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Geologic Evidence for the Antiquity of Life

Geologic Evidence for the Antiquity of Life. Readings on the Antiquity and Origin of Life ‧Assigned Reading : 1. Stanley (1999), pp. 306-311 & 320-323 2. Nisbet, E.G. and N.H. Sleep (2001) “The habitat and nature of early life.” Nature 409, 1083-1091.

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Geologic Evidence for the Antiquity of Life

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  1. Geologic Evidence for the Antiquity of Life Readings on the Antiquity and Origin of Life ‧Assigned Reading: 1. Stanley (1999), pp. 306-311 & 320-323 2. Nisbet, E.G. and N.H. Sleep (2001) “The habitat and nature of early life.” Nature 409, 1083-1091. 3. Orgel, L.E. (1994) “The origin of life on Earth.” Scientific American, October 1994, 77-83. 4. Hazen, R.M. (2001) “Life’s rocky start.” Scientific American, April 2001, 77-85. 5. Dalton, R. (2002). “Squaring up over ancient life.” Nature 417, 782-784. 6. Brasier, M. D., Green, O. R., Jephcoat, A. P., Kleppe, A. K., Van Kranendonk, M. J., Lindsay, J. F., Steele, A., and Grassineau, N. V. (2002). “Questioning the evidence for Earth's oldest fossils.” Nature 416, 76-81. ‧Suggested Reading: 1. van Zuilen, M. A., A. Lepland and G. Arrhenius (2002). “Reassessing the evidence for the earliest traces of life.“ Nature 418, 627-630. 2. Chyba and Sagan, 1996, “Comets as a source of Prebiotic Organic Molecules for the Early Earth” in Comets and the Origin and Evolution of Life (Eds Thomas, P.J., Chyba, C.F., McKay, C.P.) 3. Schopf, J. W., Kudryavtsev, A. B., Agresti, D. G., Widowiak, T. J., and Czaja, A. D. (2002). “Laser- Raman imagery of Earth's earliest fossils.” Nature 416, 73-76. 4. Cody, G.D., Boctor, N.Z., Filley, T.R., Hazen, R.M., Scott, J.H., Sharma, A. & Yoder Jr., H.S. (2000) Primordial carbonylated iron-sulfur compounds and the synthesis of pyruvate. Science, 289. 1337- 1340. 5. Shen Y. and Canfield D. E. (2001) isotopic evidence for microbial sulphate reduction in the early Archaean era. Nature 410, 77-81. 6. Wachtershauser, G. (2000) Life as we don't know it. Science, 289. 1307-1308.

  2. Early Earth History Sun and accretionary disk formed (4.57) Some differentiated asteraids (4.56) Mars accretion completed (4.54) The Moon formed during mid to late stages of Earth’s accretion (4.51) Loss of Earth’s early atmosphere (4.5) Earth’s accretion, core formation and degassing essentially complete (4.47) Earliest known zircon fragment (4.4) Upper age limit of most known zircon grains (4.3) Earth accretion, core formation and degassing over first 100 million years. Possible hot dense atmosphere. Magma oceans. Little chance of life. Cooling of surface with loss of dense atmosphere. Earliest granitic crust and liquid water. Possibility of continents and primitive life. Bombardment of Earth could have repeatedly destroyed surface rocks, induced widespread melting and vaporized the hydrosphere. Life may have developed on more than one occasion. Earliest surviving continental crust (4.0) End of intense bombardment (3.9) Stable continents and oceans. Earliest records thought to implicate primitive life.

  3. Summary of Geologic Evidence for the Antiquity of Life •The lost record of the origin of Life. It happened >3.5 Ga –Oldest minerals – zircons 4.2 Ga –Oldest terrestrial rocks 3.98 Ga (Bowring, MIT) and cooked –Oldest microfossils – Warrawoona (Pilbara Craton) 3.5 Ga are contentious because of sedimentary relationships –Next oldest known & convincing microfossils from a hydrothermal vent in Western Australia’s Pilbara craton 3.2 Ga –Oldest molecular fossils (“biomarkers”)-2.7 Ga (Brocks et al)

  4. Origin and Early Evolution of Life • The lost record of the origin of Life? Few crustal rocks from >3 Ga and half life of sediments 100-200Ma so most destroyed CRUSTAL GROWTH has proceeded in episodic fashion for bil-lions of years. An important growth spurt lasted from about 3.0 to 2.5 billion years ago, the transition between the AR- chean and Proterozoic eons. Widespread melting at this time formed the granite bodies that now constitute much of the upper layer of the continental crust.

