Investigating Microbial Trace-fossils and Abiotic Alteration in Hydrovolcanic Tuffs of the Fort Rock

271 Pages·2015·7.62 MB·English

Investigating Microbial Trace-fossils and Abiotic Alteration in Hydrovolcanic Tuffs
of the Fort Rock Volcanic Field, Oregon
by
Matthew Peter Casimir Nikitczuk, Honours. B.Sc.
Brock University
Submitted
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree
Master of Science in Earth Sciences
Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University
St. Catharines, Ontario
© 2015
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Master of Science (2015) Brock University
(Earth Sciences) St. Catharines, ON, Canada
TITLE: Investigating Microbial Trace-fossils and Abiotic Alteration in Hydrovolcanic
Tuffs of the Fort Rock Volcanic Field, Oregon
AUTHOR: Matthew Peter Casimir Nikitczuk, Honours B.Sc.
(Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, 2013)
SUPERVISOR: Professor, Dr. Mariek E. Schmidt
NUMBER OF PAGES: 271
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Dedicated in loving memory to Monica Koziej Wowchuk (Babcia).
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ABSTRACT
Microbial ichnofossils in volcanic rocks provide a significantrecordof subsurface
microbes and potentiallyextraterrestrial biosignatures. Here, the textures, mineralogy, and
geochemistry of two continental basaltic hydrovolcanic deposits-Reed Rocks and Black Hills-
in the Fort Rock Volcanic Field (FRVF) are investigated. Methods include petrographic
microscopy, micro and powder X-ray diffraction, SEM/BSE/EDF imaging, energydispersive
spectroscopy, stable isotopes,andX-ray fluorescence. Petrographic analysisrevealed granular
and tubular textures withbiogenic morphologies that include terminal enlargements, septate
divisions, branching forms, spiral filaments,andovoid bodies resemblingendolithic microborings
described in ocean basalts.They display evidence of behaviour and a geologic context expressing
their relative age and syngenicity. Differences in abiotic alteration and theabundance/
morphotype assemblage ofputativemicroborings between the sites indicate that
water/rock ratio, fluid composition and flux, temperature and secondary phase formation
areinfluences on microboring formation. This studyis the first report of reputed
endolithic microborings in basalts erupted in a continental lacustrine setting.
Key words: hydrovolcanism; basaltic glass; palagonite; endolithic microborings; Fort
Rock Volcanic Field
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I must praisemy supervisor Dr. Mariek Schmidt. Since I
began working as Mariek's undergraduate research assistant, I have had many great
things come my way. I am grateful that over the course of this project, I've been able to
work independently and trusted to produce something acceptable. Thank you for going
along with the change in focus credited to, like many great scientific research projects, an
unexpected discovery and for always encouraging meand believing in me, even when I
did not.
I also thank Dr. Roberta Flemming and Dr. Frank Fueten forbeingon my
committee and for making suggestions that surely improved this document. Much thanks
to Dr. Flemming for use of the XRD lab over the past few years, bringing much
enthusiasm to the table and for considering me an ASTRO success story. Also, thank you
to Dr.Martin Fisk for taking the time to review the early stages of the chapter 2
manuscript, providingvaluable feedback and for agreeing to be my external examiner.
A special thanks goes to my parents Christine and Casimir Nikitczuk. Letting me
live in that basement throughout my university career has made life so much easier.
Thanks mom and dad for loving and supporting me, no matter how long I stayed in
school and at home.
Funding for this research was provided by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
Astromaterials Training and Research Opportunity (ASTRO), Ontario Graduate
Scholarship (OGS), and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
Canadian Graduate Scholarship-Master`s (CGS-M) to Nikitczuk, as well as NSERC
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Discovery Grant to Schmidt. Thank you Nevena Novakovic, Frank Popoli, Jeff Berger,
and Rebekka Lee, for assisting in the collection of samples and field observations in Fort
Rock, Oregon. Thank you to Marty Oulette of the Brock University petrographic lab for
thin section preparation. The support of Alex Rupert, Michael Bramble, and Patrick
Shepherd duringX-ray diffraction analyses at the University of Western Ontario
(Western) is greatly appreciated. For access to and assistance at the Zircon and Accessory
Phase Laboratory (ZAPLab) at Western during SEM/EDS analysis, I am grateful to
Desmond Moser and Ivan Barker. Thank you Marc Beauchamp for helping with EDF
imaging at Western. Thank you to Karen Nygard for assisting me with fluorescence
microscopy at Western (Biotron), and Kim Law for stable isotope analysis at Western
(LSIS).
