DOCSLIB.ORG

A New Model for Biomineralization and Trace-Element Signatures of Foraminifera Tests

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A New Model for Biomineralization and Trace-Element Signatures of Foraminifera Tests Biogeosciences, 10, 6759–6767, 2013 Open Access www.biogeosciences.net/10/6759/2013/ doi:10.5194/bg-10-6759-2013 Biogeosciences © Author(s) 2013. CC Attribution 3.0 License. A new model for biomineralization and trace-element signatures of Foraminifera tests G. Nehrke1, N. Keul2, G. Langer3, L. J. de Nooijer4, J. Bijma1, and A. Meibom5 1Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany 2Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA 3Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK 4Department of Marine Geology, Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research, Horntje, the Netherlands 5Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Correspondence to: G. Nehrke ([email protected]) and A. Meibom (anders.meibom@epfl.ch) Received: 27 May 2013 – Published in Biogeosciences Discuss.: 18 June 2013 Revised: 24 September 2013 – Accepted: 24 September 2013 – Published: 29 October 2013 Abstract. The Mg / Ca ratio of Foraminifera calcium car- environmental conditions, their relative taxonomic abun- bonate tests is used as proxy for seawater temperature dances as well as the elemental (e.g., Mg / Ca) and isotopic and widely applied to reconstruct global paleo-climatic (e.g., δ18O) composition of their tests are frequently used to changes. However, the mechanisms involved in the carbon- reconstruct global climate change associated with, for ex- ate biomineralization process are poorly understood. The ample, glacial–interglacial cycles (Elderfield and Ganssen, current paradigm holds that calcium ions for the test are 2000) and mass extinctions (Kiessling et al., 2008). How- supplied primarily by endocytosis of seawater. Here, we ever, the use of Foraminifera tests as paleo-environmental combine confocal-laser scanning-microscopy observations archives is complicated by biological processes, which cause of a membrane-impermeable fluorescent marker in the extant their chemical and isotopic compositions to be significantly benthic species Ammonia aomoriensis with dynamic 44Ca- different from Ca carbonates precipitated inorganically under labeling and NanoSIMS isotopic imaging of its test. We in- the same environmental conditions. These differences are re- fer that Ca for the test in A. aomoriensis is supplied primar- ferred to as the “vital effect” (Urey et al., 1951). A better ily via trans-membrane transport, but that a small compo- understanding of the Foraminifera biomineralization process nent of passively transported (e.g., by endocytosis) seawater is essential to the identification of the mechanism(s) respon- to the site of calcification plays a key role in defining the sible for such chemical and isotopic fractionations. One fun- trace-element composition of the test. Our model accounts damental question in this regard is how the constituents of for the full range of Mg / Ca and Sr / Ca observed for benthic the tests, especially the dominant cation Ca2+ and the mi- Foraminifera tests and predicts the effect of changing seawa- nor/trace elements Mg and Sr, are transported from the am- ter Mg / Ca ratio. This places foram-based paleoclimatology bient seawater to the site of calcification. into a strong conceptual framework. A widely accepted model holds that endocytosis of sea- water is the principal mechanism involved in test forma- tion: special vesicles transport seawater to the site of cal- cification (Erez, 2003; Bentov et al., 2009). This model 1 Introduction is based on the key observation that labeling of seawater with the membrane-impermeable fluorescent marker FITC- Calcium carbonate tests (shells) formed by unicellular D (fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran) results in staining of Foraminifera are present in marine sedimentary records since newly formed chambers in previously decalcified benthic the Ordovician (∼ 290 million years ago) (Martin, 1995; Foraminifera Amphistegina lobifera. This observation led Schallreuter, 1983). With different species adapted to specific Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 6760 G. Nehrke et al.: A new model for biomineralization and trace-element signatures to the conclusion that endocytosed seawater is the primary