  5. Carbon Isotopic Evidence for Antiquity of Life autotrophs sediments Span of modern values Time Ga

  6. Geology Matters: 1 Akilia Island, SW Greenland •Evidence for life >3.85 Gyr ago from 13C-depleted graphite •Rocks interpreted to be sedimentary (Banded Iron Formations--BIFs). •BIFs formed early in Earth’s history, supposedly by chemical precipitation and settling out of particles from seawater. •Critical indicators of early life b/c they establish existence of liquid hydrosphere in a habitable T range. •Re-mapping of Akilia Island & new petrologic & geochemical analyses do not support sedimentary origin for these rocks. •They appear instead to be metasomatized ultramafic igneous rocks (not BIFs). •Therefore highly improbable that they hosted life at the time of their formation. Fedo & Whitehouse (2002) Science Vol. 296:1448-1452.

  7. Geology Matters: 2 See the images by Fedo & Whitehouse Science, Vol. 296 (2002): 1448-1452. •Quartz-pyroxene outcrop originated as igneous rock, compositionally modified during repeated episodes of metasomatism & metamorphism (lt = quartz; dk = pyroxene, amphibole) •Deformational petrologic features inconsistent with BIF

  8. Geology Matters: 3 See the figures by Fedo & Whitehouse Science, Vol. 296 (2002): 1448-1452. •Geochemical evidence against Akilia rocks being BIFs •REE pattern, elemental ratios & mineralogy all consistent with Akilia igneaous rocks, not BIFs

  9. Tracing Life in the Earliest Terrestrial Rock Record, Eos Trans. AGU, 82(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract P22B-0545 , 2001 (Lepland, A., van Zuilen, M., Arrhenius, G) The principal method for studying the earliest traces of life in the metamorphosed, oldest (> 3.5 Ga) terrestrial rocks involves determination of isotopic composition of carbon, mainly prevailing as graphite. It is generally believed that this measure can distinguish biogenic graphite from abiogenic varieties. However, the interpretation of life from carbon isotope ratios has to be assessed within the context of specific geologic circumstances requiring (i) reliable protolith interpretation (ii) control of secondary, metasomatic processes, and (iii) understanding of different graphite producing mechanisms and related carbon isotopic systematics. We have carried out a systematic study of abundance, isotopic composition and petrographic associations of graphite in rocks from the ca. 3.8 Ga Isua Supracrustal Belt (ISB) in southern West Greenland. Our study indicates that most of the graphite in ISB occurs in carbonate-rich metasomatic rocks (metacarbonates) while sedimentary units, including banded iron formations (BIFs) and metacherts, have exceedingly low graphite concentrations. Regardless of isotopic composition of graphite in metacarbonate rocks, their secondary origin disqualifies them from providing evidence for traces of life stemming from 3.8 Ga. Recognition of the secondary origin of Isua metacarbonates thus calls for reevaluation of biologic interpretations by Schidlowski et al. (1979) and Mojzsis et al. (1996) that suggested the occurrence of 3.8 Ga biogenic graphite in these rocks The origin of minute quantities of reduced carbon, released from sedimentary BIFs and metacherts at combustion steps > 700°C remains to be clarified. Its isotopic composition (δ13C = -18 to -25‰) may hint at a biogenic origin. However, such isotopically light carbon was also found in Proterozoic mafic dykes cross-cutting the metasedimentary units in the ISB. The occurrence of isotopically light, reduced carbon in biologically irrelevant dykes may indicate secondary graphite crystallization from CO2 or CH4- containing fluids that in turn may derive from bioorganic sources. If this were the case, trace amounts of isotopically light secondary graphite can also be expected in metasediments, complicating the usage of light graphite as primary biomarker. The possibility of recent organic contamination, particularly important in low graphite samples, needs also to be considered;it appears as a ubiquitous component released at combustion in the 400-500°C range. A potential use of the apatite-graphite association as a biomarker has been proposed in the study by Mojzsis et al. (1996). Close inspection of several hundred apatite crystals from Isua BIFs and metacherts did, however, not show an association between these two minerals, moreover graphite is practically absent in these metasediments. In contrast, apatite crystals in the non-sedimentary metacarbonate rocks were found commonly to have invaginations, coatings and inclusions of abundant graphite. Considering that such graphite inclusions in a patite are restricted to the secondary metasomatic carbonate rocks in the ISB this association can not be considered as a primary biomarker in the Isua Supracrustal Belt References: Mojzsis,S.J, .Arrhenius,G., McKeegan, K.D.,.Harrison, T.M.,.Nutman, A.P \& C.R.L.Friend.,1996. Nature 384: 55 Schidlowski, M., Appel, P.W.U., Eichmann, R. & Junge, C.E., 1979. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 43: 189-190.

