Open AccessAn ecophysiological explanation for manganese enrichment in rock varnish
Author(s) -
Usha F. Lingappa,
Chris M. Yeager,
Ajay Sharma,
N. Lanza,
Demosthenes Morales,
Gary Xie,
Ashley D. Atencio,
Grayson L. Chadwick,
Danielle R. Monteverde,
John S. Magyar,
Samuel M. Webb,
Joan Selverstone Valentine,
Brian M. Hoffman,
Woodward W. Fischer
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2025188118
Subject(s) - manganese , environmental chemistry , birnessite , cyanobacteria , botany , ecology , chemistry , biology , paleontology , bacteria , manganese oxide , organic chemistry
Significance Rock varnish is a prominent feature of desert landscapes and the canvas for many prehistoric petroglyphs. How it forms—and, in particular, the basis for its extremely high manganese content—has been an enduring mystery. The work presented here establishes a biological mechanism for this manganese enrichment, underpinned by an apparent antioxidant strategy that enables microbes to survive in the harsh environments where varnish forms. The understanding that varnish is the residue of life using manganese to thrive in the desert illustrates that, even in extremely stark environments, the imprint of life is omnipresent on the landscape.