source of ions for calcification. However, the endocytosis model suffers from two problems. First, a mechanism for the modification of the elemental composition of the vacuolized seawater, in particular Mg re- moval, during transport to the site of calcification has to be postulated in order to explain the chemical composition of the tests (Erez, 2003). Secondly, the endocytosis model is challenged by a cal- culation of the volume of seawater needed to supply the re- quired Ca to the site of calcification. For the ubiquitous ben- thic species Ammonia tepida, this is about 75 times the vol- ume of the Foraminifera itself (de Nooijer et al., 2009), as- suming initial seawater composition in the vesicles. De Nooi- jer and co-workers (de Nooijer et al., 2009) did observe sea- water endocytosis in A. tepida using the FITC-D marker, but the low vesicle activity observed during normal calcification renders endocytosis insufficient as the major transport mech- anism for Ca from seawater to the site of calcification. To overcome this problem, an internal Ca pool241 was hypothesized for A. tepida (de Nooijer et al., 2009), but never experimen- tally demonstrated. (It should be noted that in some studies Fig. 1. Laser scanning confocal micrographs of three A. aomorien- 242 Figure 1: Laser scanning confocal micrographs of three A. aomoriensis specimens after we cite (de Nooijer et al., 2009; Dissard et al., 2010), the sis specimens after incubation in FITC-D-labeled seawater. (A) authors have misidentified the species investigated243 incubation as Am- in FITCSpecimen-labeled 1seawater. was incubated (A) Specimen in FITC-D 1 was labeled incubated seawater in FITC for 3.5 labeled h seawater for monia tepida, which actually was Ammonia244 aomoriensis 3 1/2 hoursT6 priorprior to chamber to chamber formation. formation. Immediately Immediately after after the onsetonset of of chamber chamber formation the (the species also used in the present study) (Schweizer et al., formation, the FITC-D was removed (see supporting information) 245 FITC was removed (see supporting information) and the image taken. Vesicles (ca. 20) were 2011; Hayward et al., 2004).) and the image taken. Vesicles (ca. 20) were observed inside the cell (arrow). Due to remaining FITC-D-labeled seawater, which could Nonetheless, it is important to emphasize246 that endocytosis,observed inside the cell (arrow). Due to remaining FITC-labeled seawater, which could not be not be washed out, fluorescence is seen inside the newly forming or vacuolization of seawater in Foraminifera,247 is anwashed observed out, fluorescencechamber (arrow is seen head). in Thisside fluorescencethe newly diffusesforming out chamber of the cham- (arrow head). This fact, which allows FITC-D to be transported to the site of 248 fluorescence diffusesber within out of 15 the min. chambe(B) Imager within of specimen 15 minutes 1 two. (B) hours Image after of the specimen first 1 two hours calcification and, as will become apparent below, does play image (A) was taken. Chamber formation is almost completed. A an important role for the trace-element composition249 after ofthe thefirst imagefew (A) small was vesicles taken. areChamber still present formation (arrow). is almost(C) Image completed. of specimen A few small vesicles test. 250 are still present2 (arrow). immediately (C) afterImage chamber of specimen formation. 2 Specimen immediately 2 was after incubated chamber formation. Here we use the fluorescent marker FITC-D together with in FITC-D-labeled seawater during chamber formation. No vesicles Specimen 2 was incubated in FITC-labeled seawater during chamber formation. No vesicles are confocal-laser scanning microscopy, and 25144Ca pulse-chase are present. The new chamber is fluorescent. Note the difference experiments in combination with NanoSIMS252 isotopic present. imag- The newbetween chamber the is fluorescence fluorescent. of N theote new the chamberdifference in (A)betweencaused the by fluorescence re- of the maining FITC-D-labeled seawater that diffused out within 15 min ing to investigate the hypothesis of an intracellular253 new calcium chamber in (A) caused by remaining FITC-labeled seawater that diffused out within 15 pool in A. aomoriensis. (For details on sample collection, cul- and (C) due to FITC-D incorporated into the newly formed cham- ber. (D) Image of specimen 3 four hours after FITC-D incubation turing, and