  10. Know Thy Rock: 1 See Figure 1 by Van Zuilen et al. Nature Vol. 418 (2002): 627-630. •Carbonate in 3.8 Ga Isua (SW Greenland) rocks occurs in 3 distinct phases •Likely formed during multiple injections of fluid across contacts between igneous ultramafic rocks and their host rocks.

  11. Know Thy Rock: 2 See Figure 3 by Van Zuilen et al. Nature Vol. 418 (2002): 627-630. Metasomatism: introduction of elements into rock by circulating fluids •Graphite is associated primarily with the metacarbonate rocks, NOT with metasedimentary rocks. •This suggests the reduced carbon formed by thermal disproportionation of the carbonates. E.g., 6FeCO3 --> 2Fe3O4+5CO2 + C

  12. Know Thy Rock: 4 See Figure 4 by Van Zuilen et al. Nature Vol. 418 (2002): 627-630. •The isotopically-depleted C in this 3.8 Ga Isua sample (of presumed biological origin) combusts at low T, suggesting it is unmetamorphosed recent organic material (I.e., contamination)

  13. Bottom Line: No evidence for a Biogenic Origin of Reduced Carbon in 3.8 Ga Isua (SW Greenland) Rocks A biogenic origin of graphite in carbonate-rich rocks in Isua 1-4 was inferred from the assumption that these rocks had a sedimentary origin. However, recent field and laboratory investigations have shown that most if not all carbonate in Isua is metasomatic in origin. Petrographic and isotopic analyses show that graphite in the metacarbonate rocks, serving as a basis for earlier investigations, is produced abiogenically by disproportionation of ferrous carbonate at high temperature and pressure and at a time later than the formation of the host rock. This type of graphite, including graphite inclusions in apatite, therefore cannot represent 3.8 Gyr-old traces of life. Stepped-temperature combustion accompanied by isotope Van Zuilen et al (2002) Nature Vol. 418:627-630.

  14. Revised C Isotope Evidence for Life’s Antiquity sediments Span of modern values Time Ga

  15. With the carbon isotopic evidence for life >/= 3.8 Ga now seriously challenged…. It’s time to look at some fossil evidence for early life…. But don’t be surprised to find plenty of controversy there too! So jump ahead 300 Myr to 3.5 Ga…

  16. Schopf’s Apex ‘microfossils’ #1 See Figure 1 by Schopf et al. Nature, vol. 416 (2002): 73-76. •Photo-montages of inferred microfossils from rocks ranging in age from 0.7-3.5 Ga.

  17. Non-biologic Origin of 3.5 Gyr “Microfossils”? See the image by Gee Nature, 416 (2002): 28, and Brasier et al. Nature, 416 (2002): 76-81. •Schopf’s “microfossils” seem to have formed hydrothermally (hot water + rock)

  18. Questioning the authenticity of 3.465 Ga Apex fossils: 1 See Figure 1 by Brasier et al. Nature, Vol. 416 (2002): 76-81. •Rather than emanating from a sedimentary rock, the Schopf ‘microfossils’ came from a hydrothermal rock vein created by the interaction of hot rock + H2O

  19. Questioning the authenticity of 3.465 Ga Apex fossils: 2 See Figure 2 by Brasier et al. Nature, Vol. 416 (20020: 76-81. “Many of these filamentous structures [from the apex chert] are branched or formed in ways not shown in the original descriptions because of the choice of focal depth and/or illustrated field of view.”

  20. Questioning the authenticity of 3.465 Ga Apex fossils: 3 See Figure 2 by Brasier et al. Nature, Vol. 416 (2002): 76-81. •It would appear as though Schopf (1993) “left out” some essential morphological features of his ‘microfossils’…

  21. Schopf’s ‘microfossils’ #2: Raman Spectroscopy to the rescue? See Figure 3 by Schopf et al. Nature, vol. 416 (2002): 73-76. •Raman spectra & spectral maps (G band) of 0.7-3.5 Ga ‘microfossils’ •Indicates presence of reduced carbon (graphite) associated with ‘microfossils’.

  22. Questioning the authenticity of 3.465 Ga Apex fossils: 4 See Figure 4 by Brasier et al. Nature, Vol. 416 (2002): 76-81. •Unfortunately for Schopf et al., Raman spectra of dark specks within surrounding host (quartz) rock of Apex ‘microfossils’ give same Raman spectrum. •The spectroscopic results therefore provide no support for the “biogenicity” of Schopf’s ‘fossils’.

  23. Abiotic origin of microfossil-like structures #1 See the images by Garcia Ruiz et al. Astrobiology, Vol. 2(3) (2002): 353-369. •Morphology is at best an ambiguous indicator of biogenicity. •Evidenced here by inorganic aggregates precipitated from a simple solution of BaCl2, Na2SiO3, NaOH

  24. So… morphology can be be a poor indicator of biogenicity. As can Raman spectrospcopy. And carbon isotopes. Yet our quest for for evidence of life 3.5 Ga does not end here. We need to take a look at… Stromatolites.

