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Título del libro: Lake Alchichica Limnology: The Uniqueness Of A Tropical Maar Lake
Título del capítulo: Microbialites: Diversity Hotspots in the Mexican Plateau

Autores UNAM:
CARLA MARIA CENTENO RAMOS; ADELA MARGARITA REYES SALAS; BLANCA SONIA ANGELES GARCIA; YESSICA YISLEM BELTRAN DIAZ; ROCIO JETZABEL ALCANTARA HERNANDEZ; LUISA ISAURA FALCON ALVAREZ;
Autores externos:

Idioma:

Año de publicación:
2022
Palabras clave:

Biomineralization; Biominerals; Lake Alchichica; Microbial metabolic diversity; Microbialite history; Soda lake; Stromatolites


Resumen:

The white rocks delineating the littoral of Lake Alchichica have called the attention of locals, foreigners, explorers and curious scientists over the years. More recently, science has revealed that these mineral constructions are hotspots of previously hidden microbial diversity. The metabolism of diverse microbial assemblages mediates the formation of massive biomineral structures of hydromagnesite, calcite and aragonite, reaching more than 40 m in depth. The high taxonomical diversity resembles a high metabolic diversity, reported here by the potential of microbialite prokaryotic communities for biogeochemical cycling. Today, hundreds of the microbialite prokaryotes have no identified matches in the present microbial taxonomic databases. This fact has called the attention of scientists worldwide, and Lake Alchichica has become a model system for microbial ecology, evolution, biogeochemistry and astrobiology studies. Microbialites of Lake Alchichica provide a unique environment for the development of many other endemic species. The conservation of these microbial communities is challenging in the panorama of global change and will require coordinated efforts at all levels of the society. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.


Entidades citadas de la UNAM: