoecosystems of ancient microbialites relies on our understanding of how modern microbialites form in relation with the bio-physico-chemical conditions of their environment. In this study, we investigated the formation of modern carbonate microbialites in the hydrothermal system of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivia), which spans a wide range of physicochemical conditions and associated microbial communities. By combining dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) isotope mass balance modeling, analysis of carbonates solubility diagram, and imaging of the microorganisms–mineral assemblages within microbial mats, we found that several modes of carbonate precipitation dominate in distinct portions of the hydrothermal system. (1) In high-[DIC] waters, undersaturated to slightly saturated with respect to calcite, cyanobacterial calcification is promoted by CO<sub>2</sub> degassing and photosynthetic activity within the microbial mats. (2) In alkaline waters undergoing sustained evaporation, the precipitation of an amorphous calcium carbonate phase seems to control the water a(Ca<sup>2+</sup>)/a(CO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup>) ratio and to serve as a precursor to micritic calcite formation in microbial mats. (3) In saline ephemeral ponds, where the carbonate precipitation is the highest, calcite precipitation probably occurs through a different pathway, leading to a different calcite texture, i.e., aggregates of rhombohedral crystals.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/2/88DIC isotope mass balancephotosynthesismicrobialitescalciteprecipitation pathwayshydrothermal spring |
| spellingShingle | Elodie Muller Magali Ader Giovanni Aloisi Cédric Bougeault Christophe Durlet Emmanuelle Vennin Karim Benzerara Eric C. Gaucher Aurélien Virgone Marco Chavez Pierre Souquet Emmanuelle Gérard Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano) Geosciences DIC isotope mass balance photosynthesis microbialites calcite precipitation pathways hydrothermal spring |
| title | Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano) |
| title_full | Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano) |
| title_fullStr | Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano) |
| title_short | Successive Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbialites along the Hydrothermal Spring of La Salsa in Laguna Pastos Grandes (Bolivian Altiplano) |
| title_sort | successive modes of carbonate precipitation in microbialites along the hydrothermal spring of la salsa in laguna pastos grandes bolivian altiplano |
| topic | DIC isotope mass balance photosynthesis microbialites calcite precipitation pathways hydrothermal spring |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/2/88 |
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