2010
DOI: 10.1038/nature09166
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Large colonial organisms with coordinated growth in oxygenated environments 2.1 Gyr ago

Abstract: The evidence for macroscopic life during the Palaeoproterozoic era (2.5-1.6 Gyr ago) is controversial. Except for the nearly 2-Gyr-old coil-shaped fossil Grypania spiralis, which may have been eukaryotic, evidence for morphological and taxonomic biodiversification of macroorganisms only occurs towards the beginning of the Mesoproterozoic era (1.6-1.0 Gyr). Here we report the discovery of centimetre-sized structures from the 2.1-Gyr-old black shales of the Palaeoproterozoic Francevillian B Formation in Gabon, w… Show more

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Cited by 239 publications
(155 citation statements)
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“…As regression continued, oxic conditions are revealed again in shallow sediments depositing in the boundary between the FB2 and FC units. Consistent with this evidence for oxygenated conditions, softbodied macroscopic fossils are found in the FB2b subunit (28), and stromatolites are found in dolomites and chert of the FC unit. We lack Fe speciation for the middle part of the FC, but we note enrichments in Mo, V, and U at a single depth in the middle of this unit ( Figs.…”
Section: Resultssupporting
confidence: 78%
See 1 more Smart Citation
“…As regression continued, oxic conditions are revealed again in shallow sediments depositing in the boundary between the FB2 and FC units. Consistent with this evidence for oxygenated conditions, softbodied macroscopic fossils are found in the FB2b subunit (28), and stromatolites are found in dolomites and chert of the FC unit. We lack Fe speciation for the middle part of the FC, but we note enrichments in Mo, V, and U at a single depth in the middle of this unit ( Figs.…”
Section: Resultssupporting
confidence: 78%
“…These sandstones are sharply overlain by finely laminated black shales interbedded with thin siltstone layers deposited by waning storm surge (FB2b). It is from here that large colonial organisms have previously been reported (28). Stromatolites are found in topographic highs at the base of the FC formation (29), after which the overlying black shales of the FD formation were deposited in a transgressive phase.…”
Section: The Francevillian Basinsupporting
confidence: 53%
“…Bacterial biofilms may exhibit complex spatial patterning at scales comparable to those of putative microbial fossils (25,47). Our biofilm system has allowed us to test the effects of different atmospheric oxygen concentrations directly and to demonstrate that the width of features changes predictably.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…This raises questions such as (i) how are morphology, metabolism, and environmental conditions interconnected and (ii) how do these relationships govern the fundamental benefits and tradeoffs of multicellularity? Understanding these connections may help us understand the general trajectory by which simple and complex multicellular life evolved and allow us to better identify and quantify morphologically complex structures that may represent paleobiological populations (25).…”
mentioning
confidence: 99%
“…760 Ma age (Brain et al, 2012) and, although controversial, structures interpreted as colonial multi-cellular organisms from Gabon are dated at ca. 2.1 Ga (Albani et al, 2010). Many published accounts of biotic evidence of presumptive traces of soft bodied organisms from this period have been reinterpreted and reconsidered as microbial mat colonies, microbial mat remnants (cf.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%