Of course, last but not least, one more note of appreciation. I have to thank those
tiny little microbes that eat basaltic glass. I know there are more of you out there
somewhere, chemically etching away. Keep up the good work contributing to global
silicate weathering bacteria...probably.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract..............................................................................................................................iv
Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................v
Table of Contents .............................................................................................................vii
List of Tables ..................................................................................................................xiv
List of Figures ...................................................................................................................xv
List of Abbreviations and Symbols ...................................................................................xx
CHAPTER 1 - Introduction..........................................................................................1
1.1. Hydrovolcanism/ Phreatomagmatism...........................................................................3
1.2. Alteration of Basaltic Glass -Palagonite....................................................................13
1.3. Endolithic Microborings: Fossil Evidence of Microbes Inhabiting Volcanic
Rocks..................................................................................................................................16
1.3.1. Rock Substrates with Evidence of Euendoliths...........................................16
1.3.2. Texture, Morphology and Distribution of Endolithic Microborings in
Volcanic Glass ......................................................................................................18
1.3.2.1. Possible Constructing Organisms.................................................21
1.3.3. Generation of Granular and Tubular Textures.............................................22
1.3.4. Biogenicity Criteria......................................................................................24
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1.3.4.1. Age and Syngenicity.....................................................................24
1.3.4.2. Biogenic Morphology and Behaviour...........................................26
1.3.4.2.1. Ambient Inclusion Trails (AITs)....................................26
1.3.4.3. Geochemical Processing...............................................................29
1.4. Study Sites and Samples.............................................................................................30
1.5. References Cited.........................................................................................................36
CHAPTER 2 -Microbial ichnofossils in continental basaltic tuffs of central
Oregon, U.S.A. (I): Expanding the record of endolithic microborings.......................47
2.1. Introduction.................................................................................................................48
2.1.1. Geologic Setting...........................................................................................51
2.1.1.1. Pluvial Fort Rock Lake.................................................................55
2.2. Materials and Analytical Methods..............................................................................57
2.2.1. Sample Collection........................................................................................57
2.2.2. Petrographic Analysis..................................................................................57
2.2.3. Mineralogical and Geochemical Analyses...................................................59
2.3. Results and Discussion ...............................................................................................60
2.3.1 X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)............................................................................60
2.3.2. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Petrography..................................................60
2.3.2.1. Formation of Chabazite (Zeolites)................................................64
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2.3.2.2. Formation of Calcite.....................................................................65
2.3.2.3. Formation of Nontronite Smectite and Palagonite........................67
2.3.2.4. Microbial Bioalteration.................................................................67
2.3.2.4.1. Evidence of Biogenic Morphology and Behaviour .......68
2.3.2.4.2. A Primary Geological Context that Demonstrates
the Age and Syngenicity of Putative Bioalteration
Textures..........................................................................80
2.3.2.4.3. Geochemical Evidence for Biological Processing.........80
2.3.2.5. Distinguishing Biogenic from Abiotic Textures...........................81
2.3.2.5.1. Aqueous alteration (palagonite).....................................81
2.3.2.5.2. Fractures.........................................................................81
2.3.2.5.3. Ambient inclusion trails (AITs).....................................81
2.3.2.5.4. Fluid inclusion trails/radiation damage trails.................84
2.3.3. Bioalteration vs. Textural Properties...........................................................85
2.3.4. Conditions and Timing of Microbial Bioalteration .....................................87
2.4. Conclusions.................................................................................................................90
2.5. Referenced Cited.........................................................................................................92
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CHAPTER 3 Microbial ichnofossils in continental basaltic tuffs of central
Oregon, U.S.A. (II): The record of endolithic microborings beyond oceanic
crust.................................................................................................................................102
3.1. Introduction...............................................................................................................103
3.1.1. Geologic Background................................................................................105
3.1.1.1. Pluvial Fort Rock Lake...............................................................106
3.1.1.2. The Black Hills Basaltic Tuffs....................................................107
3.2. Materials and Methods..............................................................................................111
3.2.1. Sample Collection......................................................................................111
3.2.2. Petrographyand Mineralogy......................................................................111
3.2.3. Geochemistryand Paleothermometry........................................................111
3.3. Results.......................................................................................................................113
3.3.1. Whole-Rock Geochemistry- X-ray Fluorescence (XRF).........................113
3.3.2. Transmitted Light Petrography and Mineralogy........................................115
3.3.2.1. Aqueous (Abiotic) Alteration......................................................119
3.3.2.2. Secondary Precipitates................................................................124
3.3.2.3. Microbial Bioalteration...............................................................125
3.3.2.3.1. Biogenicity...................................................................129
3.3.2.3.2. Bioalteration and Textural Properties..........................140
3.3.3. SEM/BSE Imaging and Element Mapping................................................141
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