Biomineralization is a generic term used to indicate biological-mediated mineral formation. In carbonate mineralization, nucleation of crystals can be: (1) controlled directly by the organisms, like in the skeletal formation of most metazoans; (2) induced by microbial communities, by indirect precipitation mediated by their metabolic activities; or (3) influenced by organic matter decay, with mineral precipitation on specific non-living organic cell surfaces. Recognition of these products is a direct marker of biological activity in time and space and is a key element in the study of the biological evolution and of its interactions with the geological processes. In this paper, primary carbonate cements from the Anisian microbial build-up of the ‘Monte Facito’ Formation (Basilicata region, Southern Italy) have been studied from a geobiological point of view. Optical microscopy, UV-epifluorescence and micro-Raman spectroscopy have been applied to investigate the organic mediation on their precipitation. The cements formed in microcavities or on grain substrates, and often show a microstromatolite-like pattern of growth. They are composed of alternations of cloudy organic and whitish inorganic bands that point to a double phase of mineralization. In the first phase, a biologically induced/influenced biomineralization is confirmed by the presence of organic matter strictly connected with the cloudy bands. This phase is followed by a pure abiotic mineralization that leads to the formation of whitish bands. This process repeated cyclically, ending at the complete filling of the microcavities or because of changes in the chemical conditions of the microsystem, for example, due to burial processes. This model of mineralization is similar to that proposed for primary cements forming in recent beach rocks. The Monte Facito Formation cements could be considered as the product of unconventional biomineralization, and the understanding of their growth process could provide an innovative tool in the research of biological signatures in the fossil record. The term unconventional is here utilized to discriminate this type of biomineralizations from those related to well-known biotic mineralization processes, like those involved in skeletons and microbialites growth, which can be considered as conventional biomineralizations.

中文翻译：

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初级碳酸盐水泥的生物矿化：意大利南部 Anisian 化石记录中的新生物印记

生物矿化是一个通用术语，用于表示生物介导的矿物形成。在碳酸盐矿化中，晶体的成核可以： (1) 直接受生物体控制，如大多数后生动物的骨骼形成；(2) 由微生物群落诱导，通过其代谢活动介导的间接沉淀；或 (3) 受有机物衰变的影响，在特定的非生物有机细胞表面有矿物沉淀。对这些产物的识别是时间和空间上生物活动的直接标志，是研究生物进化及其与地质过程相互作用的关键要素。在本文中，来自“Monte Facito”组（巴西利卡塔地区，意大利南部）从地球生物学的角度进行了研究。光学显微镜、紫外落射荧光和显微拉曼光谱已被应用于研究有机介质对其沉淀的影响。胶结物在微腔或颗粒基质上形成，并且通常显示出类似微叠层石的生长模式。它们由混浊的有机带和白色无机带交替组成，表明矿化的双相。在第一阶段，生物诱导/影响的生物矿化通过与混浊带严格连接的有机物质的存在而得到证实。这一阶段之后是纯非生物矿化，导致形成白色带。这个过程循环重复，以完全填充微腔或由于微系统化学条件的变化而结束，例如，由于掩埋过程。这种矿化模型类似于在近期海滩岩石中形成的原生胶结物所提出的模型。Monte Facito 地层胶结物可被视为非常规生物矿化的产物，对其生长过程的了解可为研究化石记录中的生物特征提供创新工具。术语非常规在这里用于区分这种类型的生物矿化与那些与众所周知的生物矿化过程相关的生物矿化过程，例如那些参与骨骼和微生物岩生长的生物矿化，这可以被认为是传统的生物矿化。这种矿化模型类似于在近期海滩岩石中形成的原生胶结物所提出的模型。Monte Facito 组胶结物可以被认为是非常规生物矿化的产物，对其生长过程的理解可以为研究化石记录中的生物特征提供创新工具。术语非常规在这里用于区分这种类型的生物矿化与那些与众所周知的生物矿化过程相关的生物矿化过程，例如那些参与骨骼和微生物岩生长的生物矿化，这可以被认为是传统的生物矿化。这种矿化模型类似于在近期海滩岩石中形成的原生胶结物所提出的模型。Monte Facito 组胶结物可以被认为是非常规生物矿化的产物，对其生长过程的理解可以为研究化石记录中的生物特征提供创新工具。术语非常规在这里用于区分这种类型的生物矿化与那些与众所周知的生物矿化过程相关的生物矿化过程，例如那些参与骨骼和微生物岩生长的生物矿化，这可以被认为是传统的生物矿化。了解它们的生长过程可以为研究化石记录中的生物特征提供一种创新工具。术语非常规在这里用于区分这种类型的生物矿化与那些与众所周知的生物矿化过程相关的生物矿化过程，例如那些参与骨骼和微生物岩生长的生物矿化，这可以被认为是传统的生物矿化。了解它们的生长过程可以为研究化石记录中的生物特征提供一种创新工具。术语非常规在这里用于区分这种类型的生物矿化与那些与众所周知的生物矿化过程相关的生物矿化过程，例如那些参与骨骼和微生物岩生长的生物矿化，这可以被认为是传统的生物矿化。