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The question of whether clay minerals can be biogenically transformed as a result of lichen activity at the lichen-rock interface remains unresolved. We applied several microscopical and analytical techniques—scanning electron microscopy-back-scattered electron (SEM-BSE), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM)—in an attempt to address this issue. Unaffected granitic biotite and bioweathered material from the granitic biotite and Parmelia conspersa lichen thalli interface were examined using HRTEM after ultrathin sectioning. The n-alkylammonium treatment of ultrathin sections was carried out in order to study the biogenous mineralogical transformation of the biotite. Microsamples proceeding from unaffected biotite zones demonstrated homogenous 10-Å d(001)-value biotite phase. HRTEM images of lattice fringes of samples taken from the lichen-biotite contact zone reveal large areas of both unexpanded (10-A) and randomly and R = 3 distributed expanded (from 14- to 30-Å) layers of phyllosilicates identified as interstratified biotite-vermiculite. Results of artificial biotite weathering (replacement of K by Ca ion) also revealed the biotite-vermiculite phase formation, indicating that K release in biotite is one of the mechanisms responsible for interstratified mineral phase formation. Two parallel processes, physical exfoliation of biotite and inter-layer ionic exchange of K and subsequent vermiculite formation, are the mechanisms for biotite bioweathering induced by lichens.

Mineralogical Transformation of Bioweathered Granitic Biotite, Studied by HRTEM: Evidence for a New Pathway in Lichen Activity