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Stromatolites

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

  • 58 Accesses

Synonyms

Fossilized microbial mats; Living stromatolites; Microbialites; Modern stromatolites

Definition

Stromatolites are morphologically circumscribed accretionary growth structures with a primary lamination that is, or may be, biogenic. They form centimeter- to decimeter-scale domes, cones, columns, and planiform surfaces made of carbonate layers. Stromatolites accrete through a combination of microbially mediated sediment trap** and binding and by the precipitation of carbonate crusts that may be due to microbial mat growth and/or be purely abiotic in origin. Stromatolites provide the oldest macrofossil evidence of life on earth and sometimes host important microfossil occurrences. Images of macroscopically layered stromatolites obtained by rovers on other planetary surfaces may yet provide some of the first evidences of life beyond earth.

History

The term “stromatolith” was first used just over a century ago by Kalkowsky (1908) and derived from the Greek words stroma meaning...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Rhodes University, Makhanda/Grahamstown, South Africa

    Nicola McLoughlin

Authors
  1. Nicola McLoughlin
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Correspondence to Nicola McLoughlin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux, Pessac, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  2. Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

    William M. Irvine

  3. Centro Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  4. Analytical, Environmental, Geo-Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium

    Philippe Claeys

  5. Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan

    Henderson James Cleaves

  6. Radio Astronomy, Paris Observatory, Paris, France

    Maryvonne Gerin

  7. LESIA, Observatoire de Paris-Site de Meudon, Meudon, France

    Daniel Rouan

  8. International Space Science Institute, Bern, Switzerland

    Tilman Spohn

  9. Faculté des Sciences et des Techniques de Nantes, Centre François Viète d’Histoire des Sciences et de Techniques EA 1161, Nantes, France

    Stéphane Tirard

  10. Innovaxiom, Paris, CX, France

    Michel Viso

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McLoughlin, N. (2023). Stromatolites. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-65093-6_1528

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