Skip to main content

Modern Stromatolites: A Review

  • Chapter
Calcareous Algae and Stromatolites

Abstract

Modern stromatolites comprise a wide spectrum of various, laminated and nonlaminated organosedimentary structures that form in various marine and freshwater habitats. Some stromatolites form under extremely harsh ecological conditions, such as those found in hypersaline and ephemeral ponds, or in thermal springs, others form in environments with normal marine salinity or in freshwater. Microbial communities of different species composition participate in their formation, lithification and destruction, often leaving marks of their particular activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anagnostidis K, Pantazidou A (1988) Hyella kalligrammos sp. nov., Hyella maxima (Geitl.) comb. a nov., and other freshwater morphotypes of the genus Hyella Born. et Flah. (Chroococcales, Cyanophyceae). In: Anagnostidis K, Golubic S, Komarek J, Lhotsky O (eds) Cyanophyta (Cyanobacteria): morphology, taxonomy, ecology. Arch Hydrobiol Suppl 80 (Algol Stud 50/53):227–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Awramik SM (1971) Precambrian columnar stromatolite diversity: reflection of metazoan appearance. Science 174: 825–827

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Awramik SM (1976) Selective subject index to the bibliography. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 697–704

    Google Scholar 

  • Awramik SM, Riding R (1988) Role of algal eukaryotes in subtidal columnar stromatolite formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 1327–1329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Awramik SM, Vanyo JP (1986) Heliotropism in modern stromatolites. Science 231: 1279–1281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Awramik SM, Hofmann HJ, Raaben ME (1976) Bibliography. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites.

    Google Scholar 

  • Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 705–771(2034 references, 433 on modern stromatolites)

    Google Scholar 

  • Awramik SM, Haupt A, Hofmann HJ, Walter MR (1979) Stromatolite bibliography 2. Precambrian Res 9: 105–166 (1238 references, 161 on modern stromatolites)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borowitzka MA (1984) Calcification in aquatic plants. Plant Cell Environ 7: 457–475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brock TD (1978) Thermophilic microorganisms and life at high temperatures. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 465 pp

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Burne DR (1986) Creation of an international collaboration programme: stromatolites. IGCP Project 261. Stromatolite Newslett 13: 1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Burne RV, James N (1986) Subtidal origin of club-shaped stromatolites, Shark Bay. In: Sediments down-under, 12th Int Sedimentol Congr, Canberra, Aust, Abstr, p 49

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell SE (1982) Precambrian endoliths discovered. Nature (London) 299: 429–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell SE, Golubic S (1985) Benthic cyanophytes (cyanobacteria) of Solar Lake (Sinai). In: Golubic S, Komarek J, Lhotsky O (eds) Cyanophyta (Cyanobacteria): morphology, taxonomy, ecology. Arch Hydrobiol Suppl 71 (Algol Stud 38/39): 311–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Castenholz RW (1973) Ecology of blue-green algae in hot springs. In: Carr N, Whitton BA (eds) The biology of blue-green algae. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 379–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen Y (1989) Photosynthesis in cyanobacterial mats and its relation to the sulfur cycle: a model for microbial sulfur interactions. In: Cohen Y, Rosenberg E (eds) Microbial mats. Am Soc Microbiol, Washington, pp 22–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen Y, Krumbein WE. Goldberg M. Shilo M (1977) Solar Lake (Sinai). I. Physical and chemical limnology. Limnol Oceanogr 22:597–608

    Google Scholar 

  • Couté A (1985) Essai préliminaire de comparaison de deux Cyanophycées cavernicoles calcifiées: Geitleria calcarea Friedmann et Scytonema julianum Meneghini. In: Golubic S. Komarek J, Lhotsky O (eds) Cyanophyta (Cyanobacteria): morphology, taxonomy. ecology. Arch Hydrobiol Suppl 71 (Algol Stud 38/39): 91–98

    Google Scholar 

  • de Wit K (1989) Interactions between phototrophic bacteria in marine sediments. PhD Thesis, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 143 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Dill RF, Shinn EA, Jones AT, Kelly K, Steinen RP (1986) Giant subtidal stromatolites forming in normal salinity waters. Nature (London) 324: 55–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doemel WN, Brock TD (1977) Structure, growth, and decomposition of laminated algal-bacterial mats in alkaline hot springs. Appl Environ Microbiol 34: 433–452

