@article{fdi:010055847,
  title = {{P}ost-glacial microbialite formation in coral reefs of the {P}acific, {A}tlantic, and {I}ndian {O}ceans},
  author = {{H}eindel, {K}. and {B}irgel, {D}. and {B}runner, {B}. and {T}hiel, {V}. and {W}estphal, {H}. and {G}ischler, {E}. and {Z}iegenbalg, {S}. {B}. and {C}abioch, {G}uy and {S}jovall, {P}. and {P}eckmann, {J}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he occurrence of microbialites in post-glacial coral reefs has been interpreted to reflect an ecosystem response to environmental change. {T}he greater thickness of microbialites in reefs with a volcanic hinterland compared to thinner microbial crusts in reefs with a non-volcanic hinterland led to the suggestion that fertilization of the reefal environment by chemical weathering of volcanic rocks stimulated primary productivity and microbialite formation. {U}sing a molecular and isotopic approach on reef-microbialites from {T}ahiti ({P}acific {O}cean), it was recently shown that sulfate-reducing bacteria favored the formation of microbial carbonates. {T}o test if similar mechanisms induced microbialite formation in other reefs as well, the {T}ahitian microbialites are compared with similar microbialites from coral reefs off {V}anuatu ({P}acific {O}cean), {B}elize ({C}aribbean {S}ea, {A}tlantic {O}cean), and the {M}aldives ({I}ndian {O}cean) in this study. {T}he selected study sites cover a wide range of geological settings, reflecting variable input and composition of detritus. {T}he new lipid biomarker data and stable sulfur isotope results confirm that sulfate-reducing bacteria played an intrinsic role in the precipitation of microbial carbonate at all study sites, irrespective of the geological setting. {A}bundant biomarkers indicative of sulfate reducers include a variety of terminally-branched and mid chain-branched fatty acids as well as mono-{O}-alkyl glycerol ethers. {I}sotope evidence for bacterial sulfate reduction is represented by low delta {S}-34 values of pyrite (-43 to 42 parts per thousand) enclosed in the microbialites and, compared to seawater sulfate, slightly elevated delta {S}-34 and delta {O}-18 values of carbonate-associated sulfate (21.9 to 22.2 parts per thousand. and 11.3 to 12.4 parts per thousand, respectively). {M}icrobialite formation took place in anoxic micro-environments, which presumably developed through the fertilization of the reef environment and the resultant accumulation of organic matter including bacterial extracellular polymeric substances ({EPS}), coral mucus, and marine snow in cavities within the coral framework. {T}o{F}-{SIMS} analysis reveals that the dark layers of laminated microbialites are enriched in carbohydrates, which are common constituents of {EPS} and coral mucus. {T}hese results support the hypothesis that bacterial degradation of {EPS} and coral mucus within microbial mats favored carbonate precipitation. {B}ecause reefal microbialites formed by similar processes in very different geological settings, this comparative study suggests that a volcanic hinterland is not required for microbialite growth. {Y}et, detrital input derived from the weathering of volcanic rocks appears to be a natural fertilizer, being conductive for the growth of microbial mats, which fosters the development of particularly abundant and thick microbial crusts.},
  keywords = {{M}icrobial mat ; {C}oral reef ; {S}ulfate-reducing bacteria ; {EPS}-mineralization ; {F}ertilization ; {V}olcanic hinterland},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}hemical {G}eology},
  volume = {304},
  numero = {},
  pages = {117--130},
  ISSN = {0009-2541},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.02.009},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010055847},
}