Electron microscopic observation on microbe-like structures in the ferromanganese crust from the western Pacific Magellan Seamount

Abstract

Understanding the biogeochemical process in the Fe-Mn crust layers is important toreconstruct the paleo-environment when the Fe-Mn crust layers form. Scanning ElectronMicroscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Electron Energy LossSpectroscopy (EELS), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were utilized to determinethe redox states of Fe/Mn and microbial diversity at each layer. Fe-Mn crust sample wasdredged from the western Pacific Magellan Seamount (OSM11) that consists of five welldefinedlayers from the rim (L1) to the core (L5). Some microbial-like structures andbiogenic-derived structures of sheath-like with filaments, tube-shaped (L1 &#8211 L3), capsuleshaped(L2), fossilized coccolith mounds with phosphatized globules (L4), and beanshaped(L4) were detected in entire layers of Fe-Mn crust.ergy LossSpectroscopy (EELS), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were utilized to determinethe redox states of Fe/Mn and microbial diversity at each layer. Fe-Mn crust sample wasdredged from the western Pacific Magellan Seamount (OSM11) that consists of five welldefinedlayers from the rim (L1) to the core (L5). Some microbial-like structures andbiogenic-derived structures of sheath-like with filaments, tube-shaped (L1 &#8211 L3), capsuleshaped(L2), fossilized coccolith mounds with phosphatized globules (L4), and beanshaped(L4) were detected in entire layers of Fe-Mn crust.