incubation conditions, see Appendix)254 minu Incubationtes and (C) due to FITC incorporated into the newly formed chamber. (D) Image of showing the highest number of vesicles (arrow) observed in this specimen 3 four hours after FITC incubation showing the highest number of vesicles (arrow) experiments with FITC-D were performed255 prior to, during, study. Before incubation the specimen was not fed for 48 h. Scale and after chamber formation to visualize and256 relate observed seawater in this barsstudy. are Before 40 µm. incubation the specimen was not fed for 48 h. Scale bars are 40 vacuolization to calcification (i.e., formation of new cham- bers). Formation of a new chamber in A. aomoriensis257 µm. starts with an organic sheet, onto which calcitic CaCO258 3 nucleates. 12 In our incubated specimens, chamber formation takes 3–5 h, by de Nooijer
Load more

Recommended publications
  • SHELLS in ACID Adapted from NAMEPA’S an Educator’S Guide to the Marine Environment: Shells in Acid
    SHELLS IN ACID Adapted from NAMEPA’s An Educator’s Guide to the Marine Environment: Shells in Acid PURPOSE Students will test the strength of normal seashells versus shells that have been soaked in vinegar to simulate the weakening effect of ocean acidification. Students identify the correlation between decreasing oceanic pH (ocean acidification) and the weakening of shells and discuss the effect this could have on the health of shellfish in the world’s oceans. MATERIALS (PER GROUP OF 4) • *white vinegar • *small, thin seashells • *non-reactive containers (glass beakers, Pyrex, measuring glass) • *water • heavy books (several) • paper towels For #6: • shells (1 per student) • snack size plastic bags (1 per student) • Small amount of vinegar • magnifying glass *Before beginning this activity, shells should be pre-soaked overnight in a 1:1 solution of vinegar and fresh water. PROCEDURE 1. Engage/Elicit Ask the students to give examples of different species of shellfish. Answers may include clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, etc. Ask students why and where they have seen these creatures. Students’ knowledge may come from eating seafood, or perhaps from having seen them in an aquarium, a marina or in coastal areas. Ask the students why these animals are important to the marine environment and to human beings. 2. Explore Lay out an assemblage of the non-soaked shells. Have the students observe the shells. Allow the students to handle the shells and ask them why the development of shells is advantageous to such animals. Explain that shellfish are invertebrates, meaning that instead of having an internal skeleton like humans, invertebrates produce a hard, protective covering.
    [Show full text]
  • Phytoplankton As Key Mediators of the Biological Carbon Pump: Their Responses to a Changing Climate
    sustainability Review Phytoplankton as Key Mediators of the Biological Carbon Pump: Their Responses to a Changing Climate Samarpita Basu * ID and Katherine R. M. Mackey Earth System Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 7 January 2018; Accepted: 12 March 2018; Published: 19 March 2018 Abstract: The world’s oceans are a major sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The biological carbon pump plays a vital role in the net transfer of CO2 from the atmosphere to the oceans and then to the sediments, subsequently maintaining atmospheric CO2 at significantly lower levels than would be the case if it did not exist. The efficiency of the biological pump is a function of phytoplankton physiology and community structure, which are in turn governed by the physical and chemical conditions of the ocean. However, only a few studies have focused on the importance of phytoplankton community structure to the biological pump. Because global change is expected to influence carbon and nutrient availability, temperature and light (via stratification), an improved understanding of how phytoplankton community size structure will respond in the future is required to gain insight into the biological pump and the ability of the ocean to act as a long-term sink for atmospheric CO2. This review article aims to explore the potential impacts of predicted changes in global temperature and the carbonate system on phytoplankton cell size, species and elemental composition, so as to shed light on the ability of the biological pump to sequester carbon in the future ocean.
