Abstract
Microbialites are the most abundant macrofossils of the Precambrian. Decline in microbialite abundance and diversity during the terminal Proterozoic and early Phanerozoic has historically been attributed to the concurrent radiation of complex metazoans. Similarly, the apparent resurgence of microbialites in the wake of Paleozoic and Mesozoic mass extinctions is frequently linked to drastic declines in metazoan diversity and abundance. However, it has become increasing clear that microbialites are relatively common in certain modern shallow, normal marine carbonate environments-foremost the Bahamas. For the first time, we present data, collected from the Exuma Cays, the Bahamas, systematically characterizing the relationship between framework-building cyanobacteria, microbialite fabrics, and microbialite-associated metazoan abundance and diversity. We document the coexistence of diverse microbialite and infaunal metazoan communities and demonstrate that the predominant control upon both microbialite fabric and metazoan community structure is microbial mat type. These findings necessitate that we rethink prevalent interpretations of microbialite-metazoan interactions and imply that microbialites are not passive recipients of metazoan-mediated alteration. Additionally, this work provides support for the theory that certain Precambrian microbialites may have been havens of early complex metazoan life, rather than bereft of metazoans, as has been traditionally envisaged.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 485-497 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Geobiology |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2013 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
Cite this
Microbial mat controls on infaunal abundance and diversity in modern marine microbialites. / Tarhan, L. G.; Planavsky, N. J.; Laumer, C. E.; Stolz, J. F.; Reid, Pamela R.
In: Geobiology, Vol. 11, No. 5, 09.2013, p. 485-497.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Microbial mat controls on infaunal abundance and diversity in modern marine microbialites
AU - Tarhan, L. G.
AU - Planavsky, N. J.
AU - Laumer, C. E.
AU - Stolz, J. F.
AU - Reid, Pamela R
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Microbialites are the most abundant macrofossils of the Precambrian. Decline in microbialite abundance and diversity during the terminal Proterozoic and early Phanerozoic has historically been attributed to the concurrent radiation of complex metazoans. Similarly, the apparent resurgence of microbialites in the wake of Paleozoic and Mesozoic mass extinctions is frequently linked to drastic declines in metazoan diversity and abundance. However, it has become increasing clear that microbialites are relatively common in certain modern shallow, normal marine carbonate environments-foremost the Bahamas. For the first time, we present data, collected from the Exuma Cays, the Bahamas, systematically characterizing the relationship between framework-building cyanobacteria, microbialite fabrics, and microbialite-associated metazoan abundance and diversity. We document the coexistence of diverse microbialite and infaunal metazoan communities and demonstrate that the predominant control upon both microbialite fabric and metazoan community structure is microbial mat type. These findings necessitate that we rethink prevalent interpretations of microbialite-metazoan interactions and imply that microbialites are not passive recipients of metazoan-mediated alteration. Additionally, this work provides support for the theory that certain Precambrian microbialites may have been havens of early complex metazoan life, rather than bereft of metazoans, as has been traditionally envisaged.
AB - Microbialites are the most abundant macrofossils of the Precambrian. Decline in microbialite abundance and diversity during the terminal Proterozoic and early Phanerozoic has historically been attributed to the concurrent radiation of complex metazoans. Similarly, the apparent resurgence of microbialites in the wake of Paleozoic and Mesozoic mass extinctions is frequently linked to drastic declines in metazoan diversity and abundance. However, it has become increasing clear that microbialites are relatively common in certain modern shallow, normal marine carbonate environments-foremost the Bahamas. For the first time, we present data, collected from the Exuma Cays, the Bahamas, systematically characterizing the relationship between framework-building cyanobacteria, microbialite fabrics, and microbialite-associated metazoan abundance and diversity. We document the coexistence of diverse microbialite and infaunal metazoan communities and demonstrate that the predominant control upon both microbialite fabric and metazoan community structure is microbial mat type. These findings necessitate that we rethink prevalent interpretations of microbialite-metazoan interactions and imply that microbialites are not passive recipients of metazoan-mediated alteration. Additionally, this work provides support for the theory that certain Precambrian microbialites may have been havens of early complex metazoan life, rather than bereft of metazoans, as has been traditionally envisaged.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84882289318&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84882289318&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/gbi.12049
DO - 10.1111/gbi.12049
M3 - Article
C2 - 23889904
AN - SCOPUS:84882289318
VL - 11
SP - 485
EP - 497
JO - Geobiology
JF - Geobiology
SN - 1472-4677
IS - 5
ER -