Talk:Stromatolite

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Information please!

Quoting from the article: "The Precambrian atmosphere was rich in carbon dioxide, but lacking in oxygen necessary to sustain more complex multicelluar life."

What does this mean? I checked the Precambrian page and found no information. I'm curious why oxygen is considered necessary for complex multicelluar life.

[edit] Answer

The reason oxygen is essential for complex multi-cellular life is the fact that oxygen is essential for resperation which in turn sustains life and therefore without substantial oxygen, life could not exist. (complex multi-cellular organisms are all forms with more than one cell).

• Resperation with oxygen also gives more energy than other kinds of metabolisms that have been found on Earth.--BrendanRyan 03:31, 1 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Lead sentence needs attribution

The opening sentence of this article reads:

Stromatolites (from Greek strōma, mattress, bed, stratum, and lithos, rock) are defined as "attached, lithified sedimentary growth structures, accretionary away from a point or limited surface of initiation".

I'm not comfortable with the "are defined as" in this. Who defines them this way? I'm a bit concerned that the author doesn't entirely understand the definition and is just copying from an unidentified reference work. I certainly don't understand it, but I'm not a biologist.

I also wonder if there isn't a more vernacular definition that might be of use to the general reader.

[edit] Rock Life?

The article seems to suggest that these are infact living creatures. How could this be? Is it some sort of golem? How does it feed? The article doesn't seem to give enough information. Of course it might, but i'm only fourteen so my understanding of word with over 5 letters is dim.

An answer: Stromatolites are living organisms... The yellow and red slime in Yellowstone hot pools are living stromatolites as are the Shark Bay living specimens. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Washington and Oregon all have recently discovered colonies growing. It feeds by water absorbtion of minerals and by photosynthisis from sunlight. The waste from many is lime, see the second Shark Bay picture with the white powder on the specimens? Stromatolite waste. Stromatolites with heads have a consistancy of cottage cheese. The article eludes to books, the books are the clue. One doesn't learn microbiology on a google search... (adv. removed)

—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 65.121.103.66 (talk • contribs) 07:48, 8 December 2006.

Removed blatant ebay advertizing from above post. Vsmith 12:05, 8 December 2006 (UTC)