Fossilized iron bacteria reveal a pathway to the biological origin of banded iron formation

Ernest Chi Fru (), Magnus Ivarsson, Stephanos P. Kilias, Stefan Bengtson, Veneta Belivanova, Federica Marone, Danielle Fortin, Curt Broman and Marco Stampanoni
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Ernest Chi Fru: Swedish Museum of Natural History
Magnus Ivarsson: Swedish Museum of Natural History
Stephanos P. Kilias: Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis
Stefan Bengtson: Swedish Museum of Natural History
Veneta Belivanova: Swedish Museum of Natural History
Federica Marone: Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute
Danielle Fortin: University of Ottawa
Curt Broman: Stockholm University
Marco Stampanoni: Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Debates on the formation of banded iron formations in ancient ferruginous oceans are dominated by a dichotomy between abiotic and biotic iron cycling. This is fuelled by difficulties in unravelling the exact processes involved in their formation. Here we provide fossil environmental evidence for anoxygenic photoferrotrophic deposition of analogue banded iron rocks in shallow marine waters associated with an Early Quaternary hydrothermal vent field on Milos Island, Greece. Trace metal, major and rare earth elemental compositions suggest that the deposited rocks closely resemble banded iron formations of Precambrian origin. Well-preserved microbial fossils in combination with chemical data imply that band formation was linked to periodic massive encrustation of anoxygenic phototrophic biofilms by iron oxyhydroxide alternating with abiotic silica precipitation. The data implicate cyclic anoxygenic photoferrotrophy and their fossilization mechanisms in the construction of microskeletal fabrics that result in the formation of characteristic banded iron formation bands of varying silica and iron oxide ratios.

Date: 2013
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3050

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