Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T14:34:52.440Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Morphological and Chemical Features of Bioweathered Granitic Biotite Induced by Lichen Activity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2024

Jacek Wierzchos
Affiliation:
Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain Servicio de Microscópia Electrónica, Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure 44, 25196 Lleida, Spain
Carmen Ascaso
Affiliation:
Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

To study the physico-chemical activity of lichens on micaceous components of granitic rocks, samples covered by thalli of Parmelia conspersa (Ehrht) Ach. and Aspicilia intermutans (Nyl.) Arn. were collected and examined with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with a Back Scattered Electron (BSE) detector and an Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) microanalytical system. The bio-physical activity of both lichen species leads to a deep alteration of biotite, which results in detachment, separation and exfoliation of biotite plates. Chemically, the bioweathering process of biotite in the lichenmineral contact zone involves considerable depletion of potassium (K) from interlayer positions in biotite and removal of several elements, corresponding to a 9.7% loss in matter. The sequence of the loss of elements is: K+ » Fetot > Ti4+ ≅ Mg2+. There are also some gains in the order: Ca2+ > Na+ » Al3+ > Si4+ attributed to dissolution of co-existing Ca and Na rich minerals. Geochemical mass balance results suggest the transformation of K-rich biotite to scarcely altered biotite interstratified with a biotite-vermiculite intermediate phase in the lichen bioweathered contact zones.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1996, The Clay Minerals Society

References

AlDahan, A.A. and Morad, S.. 1986. Chemistry of detrital biotites and their phyllosilicate intergrowths in sandstones. Clays Clay Miner 34: 539548.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ascaso, C.. 1985. Structural aspects of lichens invading their substrata: Surface physiology of lichens. Madrid: Universidad Complutense. p 87113.Google Scholar
Ascaso, C., Galvan, J. and Ortega, C.. 1976. The pedogenic action of Parmelia conspersa, Rhizocarpon geographicum and Umbilicaria postulata. Lichenologist 8: 151171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ascaso, C. and Galvan, J.. 1976. Studies of the pedogenic action of lichen acids. Pedologia 16: 321331.Google Scholar
Ascaso, C., Brown, D.H. and Rapsch, S.. 1986. The ultrastructure of the phycobiont of dessicated and hydrated lichens. Lichenologist 18: 3746.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ascaso, C. and Wierzchos, J.. 1994. Structural aspects of the lichen-rock interface using back-scattered electron imaging. Botan Acta 107: 251256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barshad, I. and Kishk, F.M.. 1968. Oxidation of ferrous iron in vermiculite and biotite alters fixation and replaceability of potassium. Science 162: 14011402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barth, T.W.. 1948. Oxygen in rocks. A basis for petrographic calculations. J Geol 56: 5061.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Craw, D., Coombs, D.S. and Kawachi, Y.. 1982. Interlayered biotitekaolin and other altered biotites, and their relevance to the biotite isograd in eastern Otago, New Zealand. Mineral Mag 45: 7985.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dreher, P. and Niederbudde, A.E.. 1994. Potassium release from micas and characterization of the alteration products. Clay Miner 29: 7785.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilkes, R.J.. 1973. The alteration products of potassium depleted oxybiotite. Clays Clay Miner 21: 303313.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilkes, R.J., Young, R.C. and Quirk, J.P.. 1973. Artificial weathering of oxidized biotite—I. Potassium removal by sodium chloride and sodium tetraphenylboron solutions. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 37: 2528.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilkes, R.J. and Suddhiprakarn, A.. 1979. Biotite alteration in deeply weathered granite. I and II. Clays Clay Miner 27: 349367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goulding, K.W.T.. 1983. Thermodynamics and potassium exchange in soils and clay minerals. Adv Agron 36: 215264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Iskandar, I.K. and Syers, J.K.. 1972. Metal-complex formation by lichen compounds. J Soil Sci 23: 255265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, D. and Wilson, M.J.. 1985. Biomineralization in crustose lichens: Biomineralization in lower plants and animals. Oxford: Clarenton Press. p 91101.Google Scholar
Joy, D.C.. 1991. An introduction to Monte Carlo simulation. Scanning Microscopy 5: 329337.Google Scholar
Lineares, J., Caballero, E., Reyes, E. and Huertas, F.. 1987. Trace element mobility in bentonite formation: The practical applications of trace elements isotopes to environmental bio-geochemistry and mineral resources evaluation. Athena: Theophrastus Publishers. p 233250.Google Scholar
Morad, S.. 1990. Mica alteration reactions in Jurassic reservoir sandstones from the Haltenbanken area, Offshore Norway. Clays Clay Miner 38: 584590.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mortland, M.M., Lawton, K. and Uehara, G.. 1956. Alteration of biotite to vermiculite by plant growth. Soil Sci 82: 477481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pozzuoli, A., Viela, E., Franco, E., Ruiz-Amil, A. and De la Calle, C.. 1994. Weathering of biotite to vermiculite in quaternary lahars from Monti Ernici, central Italy. Clay Miner 27: 175184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rausell-Colom, J.A., Sweatman, T.R., Wells, C.B. and Norrish, K.. 1965. Studies in the artificial weathering of mica: Experimental pedology, Proc. Univ. Nottingham 11th Easter Sch. Agric Sci. p 4072.Google Scholar
Reichenbach, H., Graf, v.o.n. and Rich, C.I.. 1969. Potassium release from muscovite as influenced by particle size. Clays Clay Miner 17: 2329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rich, C.I.. 1972. Potassium in soil minerals: Potassium in soil, Proc. 9th. Int. Potash Inst., Landshut, Germany. p 724.Google Scholar
Robertson, I.D. and Eggleton, R.E.. 1991. Weathering of granitic muscovite to kaolinite and halloysite and of plagioclase-derived kaolinite to halloysite. Clays Clay Miner 39: 113126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ross, G.J. and Rich, C.I.. 1974. Effect of oxidation and reduction on potassium exchange of biotite. Clays Clay Miner 22: 355360.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scott, A.D. and Amonette, J.. 1988. Role of iron in mica weathering: Iron in soils and clay minerals. Dordrecht: D. Reidel. p 537624.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stoch, L. and Sikora, W.. 1976. Transformations of micas in the process of kaolinization of granites and gneisses. Clays Clay Miner 24: 156162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Syers, J. and Iskandar, I.K.. 1973. Pedogenic significance of lichens: The lichen. New York: Academic Press. p 225248.Google Scholar
Weed, S.B., Davey, C.B. and Cook, M.G.. 1969. Weathering of mica by fungi. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 33: 702706.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, S.H., Huggett, J.M. and Shaw, H.E. 1985. Electron-optical studies of phyllosilicate intergrowths in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Mineral Mag 49: 413423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wierzchos, J. and Ascaso, C.. 1994. Application of back-scattered electron imaging to the study of the lichen-rock interface. J Micros 175: 5459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, M.J.. 1995. Interactions between lichens and rocks, a review. Cryptogam Bot 5: 299305.Google Scholar
Wilson, M.J. and Jones, D.. 1983. Lichen weathering of minerals and implication for pedogenesis: Residual deposits: surface related weathering processes and materials. Special Publication of the Geological Society, London: Blackwell. p 512.Google Scholar