Microbialite

rdf:langString Microbialite

rdf:langString Microbialite is a benthic sedimentary deposit made of carbonate mud (particle diameter < 5 μm) that is formed with the mediation of microbes. The constituent carbonate mud is a type of automicrite, or authigenic carbonate mud, and therefore it precipitates in situ instead of being transported and deposited. Being formed in situ, a microbialite can be seen as a type of boundstone where reef builders are microbes, and precipitation of carbonate is biotically induced instead of forming tests, shells or skeletons. Microbialites can also be defined as microbial mats with lithification capacity. Bacteria can precipitate carbonate both in shallow and in deep water (except for Cyanobacteria) and so microbialites can form regardless of the sunlight. Microbialites are the foundation of ecosystems such as the Great Salt Lake with its millions of migrating birds, or Alchichica Lake were acts as nurseries for axolotl Ambystoma taylori and fish. Microbialites were very important to the formation of Precambrian and Phanerozoic limestones in many different environments, marine and not. The best age for stromatolites was from 2800 Ma to 1000 Ma where stromatolites were the main constituents of carbonate platforms