Linking Iron Supply, Microbial Mineralization and Environmental Control in the Formation of Ferruginous Stromatolites
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/p3ppkq78Keywords:
Ferruginous stromatolites, iron source, microbial mineralization, photoferrotrophy, cyanobacteria, Precambrian oceansAbstract
Ferruginous stromatolites are microbially laminated sedimentary structures in which iron enrichment is integrated into stromatolitic growth, stabilization and preservation. They are important archives for reconstructing early iron cycling, shallow-water redox structure and the ecological role of microbial communities in Precambrian oceans. This review synthesizes recent English-language literature on the formation mechanisms of ferruginous stromatolites from a source-to-sink perspective. Rather than using any site-specific quantitative dataset, the review focuses on four linked dimensions: conceptual definition and diagnostic criteria, iron source pathways, microbial mediation of iron mineralization, and environmental controls on growth and preservation. Current evidence indicates that no single process can explain all ferruginous stromatolites. Continental weathering, groundwater seepage, hydrothermal supply and volcaniclastic input may all contribute iron, but their relative roles are filtered by basin restriction, upwelling, water-column redox stratification and sea-level change. Microorganisms mediate enrichment through oxygenic oxidation, anoxygenic photoferrotrophy, microaerophilic Fe(II) oxidation, and extracellular polymeric substance adsorption that traps or templates poorly crystalline Fe(III) phases within laminae. Subsequent early diagenesis converts unstable precursors into hematite, magnetite, Fe-silicates or siderite, thereby controlling what is ultimately preserved in the rock record. The review emphasizes that ferruginous stromatolites should be interpreted as coupled products of iron supply, microbial processing and environmental focusing. A multi-proxy framework combining textures, mineralogy, isotopes and sedimentary context is therefore essential for distinguishing source models and for evaluating the significance of ferruginous stromatolites in Earth's oxygenation history.
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