Stromatolites

Stromatolites Latest News 

Recently, a large stromatolites — dating back to 600 million years unearthed in the pine-clad ridges of Chambaghat in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh.

About Stromatolites

• Stromatolites are organo-sedimentary structures formed from the entrapment of calcium carbonate precipitates by algae and cyanobacteria.
• They are biosedimentary structures produced in shallow marine seas.
• These structures are usually characterized by thin, alternating light and dark layers that may be flat, hummocky, or dome-shaped. 
• Stromatolites were common in Precambrian time (i.e., more than 542 million years ago).
• Most stromatolites are marine, but some forms from Proterozoic strata more than 2 ½ billion years old are interpreted as inhabiting intertidal areas and freshwater ponds and lakes.
• Living stromatolites are found in only a few salty lagoons or bays on Earth.
• The stromatolites at Chambaghat lie within the Krol Group of sedimentary rocks, comprising limestone, shale, and sandstone, formed in a shallow marine environment of what was once the Tethys Sea.
• This region was once part of Gondwana, the southern supercontinent that included India, South America, Africa, and others.
• The Indian plate’s northward drift and collision with Eurasia lifted marine sediments, including stromatolites, thousands of meters skyward. 

Significance of Stromatolites

• These ancient structures offer a window into a time when Earth’s atmosphere was dominated by greenhouse gases, and oxygen was nonexistent.
• Their presence in the Himalayas, far from any current coastline, reveals a story of tectonic shifts, lost oceans, and the microbial origins of life.

Stromatolites in India

• Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh: Known for columnar stromatolites in Vindhyan limestones.
• Morni Hills, Haryana: Features well-preserved stromatolite beds in dolomite formations.
• Mussoorie and Nainital, Uttarakhand: Sites in the Krol Belt showcase Precambrian marine sedimentation.
• Jaisalmer Fossil Park, Rajasthan: A protected area highlighting a range of Mesozoic fossils, including marine life.
• Dharwar Supergroup, Karnataka: Neoarchean stromatolites in the Chitradurga schist belt, over 2.6 billion years old.
• Bhima Basin, Karnataka: Precambrian stromatolites preserved in shallow marine limestones.

Stromatolites FAQs

Q1: Did stromatolites create oxygen?

Ans: In Western Australia, 3.5bn-year-old stromatolites built up the oxygen content of the Earth’s atmosphere to about 20%

Q2: What is the significance of stromatolites in Earth’s history?

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Ans: Stromatolites, the bio sedimentary products of microbe-sediment interactions, have the potential to provide significant information on the interaction of the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and litho-sphere

Q3: What is the oldest fossil found in India?

Ans: Dickinsonia

Source: IE