Microbial Behaviour and Calcite Precipitation as Controls on Neoarchean Microbialite Morphology

The early evolution and diversification of life can be constrained by analysing the morphology of well preserved microbial communities. However, stromatolite morphology is a complex function of biological, chemical, and physical processes. Thus, to constrain microbial behaviour, the influences of various processes need to be carefully extracted. In some Neoarchean microbialites, physical and chemical processes can be well characterised. Fenestrate microbialites from the ~2.55 Ga Carawine Formation, Western Australia, and the 2.6-2.52 Ga Campbellrand Subgroup, South Africa, provide outstanding opportunities to constrain the aggregate behaviour of Neoarchean microbial communities.