Microbial Construction of Siliceous Stalactites at Geysers and Hot Springs: Examples from the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Area, North Island, New Zealand

Abstract

Other| February 01, 2001 Microbial Construction of Siliceous Stalactites at Geysers and Hot Springs: Examples from the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Area, North Island, New Zealand BRIAN JONES; BRIAN JONES 1Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar ROBIN W. RENAUT; ROBIN W. RENAUT 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar MICHAEL R. ROSEN MICHAEL R. ROSEN 3Wairakei Research Centre, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Wairakei Research Centre, Private Bag 2000, Taupo, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information BRIAN JONES 1Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada ROBIN W. RENAUT 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada MICHAEL R. ROSEN 3Wairakei Research Centre, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Wairakei Research Centre, Private Bag 2000, Taupo, New Zealand Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology Accepted: 07 Oct 2000 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Online Issn: 1938-5323 Print Issn: 0883-1351 Society for Sedimentary Geology PALAIOS (2001) 16 (1): 73–94. https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2001)016<0073:MCOSSA>2.0.CO;2 Article history Accepted: 07 Oct 2000 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation BRIAN JONES, ROBIN W. RENAUT, MICHAEL R. ROSEN; Microbial Construction of Siliceous Stalactites at Geysers and Hot Springs: Examples from the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Area, North Island, New Zealand. PALAIOS 2001;; 16 (1): 73–94. doi: https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2001)016<0073:MCOSSA>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyPALAIOS Search Advanced Search Abstract Siliceous stalactites, formed of opal-A laminae that are concentrically arranged around a hollow soda-straw, are common features structures in some of the geyser and hot spring deposits at Whakarewarewa and other geothermal areas of New Zealand. These siliceous stalactites contain diverse biota of bacteria (including cyanobacteria), fungi, and diatoms that lived on the stalactite surfaces, with locally abundant pollen grains, and springtails. The microbes are the templates for much of the opaline silica precipitation and thereby controlled most of the fabrics that form the stalactite laminae.Siliceous stalactites form at sites of dripping water below the overhanging edges of geyserite rims that surround geyser vents, and along the steep margins of sinter terraces on discharge aprons. Stalactites may hang as isolated individuals or may coalesce to form dripstone draperies along terrace or rim margins. Stalactite growth is controlled by the volume, temperature, and the silica concentration of the water supplied to the growth site. These waters mainly originate from geyser or hot spring discharge. The microbes preserved in the stalactites, however, imply that silica precipitation took place after these waters had cooled.The growth and coalescence of geyser stalactites to form complex dripstone draperies plays an important role in the lateral accretion of sinter around the rims of many geysers and in progradation of sinter terraces. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.