Early evolution of ecosystem and biotic diversity revealed from Archean large microfossils

我们进行了详细的研究，太古宙微体化石采集自4个地点的3.4 Ga Strelley池组（SPF）和多个地点的3.0 Ga法雷尔石英岩（FQ）在皮尔巴拉，西澳大利亚州。SPF微体化石的形态组合在不同地点之间并不完全相同。此外，SPF透镜体微体化石的群体习性与FQ透镜体不同。前者仅由透镜组成，而后者在大多数情况下与小球体相关。HF-HCl提取的透镜状微体化石是成功的，并揭示了偶尔存在的小空泡，纤维状结构，和/或在他们的法兰网状。这些结果表明，令人惊讶的多样性和复杂的微生物在早期和中太古代浅水生态系统的存在。

We performed detailed studies on Archean microfossils collected from 4 localities in the 3.4 Ga Strelley Pool Formation (SPF) and multiple localities in the 3.0 Ga Farrel Quartzite (FQ) in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Morphological assemblages of SPF microfossils are not identical between localities. Furthermore, habit of colony of SPF lenticular microfossils is distinct form that of FQ lenses. The former is comprised only of lenses, whereas the latter is in most cases associated with small spheroids. HF-HCl extraction of the lenticular microfossils was successful and revealed the occasional presence of small vacuoles, fibrillar structures, and/or reticulation in their flanges. These results indicate the presence of surprisingly diverse and complex microorganisms in the Early and Mesoarchean shallow water ecosystem.