    [Show full text]
  • Murphey Et Al. 2019 Best Practices in Mitigation Paleontology
    PROCEEDINGS of the San Diego Society of Natural History Founded 1874 Number 47 1 May 2019 BEST PRACTICES IN MITIGATION PALEONTOLOGY By Paul C. Murphey Paleo Solutions, 2785 Speer Boulevard, Suite 1, Denver, CO 80211, U.S.A.; [email protected]; Department of Paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101, U.S.A.; [email protected] Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80201, U.S.A. Georgia E. Knauss SWCA Environmental Consultants, 1892 S. Sheridan Avenue, Sheridan, WY 82801 U.S.A.; [email protected] Lanny H. Fisk PaleoResource Consultants, 550 High Street, Suite 108, Auburn, CA 95603, U.S.A. (deceased) Thomas A. Deméré Department of Paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101, U.S.A.; [email protected] Robert E. Reynolds Department of Paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101, U.S.A.; [email protected] For correspondence, write to: Paul C. Murphey, Paleo Solutions, 4614 Lonespur Ct. Oceanside, CA 92056 Email: [email protected] [email protected] bpmp-19-01-fm Page 2 PDF Created: 2019-4-12: 9:20:AM 2 Paul C. Murphey, Georgia E. Knauss, Lanny H. Fisk, Thomas A. Deméré, and Robert E. Reynolds TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract . 4 Introduction . 4 History and Scientific Contributions . 5 History of Mitigation Paleontology in the United States . 5 Methods Best Practice Categories . 7 1. Qualifications. 7 Confusion between Resource Disciplines . 7 Professional Geologists as Mitigation Paleontologists. 8 Mitigation Paleontologist Categories .
    [Show full text]
  • Reduced Calcification of Marine Plankton in Response to Increased
    letters to nature Acknowledgements representatives of the coccolithophorids, Emiliania huxleyi and This research was sponsored by the EPSRC. T.W.F. ®rst suggested the electrochemical Gephyrocapsa oceanica, are both bloom-forming and have a deoxidation of titanium metal. G.Z.C. was the ®rst to observe that it was possible to reduce world-wide distribution. G. oceanica is the dominant coccolitho- thick layers of oxide on titanium metal using molten salt electrochemistry. D.J.F. suggested phorid in neritic environments of tropical waters9, whereas the experiment, which was carried out by G.Z.C., on the reduction of the solid titanium dioxide pellets. M. S. P. Shaffer took the original SEM image of Fig. 4a. E. huxleyi, one of the most prominent producers of calcium carbonate in the world ocean10, forms extensive blooms covering Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to D. J. F. large areas in temperate and subpolar latitudes9,11. (e-mail: [email protected]). The response of these two species to CO2-related changes in seawater carbonate chemistry was examined under controlled ................................................................. pH Reduced calci®cation 8.4 8.2 8.1 8.0 7.9 7.8 PCO2 (p.p.m.v.) of marine plankton in response 200 400 600 800 a 10 to increased atmospheric CO2 ) 8 –1 Ulf Riebesell *, Ingrid Zondervan*, BjoÈrn Rost*, Philippe D. Tortell², d –1 Richard E. Zeebe*³ & FrancËois M. M. Morel² 6 * Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, P.O. Box 120161, 4 D-27515 Bremerhaven, Germany mol C cell –13 ² Department of Geosciences & Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, POC production Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA (10 2 ³ Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA 0 .............................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Facies, Phosphate, and Fossil Preservation Potential Across a Lower Cambrian Carbonate Shelf, Arrowie Basin, South Australia
    Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 533 (2019) 109200 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/palaeo Facies, phosphate, and fossil preservation potential across a Lower Cambrian T carbonate shelf, Arrowie Basin, South Australia ⁎ Sarah M. Jacqueta,b, , Marissa J. Bettsc,d, John Warren Huntleya, Glenn A. Brockb,d a Department of Geological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA b Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia c Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia d Early Life Institute and Department of Geology, State Key Laboratory for Continental Dynamics, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: The efects of sedimentological, depositional and taphonomic processes on preservation potential of Cambrian Microfacies small shelly fossils (SSF) have important implications for their utility in biostratigraphy and high-resolution Calcareous correlation. To investigate the efects of these processes on fossil occurrence, detailed microfacies analysis, Organophosphatic biostratigraphic data, and multivariate analyses are integrated from an exemplar stratigraphic section Taphonomy intersecting a suite of lower Cambrian carbonate palaeoenvironments in the northern Flinders Ranges, South Biominerals Australia. The succession deepens upsection, across a low-gradient shallow-marine shelf. Six depositional Facies Hardgrounds Sequences are identifed ranging from protected (FS1) and open (FS2) shelf/lagoonal systems, high-energy inner ramp shoal complex (FS3), mid-shelf (FS4), mid- to outer-shelf (FS5) and outer-shelf (FS6) environments. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling ordination and two-way cluster analysis reveal an underlying bathymetric gradient as the main control on the distribution of SSFs.