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedmann I (1955) Geitleria calcarea n.gen. et n.sp. A new atmophytic lime-encrusted blue-green alga. Bot Not 108:439–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrett P (1970) Phanerozoic stromatolites: noncompetitive ecologic restriction by grazing and burrowing animals. Science 169: 171–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gebelein CD (1974) Biologic control of stromatolite microstructure: implication for Precambrian time stratigraphy. Am J Sci 274: 575–598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gebelein CD, Hoffman P (1968) Intertidal stromatolites from Cape Sable, Florida. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 121: 109 (Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1962) Zur Kenntnis der Kalkinkrustation und Kalkkorrosion in Seelitoral. Schweiz Z Hydrol 24: 229–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1967) Algenvegetation der Felsen, eine ökologische Algenstudie im dinarischen Karstgebiet. Binnengewässer 23: 1–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1973a) The relationship between blue-green algae and carbonate deposits. In: Carr N, Whitton BA (eds) The biology of blue-green algae. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 434–472

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1973b) Three new species of Schizothrix Kützing (Cyanophyta) from marine algal mats. Schweiz Z Hydrol 35: 152–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1976a) Organisms that build stromatolites. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 113–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1976b) Taxonomy of extant stromatolite building cyanophytes. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 127–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1983) Stromatolites, fossil and recent: a case history. In: Westbroek P, de Jong EW (eds) Biomineralization and biological metal accumulation. Reidel, Dordrecht, pp 313–326

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S (1985) Microbial mats and modern stromatolites in Shark Bay, Western Australia. In: Caldwell DE, Brierley JA, Brierley CL (eds) Planetary ecology. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp 3–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S, Campbell SE (1981) Biogenically formed aragonite concretions in marine Rivularia. In: Monty CLV (ed) Phanerozoic stromatolites. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 209–229

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S, Fischer AG (1975) Ecology of calcareous nodules forming in Little Connestoga Creek near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Verh Int Verein Limnol 19: 2315–2323

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S, Focke JW (1978) Phormidium hendersonii Howe: identity and significance of a modern stromatolite building microorganism. J Sediment Petrol 48: 751–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Golubic S, Hofmann HJ (1976) Comparison of modern and mid-Precambrian Entophysalidaceae (Cyanophyta) in stromatolitic algal mats: cell division and degradation. J Paleontol 50: 1074–1082

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerrero R, Mas J (1989) Multilayered microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems: growth and loss factors. In: Cohen Y, Rosenberg E (eds) Microbial mats. Am Soc Microbiol, Washington, pp 37–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman PF (1967) Algal stromatolites: use in stratigraphie correlation and paleocurrent determination. Science 157: 1043–1045

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann HJ (1969) Attributes of stromatolites. Geol Sury Can Pap 69–39: 1–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Horodyski RJ, Bloeser B, von der Haar S (1977) Laminated algal mats from a coastal lagoon, Laguna Mormona, Baja California, Mexico. J Sediment Petrol 47: 680–696

    Google Scholar 

  • Irion G, Müller G (1968) Mineralogy, petrology, and chemical composition of some calcareous tuffa from the Schwäbische Alb, Germany. In: Müller G, Friedman GM (eds) Carbonate sedimentology in Central Europe. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 157–171

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jorgensen BB (1989) Light penetration, absorption, and action spectra in cyanobacterial mats. In: Cohen Y, Rosenberg E (eds) Microbial mats. Am Soc Microbiol, Washington, pp 123–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalkowsky E (1908) Oolith and Stromatolith im norddeutschen Buntsandstein. Z Dtsch Geol Ges 60: 68–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Kann E (1941) Krustensteine in Seen. Arch Hydrobiol 37: 504–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinsman JJ, Park RK (1976) Algal belt and coastal sabkha evolution, Trucial Coast, Persian Gulf. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 421–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Knoll AH (1989) The paleomicrobiological information in Proterozoic rocks. In: Cohen Y, Rosenberg E (eds) Microbial mats. Am Soc Microbiol, Washington, pp 469–484

    Google Scholar 

  • Knoll AH, Golubic S, Green J, Swett K (1986) Organically preserved microbial endoliths from the Late Proterozoic of East Greenland. Nature (London) 321: 856–857

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krumbein WE (1974) On the precipitation of aragonite on the surface of marine bacteria. Naturwissenschaften 61: 167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krumbein WE (1982) Stromatolites — the challenge of a term through space and time. Biogeochem Newslett 1: 26–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Krumbein WE (1983) Stromatolites — the challenge of a term in space and time. Precambrian Res 20: 493–531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krumbein WE, Cohen Y, Shilo M (1977) Solar Lake (Sinai). 4. Stromatolitic cyanobacterial mats. Limnol Oceanogr 22: 635–656

