The 5th International Conference of Geobiology

Rapid Mineralization Simulation of Plant Cells

Hanqi Feng¹, Alida M. Bailleul², Yanhong Pan¹

1 State Key Laboratory of Critical Earth Material Cycling and Mineral Deposits, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering,Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
2 Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.

The rapid mineralization process of plant cells under special storage conditions, such as those found in hot springs, is of great significance for understanding special depositional environments and mechanisms of such fossilization. This study investigates rapid silicification and calcification experiments on plant cells conducted over seven days in two hot springs of Tengchong, Yunnan Province, specifically at Rehai and Heiyuhe. Results are observed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microsocopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to analyze the mineralization process.
The experimental results demonstrate that the mineralization process exhibits a trend of progressing from the exterior to the interior, from the cell walls towards the internal cellular compartments and cavities. During the early stage of mineralization, only a small amount of mineral precipitation forms on the cell surface. In the intermediate stage, minerals gradually replace the cell wall components and penetrate into the intercellular spaces. By the final stage, mineral fillings are observed in the Protoxylem canal cavities. SEM-EDS analysis reveals variations in the enrichment of mineral across different tissues, with higher mineralization degrees observed in the root surface, while internal tissues retain a higher proportion of organic carbon.
The experiments show that plant cells undergo significant mineralization within seven days with notable differences in mineralization rates and mineral deposition patterns among different tissues. This study not only demonstrates that rapid mineralization can occur within a short time but also provides direct evidence for the mechanism by which rapid mineralization under special burial conditions inhibits organic decay. The rapid precipitation of mineralization products may play a critical role in preserving fossil structures, offering important experimental insights into the preservation of biological remains in extreme environments.

permineralization,replacement,experimental mineralisation,plant cells,Tengchong