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding the Ocean's Biological Carbon Pump in the Past: Do We Have the Right Tools?
    Manuscript prepared for Earth-Science Reviews Date: 3 March 2017 Understanding the ocean’s biological carbon pump in the past: Do we have the right tools? Dominik Hülse1, Sandra Arndt1, Jamie D. Wilson1, Guy Munhoven2, and Andy Ridgwell1, 3 1School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1SS, UK 2Institute of Astrophysics and Geophysics, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium 3Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA Correspondence to: D. Hülse ([email protected]) Keywords: Biological carbon pump; Earth system models; Ocean biogeochemistry; Marine sedi- ments; Paleoceanography Abstract. The ocean is the biggest carbon reservoir in the surficial carbon cycle and, thus, plays a crucial role in regulating atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Arguably, the most important single com- 5 ponent of the oceanic carbon cycle is the biologically driven sequestration of carbon in both organic and inorganic form- the so-called biological carbon pump. Over the geological past, the intensity of the biological carbon pump has experienced important variability linked to extreme climate events and perturbations of the global carbon cycle. Over the past decades, significant progress has been made in understanding the complex process interplay that controls the intensity of the biological 10 carbon pump. In addition, a number of different paleoclimate modelling tools have been developed and applied to quantitatively explore the biological carbon pump during past climate perturbations and its possible feedbacks on the evolution of the global climate over geological timescales. Here we provide the first, comprehensive overview of the description of the biological carbon pumpin these paleoclimate models with the aim of critically evaluating their ability to represent past marine 15 carbon cycle dynamics.
    [Show full text]
  • Decoding the Fossil Record of Early Lophophorates
    Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 1284 Decoding the fossil record of early lophophorates Systematics and phylogeny of problematic Cambrian Lophotrochozoa AODHÁN D. BUTLER ACTA UNIVERSITATIS UPSALIENSIS ISSN 1651-6214 ISBN 978-91-554-9327-1 UPPSALA urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-261907 2015 Dissertation presented at Uppsala University to be publicly examined in Hambergsalen, Geocentrum, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Friday, 23 October 2015 at 13:15 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The examination will be conducted in English. Faculty examiner: Professor Maggie Cusack (School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow). Abstract Butler, A. D. 2015. Decoding the fossil record of early lophophorates. Systematics and phylogeny of problematic Cambrian Lophotrochozoa. (De tidigaste fossila lofoforaterna. Problematiska kambriska lofotrochozoers systematik och fylogeni). Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 1284. 65 pp. Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. ISBN 978-91-554-9327-1. The evolutionary origins of animal phyla are intimately linked with the Cambrian explosion, a period of radical ecological and evolutionary innovation that begins approximately 540 Mya and continues for some 20 million years, during which most major animal groups appear. Lophotrochozoa, a major group of protostome animals that includes molluscs, annelids and brachiopods, represent a significant component of the oldest known fossil records of biomineralised animals, as disclosed by the enigmatic ‘small shelly fossil’ faunas of the early Cambrian. Determining the affinities of these scleritome taxa is highly informative for examining Cambrian evolutionary patterns, since many are supposed stem- group Lophotrochozoa. The main focus of this thesis pertained to the stem-group of the Brachiopoda, a highly diverse and important clade of suspension feeding animals in the Palaeozoic era, which are still extant but with only with a fraction of past diversity.
