Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves

Three samples of moonmilk from high-altitude caves in northeast Italy were analysed for their lipid biomarker content, providing the first organic geochemical investigation into the relationship between cave bacterial communities and calcitic speleothems. The results demonstrate a positive associati...

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Main Authors: Blyth, Alison, Frisia, S.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Taylor & Francis 2008
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7794
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author Blyth, Alison
Frisia, S.
author_facet Blyth, Alison
Frisia, S.
author_sort Blyth, Alison
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Three samples of moonmilk from high-altitude caves in northeast Italy were analysed for their lipid biomarker content, providing the first organic geochemical investigation into the relationship between cave bacterial communities and calcitic speleothems. The results demonstrate a positive association between the moonmilk deposits analysed and bacterial input, which we propose relates to bio-mediation of calcite nucleation processes. Comparison of the analysed moonmilk and a stalagmite from a geographically and climatically related cave suggest that this association is at least partially driven by the characteristics of the soil and overlying vegetation, thus demonstrating the potential use of moonmilk in palaeoenvironmental research.
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publishDate 2008
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-77942017-09-13T16:02:56Z Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves Blyth, Alison Frisia, S. speleothems fatty acids moonmilk bacteria n-alkanols crystal nucleation calcite morphology Three samples of moonmilk from high-altitude caves in northeast Italy were analysed for their lipid biomarker content, providing the first organic geochemical investigation into the relationship between cave bacterial communities and calcitic speleothems. The results demonstrate a positive association between the moonmilk deposits analysed and bacterial input, which we propose relates to bio-mediation of calcite nucleation processes. Comparison of the analysed moonmilk and a stalagmite from a geographically and climatically related cave suggest that this association is at least partially driven by the characteristics of the soil and overlying vegetation, thus demonstrating the potential use of moonmilk in palaeoenvironmental research. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7794 10.1080/01490450801934938 Taylor & Francis restricted
spellingShingle speleothems
fatty acids
moonmilk
bacteria
n-alkanols
crystal nucleation
calcite morphology
Blyth, Alison
Frisia, S.
Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves
title Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves
title_full Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves
title_fullStr Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves
title_short Molecular Evidence for Bacterial Mediation of Calcite Formation in Cold High-Altitude Caves
title_sort molecular evidence for bacterial mediation of calcite formation in cold high-altitude caves
topic speleothems
fatty acids
moonmilk
bacteria
n-alkanols
crystal nucleation
calcite morphology
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7794