Resolving MISS conceptions and misconceptions: A geological approach to sedimentary surface textures generated by microbial and abiotic processes

Davies, Neil S.; Liu, Alexander; Gibling, Martin R.; Miller, Randall F.

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.01.005

Cited by 133 publications

(154 citation statements)

References 187 publications

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“…Some are found up to the Jurassic, such as the one found very recently in Sweden near Helsingborg (Peterffy et al, 2016), but newer instances are extremely rare. Although some authors claim that this may be due to a bias in observation (Davies et al, 2016), the scarcity of reports of Kinneyia after the Jurassic is striking. Hence, the universal applicability of the HI mechanism to MM may in fact constitute a problem, as this calls for an explanation of the absence of Kinneyia-type ripples in both modern MM and post-Mesozoic sediments from former littoral areas.…”

Section: The Decreasing Occurrence Of Kinneyia After the Paleozoicmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Both morphologies often coexist on different areas of the same outcrop (Hagadorn and Bottjer, 1999;Porada and Bouougri, 2007). We note that there is a variety of similar structures the biological origin of which is at least controversial (Davies et al, 2016). In the present paper, we focus on those fossil structures that can be clearly identified as MISS.…”

Section: Kinneyiamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Kinneyia: A Flow-Induced Anisotropic Fossil Pattern from Ancient Microbial Mats

et al. 2016

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Kinneyia is the commonly used term to describe a class of trace fossil that is strongly associated with microbial mats. The appearance of Kinneyia (or wrinkle structures) in the fossil record has recently led to a number of possible mechanisms being proposed to explain its formation. Here, we outline, and critically compare, three of these models, involving formation of the characteristic ripple structures (i) in mats over liquefied sediment, (ii) by oscillatory flow of microbial aggregates, and (iii) by a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of the mat surface. Of these models, our study shows that the hydrodynamic instability compares most favorably with the corresponding structures in the fossil record. Implications for the conditions under which the fossils formed are then further discussed.

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Section: The Decreasing Occurrence Of Kinneyia After the Paleozoicmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Kinneyiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinneyia: A Flow-Induced Anisotropic Fossil Pattern from Ancient Microbial Mats

et al. 2016

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“…Although microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISSs; Noffke et al, 2001) occur in a variety of coarse-grained sediments, ranging in age from Archaean to modern (e.g., Noffke, 2000Noffke, , 2010Noffke et al, 2006;Schieber et al, 2007;Davies et al, 2016), abundant and commonly exceptionally preserved microbial fossils and MISSs have been reported in Ediacaran siliciclastic sediments of tidal to shallow marine origin (Hagadorn and Bottjer, 1997;Callow and Brasier, 2009). Therefore, a unique environmental window may have facilitated the exceptional preservation of microorganisms in a range of Ediacaran sediments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights into cyanobacterial fossilization in Ediacaran siliciclastic environments

Newman

Mariotti

Pruss

et al. 2016

Geology

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Ediacaran sedimentary successions are noted for the preservation of microbes and microbial textures on the surfaces of sandstones and siltstones. Although microorganisms have been preserved in coarse-grained siliciclastic sand throughout geologic history, the exceptional preservation of microbes in Ediacaran sediments suggests the potential for a unique taphonomic window. Here, we identify conditions conducive to the fossilization of filamentous cyanobacteria growing in the presence of siliciclastic sand and demonstrate that the sheaths of filamentous cyanobacteria can become coated by clay minerals within days under oxic conditions. Smooth, extensive mineral coatings develop in the presence of 5.6 to 55.6 mg/L of suspended clay and 0.1 mM or greater concentrations of dissolved silica. Thus, elevated concentrations of seawater silica and the delivery of suspended clays promote microbial preservation on sandy and silty surfaces. These factors likely facilitated microbial fossilization in coarse-grained siliciclastic sand throughout the Ediacaran Period and may have also contributed to microbial fossilization in siliciclastic deposits at other times throughout Earth's history.

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“…This 294 biostabilization or mat binding effect allows two or more sets of ripples to be preserved on the 295 same bedding plane (Pflüger, 1999;Noffke et al, 2001; Bottjer and Hagadorn, 2007; Lan and 296 Chen, 2013). However, multi-directional ripples also can form in modern tidally influenced 297 environments without any microbial mats, generated by different oscillation directions in 298 shallow water (Davies et al, 2016). 299 …”

Section: Interpretation 291mentioning

confidence: 99%