  25. Stromatolites-1 Stromatolites are fossils which show the life processes of cyanobacteria (fomerly called blue-green algae). The primitive cells (Prokaryotic type), lived in huge masses that could form floating mats or extensive reefs. Masses of cyanobacteria on the sea floor deposited calcium carbonate in layers or domes. These layered deposits, which have a distinctive "signature" are called laminar stromatolites. This is an example of a layered stromatolite from the Ozark Precambrian. Most often, stromatolites appear as variously-sized arches, spheres, or domes. Ozarkcollenia, a distinctive type of layered Precambrian stromatolite, pushes the appearance of life in the Ozarks to well over 1.5 Ga.

  26. Stromatolites-2 Stomatolites are colonial structures formed by photosynthesizing cyanobacteria and other microbes. Stromatolites are prokaryotes (primitive organisms lacking a cellular nucleus) that thrived in warm aquatic environments and built reefs much the same way as coral does today.

  27. A possible abiotic origin for stromatolites? Grotzinger, J. and Rothman, D.H., “An abiotic model for stromatolite morphogenesis,” Nature, 382, 423-425, October 3, 1996. •Seems statistically feasible that the morphology of stromatolites can occur through non-biological processes.

  28. Modern Living Stromatolites: Shark Bay, Australia •Hamelin Pool’s stromatolites result from the interaction between microbes, other biological influences and the physical and chemical environment. •The cyanobacteria trap fine sediment with a sticky film of mucus that each cell secretes, then bind the sediment grains together with calcium carbonate which is separated from the water in which they grow. Because the cyanobacteria need sunlight to grow and they have the ability to move towards light, their growth keeps pace with the accumulating sediment.

  29. The majority view seems to be that stromatolites are the first good evidence for life, placing its origin in the vicinity of 3.5 Ga. By 3.47 Ga there is additional evidence for microbial life in the form of isotopically- depleted sulfur minerals….

  30. Microbial Activity ~3.47 Ga Suggested by Sulfur Isotopes See the image by Shen et al. Nature, Vol. 410 (2001): 77-81) Microbial sulphate reduction? SO42-+ 2CH2O = S2-+ 2CO2 + 2H2O

  31. By 3.5 Ga then there is evidence for life from stromatolites (Warrawoona, NW Australia) & isotopically-depleted sulfur in barite (N. Pole, Australia). By 3.2 Ga there is new and different evidence for life…Only this time it did not form at the surface…. Rather microbial life seems to have evolved in a submarine thermal spring system…

  32. By 2.7 Ga there is excellent evidence for both microbial life, eukaryotes & oxygenic photosynthesis from molecular fossils.

  33. •GEOCHEMISTRY vs STRATIGRAPHY Summons, Brocks, et al.

  34. ‧BIOMARKERS BY GC-MS-MS Summons, Brocks, et al.

  35. ‧Hydrocarbons ‧Hydrocarbons, the remains of lipids from once living organisms, are rich in information and potentially useful for studying the early biological record. ‧Hydrocarbons often abundant in sediments. Sometimes accumulate massively ie petroleum reservoir. ‧Hydrocarbons are mobile. Need to establish indigeneity / syngeneity ?

  36. ‧Recalcitrance of Hydrocarbons preservation of skeleton and 13C content R. Summons

  37. ‧Hydrocarbons ‧Are recalcitrant, have distinctive structures that are diagnostic for: – type of microbe – their physiological processes & – environments they inhabit

  38. Parallel Molecular Signatures EUCARYA BACTERIA ARCHAEA R. Summons (data)

  39. A Typical Banded Iron Stone (BIF)

  40. Complexity of Extant Life After Maynard-Smith and Szathmary, 1999

  41. Major Transitions in Origin/Evolution of Life After Maynard-Smith and Szathmary, 1999

  42. The Drake Equation* Q: What is the possibility that life exists elsewhere? A: Ng=# of stars in our galaxy ~ 4 x 1011 (good) fp = =fraction of stars with planets ~ 0.1 (v. poor) ne = # of Earth-like planets per planetary system ~ 0.1 (poor) fl =fraction of habitable planets on which life evolves fi =probability that life will evolve to an intelligent state fc = probability that life will develop capacity to communicate over long distances fl fi fc~ 1/300 (C. Sagan guess!) fL = fraction of a planet’s lifetime during which it supports a technological civilization ~ 1 x 10-4 (v. poor) * An estimate of the # of intelligent civilizations in our galaxy with which we might one day establish radio communication.

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