Morphogenesis of digitate structures in hot spring silica sinters of the El Tatio geothermal field, Chile.

ABSTRACT: In silica-rich hot spring environments, internally laminated, digitate sinter deposits are often interpreted as bio-mediated structures. The organic components of microbial communities (cell surfaces, sheaths and extracellular polymeric substances) can act as templates for silica precipitation, therefore influencing digitate sinter morphogenesis. In addition to biologic surface-templating effects, various microenvironmental factors (hydrodynamics, local pH and fluctuating wind patterns) can also influence silica precipitation, and therefore the morphology of resulting digitate sinters. Digitate sinter morphology thus depends on the dynamic interplay between microenvironmentally driven silica precipitation and microbial growth, but the relative contributions of both factors are a topic of c

SUBMITTER: Gong J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9292339 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature