Electron microscopy reveals unique microfossil preservation in 1 billion-year-old lakes
Abstract
Electron microscopy was applied to the study of 1 billion-year-old microfossils from
northwest Scotland in order to investigate their 3D morphology and mode of fossilization. 3DFIB-
SEM revealed high quality preservation of organic cell walls with only minor amounts of
post-mortem decomposition, followed by variable degrees of morphological alteration (folding
and compression of cell walls) during sediment compaction. EFTEM mapping plus SAED
revealed a diverse fossilizing mineral assemblage including K-rich clay, Fe-Mg-rich clay and
calcium phosphate, with each mineral occupying specific microenvironments in proximity to
carbonaceous microfossil cell walls.
Description
The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/522/1/012024