    [Show full text]
  • New Finds of Skeletal Fossils in the Terminal Neoproterozoic of the Siberian Platform and Spain
    New finds of skeletal fossils in the terminal Neoproterozoic of the Siberian Platform and Spain ANDREY YU. ZHURAVLEV, ELADIO LIÑÁN, JOSÉ ANTONIO GÁMEZ VINTANED, FRANÇOISE DEBRENNE, and ALEKSANDR B. FEDOROV Zhuravlev, A.Yu., Liñán, E., Gámez Vintaned, J.A., Debrenne, F., and Fedorov, A.B. 2012. New finds of skeletal fossils in the terminal Neoproterozoic of the Siberian Platform and Spain. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 57 (1): 205–224. A current paradigm accepts the presence of weakly biomineralized animals only, barely above a low metazoan grade of or− ganization in the terminal Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran), and a later, early Cambrian burst of well skeletonized animals. Here we report new assemblages of primarily calcareous shelly fossils from upper Ediacaran (553–542 Ma) carbonates of Spain and Russia (Siberian Platform). The problematic organism Cloudina is found in the Yudoma Group of the southeastern Si− berian Platform and different skeletal taxa have been discovered in the terminal Neoproterozoic of several provinces of Spain. New data on the morphology and microstructure of Ediacaran skeletal fossils Cloudina and Namacalathus indicate that the Neoproterozoic skeletal organisms were already reasonably advanced. In total, at least 15 skeletal metazoan genera are recorded worldwide within this interval. This number is comparable with that known for the basal early Cambrian. These data reveal that the terminal Neoproterozoic skeletal bloom was a real precursor of the Cambrian radiation. Cloudina,the oldest animal with a mineralised skeleton on the Siberian Platform, characterises the uppermost Ediacaran strata of the Ust’−Yudoma Formation. While in Siberia Cloudina co−occurs with small skeletal fossils of Cambrian aspect, in Spain Cloudina−bearing carbonates and other Ediacaran skeletal fossils alternate with strata containing rich terminal Neoprotero− zoic trace fossil assemblages.
    [Show full text]
  • Stratigraphic, Microfossil, and Geochemical Analysis of the Neoproterozoic Uinta Mountain Group, Utah: Evidence for a Eutrophication Event?
    Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 5-2011 Stratigraphic, Microfossil, and Geochemical Analysis of the Neoproterozoic Uinta Mountain Group, Utah: Evidence for a Eutrophication Event? Dawn Schmidli Hayes Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Geology Commons, and the Sedimentology Commons Recommended Citation Hayes, Dawn Schmidli, "Stratigraphic, Microfossil, and Geochemical Analysis of the Neoproterozoic Uinta Mountain Group, Utah: Evidence for a Eutrophication Event?" (2011). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 874. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/874 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STRATIGRAPHIC, MICROFOSSIL, AND GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE NEOPROTEROZOIC UINTA MOUNTAIN GROUP, UTAH: EVIDENCE FOR A EUTROPHICATION EVENT? by Dawn Schmidli Hayes A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Geology Approved: ______________________________ ______________________________ Dr. Carol M. Dehler Dr. John Shervais Major Advisor Committee Member ______________________________ __________________________ Dr. W. David Liddell Dr. Byron R. Burnham Committee Member Dean of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2010 ii ABSTRACT Stratigraphic, Microfossil, and Geochemical Analysis of the Neoproterozoic Uinta Mountain Group, Utah: Evidence for a Eutrophication Event? by Dawn Schmidli Hayes, Master of Science Utah State University, 2010 Major Professor: Dr. Carol M. Dehler Department: Geology Several previous Neoproterozoic microfossil diversity studies yield evidence for a relatively sudden biotic change prior to the first well‐constrained Sturtian glaciations.
