Speleothems in magmatic rock caves and associated microorganisms
- J. R. Vidal Romaní
- L. González López
- M.J. López Galindo
- J. Sanjurjo Sánchez
- M. Vaqueiro Rodríguez
- Susanne Schnabel (coord.)
- Álvaro Gómez Gutiérrez (coord.)
Publisher: Universidad de Extremadura
ISBN: 978-84-617-1123-9
Year of publication: 2014
Pages: 498-501
Congress: Reunión Nacional de Geomorfología (13. 2014. Cáceres)
Type: Conference paper
Abstract
At first, these speleothems had been considered to be caused by the rock weathering s.l. originated by water, but later scanning electron microscopy showed their direct relation with the troglobiontic activity, hence the name of biospeleothems. They have three types of components: inorganic, due to physicochemical disaggregation of the rock by water; biological, formed by the troglobionts incorporated in the sediment; and biomineral, authigenic minerals related to the reaction of the mineral substratum with the metabolic products derived from the organic activity. These speleothems are micro ecosystems where bacteria, fungi, algae, testate amoebae, mites, collembolan and arachnids live, develop and die. They form a trophic net where bacteria, which disaggregate the minerals and the organic matter from the rest of microorganisms, prevail. Neither the cave’s lithology nor the climatic zone where the cave is located affects the troglobionts as to the dimensions or the chemical-mineralogical composition of the speleothems.