Assessing the origin of pisoids within a travertine system in the border of Puna Plateau, Argentina

Abstract

The origin of pisoids in a diversity of environments has been recently discussed. While traditionally considered physico-chemical sedimentary products developed in turbulent environments, or even grown in situ, new results show that microbes may influence their development. In the Terma Los Hornos travertine system, two types of actively forming pisoids were recognized: (i) laminated pisoids with a concentrically laminated crust surrounding a nucleus; and (ii) dendriform radial pisoids with no distinct nucleus. Laminated pisoids form in turbulent pools at the base of waterfalls, while dendritic pisoids develop within small depressions between terracettes, and they can occur superposed as a result of episodic transport and recycling within the travertine system (for example, dendritic textures as nucleus of laminated pisoids). The laminated pisoids are characterized by laterally constant laminae thickness with high inheritance and low amounts of randomly distributed organic matter and microbial remains, suggesting a predominantly abiogenic origin. In contrast, the dendritic pisoids exhibit an intimate relationship with diatoms and filamentous bacteria suggesting a stronger biotic influence in their formation. Thus, both abiogenic and biogenic carbonate structures can coexist in the same hydrothermal system. Pisoids found in the stratigraphic record of Terma Los Hornos allowed to test the preservation potential of the primary signals and reconstructing early diagenetic overprints.