    [Show full text]
  • Sedimentology and Palaeontology of the Withycombe Farm Borehole, Oxfordshire, UK
    Sedimentology and Palaeontology of the Withycombe Farm Borehole, Oxfordshire, England By © Kendra Morgan Power, B.Sc. (Hons.) A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Earth Sciences Memorial University of Newfoundland May 2020 St. John’s Newfoundland Abstract The pre-trilobitic lower Cambrian of the Withycombe Formation is a 194 m thick siliciclastic succession dominated by interbedded offshore red to purple and green pyritic mudstone with minor sandstone. The mudstone contains a hyolith-dominated small shelly fauna including: orthothecid hyoliths, hyolithid hyoliths, the rostroconch Watsonella crosbyi, early brachiopods, the foraminiferan Platysolenites antiquissimus, the coiled gastropod-like Aldanella attleborensis, halkieriids, gastropods and a low diversity ichnofauna including evidence of predation by a vagile infaunal predator. The assemblage contains a number of important index fossils (Watsonella, Platysolenites, Aldanella and the trace fossil Teichichnus) that enable correlation of strata around the base of Cambrian Stage 2 from Avalonia to Baltica, as well as the assessment of the stratigraphy within the context of the lower Cambrian stratigraphic standards of southeastern Newfoundland. The pyritized nature of the assemblage has enabled the study of some of the biota using micro-CT, augmented with petrographic studies, revealing pyritized microbial filaments of probable giant sulfur bacteria. We aim to produce the first complete description of the core and the abundant small pyritized fossils preserved in it, and develop a taphonomic model for the pyritization of the “small” shelly fossils. i Acknowledgements It is important to acknowledge and thank the many people who supported me and contributed to the successful completion of this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • Biomineralization of Plastic Waste to Improve the Strength of Plastic-Reinforced Cement Mortar
    materials Article Biomineralization of Plastic Waste to Improve the Strength of Plastic-Reinforced Cement Mortar Seth Kane 1,2,* , Abby Thane 2 , Michael Espinal 1,2 , Kendra Lunday 3, Hakan Arma˘gan 4, Adrienne Phillips 2,5 , Chelsea Heveran 1,2 and Cecily Ryan 1,2 1 Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; [email protected] (M.E.); [email protected] (C.H.); [email protected] (C.R.) 2 Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; [email protected] (A.T.); [email protected] (A.P.) 3 Capital High School, Helena, MT 59601, USA; [email protected] 4 Omaha Burke High School, Omaha, NE 68154, USA; [email protected] 5 Civil Engineering Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-907-750-6364 Abstract: The development of methods to reuse large volumes of plastic waste is essential to curb the environmental impact of plastic pollution. Plastic-reinforced cementitious materials (PRCs), such as plastic-reinforced mortar (PRM), may be potential avenues to productively use large quantities of low-value plastic waste. However, poor bonding between the plastic and cement matrix reduces the strength of PRCs, limiting its viable applications. In this study, calcium carbonate biomineral- ization techniques were applied to coat plastic waste and improved the compressive strength of PRM. Two biomineralization treatments were examined: enzymatically induced calcium carbon- Citation: Kane, S.; Thane, A.; ate precipitation (EICP) and microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP). MICP Espinal, M.; Lunday, K.; Arma˘gan,H.; treatment of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resulted in PRMs with compressive strengths similar Phillips, A.; Heveran, C.; Ryan, C.
    [Show full text]
  • Volume 26C-Nogrid
    Priscum Volume 26 | Issue 1 May 2021 The Newsletter of the Paleontological Society Inside this issue Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matter in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion matter in Paleontology Paleontology PS Development Developments Building an inclusive and equitable Where are we now? PaleoConnect Paleontological Society (see Section 12 of the Member Code of Conduct for definitions) is Since the Paleontological Society (PS) was Journal Corner essential to realizing our core purpose — founded in 1908, its membership has been advancing the field of paleontology (see Article dominated by white men from the United PS-AGI Summer 2020 Interns II of the Articles of Incorporation). However, like States. Racial and ethnic diversity in the PS many other scientific societies, ours has remain extremely low. More than 88% of Tribute to William Clemens, Jr. historically only fostered a sense of belonging respondents to PS membership surveys Educational Materials for a subset of individuals. conducted in 2013 and 2019 self-identified as White (Stigall, 2013; unpublished data, 2019). PS Ethics Committee Report Consider your outreach experiences. Imagine These surveys revealed that, unlike the visiting a series of first grade classrooms — proportion of women, which has increased in Research and Grant Awardees overwhelmingly, the children are fascinated by younger age cohorts (Stigall, 2013), racial and PS Annual meeting at GSA Connects dinosaur bones, scale trees, and trilobites — ethnic diversity varied little among age groups, 2021 regardless of their identities. Now, reflect on suggesting that substantial barriers to the your experiences in paleontological settings as inclusion of most racial and ethnic groups have Upcoming Opportunities an adult; do they include as much diversity as persisted across generations of PS members.
    [Show full text]