Ivarsson Magnus, Broman Curt, Sturkell Erik, Ormö Jens, Siljeström Sandra, van Zuilen Mark, Bengtson Stefan
Department of Palaeobiology and Nordic Center for Earth Evolution (NordCEE), Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Sci Rep. 2013 Dec 16;3:3487. doi: 10.1038/srep03487.
Impacts are common geologic features on the terrestrial planets throughout the solar system, and on at least Earth and Mars impacts have induced hydrothermal convection. Impact-generated hydrothermal systems have been suggested to possess the same life supporting capability as hydrothermal systems associated with volcanic activity. However, evidence of fossil microbial colonization in impact-generated hydrothermal systems is scarce in the literature. Here we report of fossilized microorganisms in association with cavity-grown hydrothermal minerals from the 458 Ma Lockne impact structure, Sweden. Based on morphological characteristics the fossilized microorganisms are interpreted as fungi. We further infer the kerogenization of the microfossils, and thus the life span of the fungi, to be contemporaneous with the hydrothermal activity and migration of hydrocarbons in the system. Our results from the Lockne impact structure show that hydrothermal systems associated with impact structures can support colonization by microbial life.
撞击坑是整个太阳系类地行星上常见的地质特征，至少在地球和火星上，撞击引发了热液对流。有人提出，撞击产生的热液系统与火山活动相关的热液系统具有相同的支持生命的能力。然而，文献中关于撞击产生的热液系统中化石微生物群落的证据很少。在这里，我们报告了来自瑞典4.58亿年前洛克内撞击构造中与洞穴生长的热液矿物相关的微生物化石。根据形态特征，这些化石微生物被解释为真菌。我们进一步推断，微化石的干酪根化过程，以及真菌的寿命，与热液活动和系统中碳氢化合物的迁移是同时发生的。我们从洛克内撞击构造得到的结果表明，与撞击构造相关的热液系统能够支持微生物的定殖。