    Google Scholar 

  • Krylov IN (1963) Columnar branching stromatolites of the Riphean deposits of the southern Urals and their importance for the stratigraphy of the Upper Precambrian. Tr Geol Inst Leningrad 69: 1–133 (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Krylov IN (1976) Approaches to the classification of stromatolites. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 31–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Logan BW (1961) Cryptozoan and associate stromatolites from the Recent of Shark Bay, Western Australia. J Geol 69: 517–533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logan BW, Rezak R, Ginsburg RN (1964) Classification and environmental significance of algal stromatolites. J Geol 72: 68–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lowenstam HA, Weiner S (1989) On biomineralization. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 324 pp MacArthur R (1960) On the relative abundance of species. Am Nat 94: 25–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maslov VP (1960) Stromatolity. Tr Geol Inst Akad Nauk SSSR 41: 3–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Monty CLV (1965) Recent algal stromatolites in the Windward Lagoon, Andros Island, Bahamas. Ann Soc Geol Belg Bull 88: 269–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Monty CLV (1973) Precambrian background and Phanerozoic history of stromatolitic communities, an overview. Ann Soc Geol Belg Bull 96: 585–624

    Google Scholar 

  • Monty CLV (ed) (1981) Phanerozoic stromatolites. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 249 pp Monty CLV (1982) Editorial. Stromatolite Newslett 9: 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore L, Knott B, Stanley N (1984) The stromatolites of lake Clifton, Western Australia. ANZAAS Search 14, pp 309–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Pannella G, MacClintock C, Thompson MN (1968) Paleontological evidence of variations in length of synodic month since Late Cambrian. Science 162: 792–796

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park RK (1976) A note on the significance of lamination in stromatolites. Sedimentology 23: 379–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park RK (1977) The preservation potential of some recent stromatolites. Sedimentology 24: 485–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker BC, Wharton RA Jr (1985) Physiological ecology of bluegreen algal mats (modern stromatolites) in Antarctic oasis lakes. In: Golubic S, Komarek J, Lhotsky O (eds) Cyanophyta (Cyanobacteria): morphology, taxonomy, ecology. Arch Hydrobiol Suppl 71 (Algol Stud 38/39): 331–348

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker BC, Simmons GM Jr, Love FG, Seaburg KG, Wharton RA Jr (1981) Modern stromatolites in Antarctic Dry Valley lakes. BioScience 31: 656–661

    Google Scholar 

  • Playford PE, Cockbain AE (1976) Modern algal stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, a hypersaline barred basin in Shark Bay, Western Australia. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam. pp 389–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Raaben ME (1969) Columnar stromatolites and Late Precambrian stratigraphy. Am J Sci 267:1–18 Riding R (1977) Skeletal stromatolites. In: Flügel E (ed) Fossil algae, recent results and developments. Springer. Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 57–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider J (1977) Carbonate construction and decomposition by epilithic and endolithic microorganisms in salt and freshwater. In: Flügel E (ed) Fossil algae, recent results and developments. Springer. Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 248–260

    Google Scholar 

  • Semikhatov M (1976) Experience in stromatolite studies in the USSR. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 337–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter MR (1972) Stromatolites and biostratigraphy of the Australian Precambrian and Cambrian. Paleontology Spec Pap 11, 256 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter MR, Bauld J, Brock TD (1976) Microbiology and morphogenesis of columnar stromatolites (Conophyton, Vacerrilla) from hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. In: Walter MR (ed) Stromatolites. Developments in sedimentology, vol 20. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 273–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward DM, Weller R, Shiea J, Castenholz RW, Cohen Y (1989) Hot spring microbial mats: anoxygenic and oxygenic mat of possible evolutionary significance. In: Cohen Y, Rosenberg E (eds) Microbial mats. Am Soc Microbiol, Washington, pp 3–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Westbroek P (1983) Biological metal accumulation and biomineralization in a geological perspective. In: Westbroek P, de Jong EW (eds) Biomineralization and biological metal accumulation. Reidel, Dordrecht, pp 1–11

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Westbroek P, de Jong EW, van der Wal P, Borman AH, de Vring JPM, Kok D, de Bruijn WC, Parker SB (1984) Mechanisms of calcification in the marine alga Emiliania huxleyi. Philos Trans R Soc London Ser B 304: 435–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winsborough B, Golubic S (1987) Stromatolitic structures of inland waters built by diatoms. J Phycol 23: 195–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winsborough BM, Maguire B Jr, Golubic S, Folk RE (1990) Fresh-water oncolites, coated pebbles, bioherms, and microbial crusts from a spring-fed lake in northeastern Mexico. In: Monty CLV (ed) Phanerozoic stromatolites, 2. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Golubic S (1987) Endolithic microfossils (cyanophyta) from early Proterozoic stroma-tolites, Hebei, China. Acta Micropaleontol Sin 4: 1–12

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1991 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Golubic, S. (1991). Modern Stromatolites: A Review. In: Riding, R. (eds) Calcareous Algae and Stromatolites. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-52335-9_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-52335-9_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-52337-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-52335-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics