Biomineralization Flashcards
Table comparing CaPO4, SiO2, and CaCo3 including at least 7 different aspects. ( Draw it and check it with the answer)
Bone CaPo4:
Chemical Type: Calcium Phosphate
Mineral(s): Hydroxyapatite
Chemical Formula: Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2
Crystallinity: Hexagonal
Variations: Can have varying amount of Mg and Ca depending on diet
Appearance: White, dense fibrous inside
Found in: Bones, Teeth, Fertiliser, Milk
Made by: Vertebrates (Bones, teeth)
Glass SiO2:
Chemical Type: Silicate
Mineral(s): Opaline Silicate
Chemical Formula: SiO2
Crystallinity: Amorphous
Variations: Generally nearly pure
Appearance: Transparent, shiny
Found in: Glass, quartz, cat litter, finer, opal
Made by: microfossils, sponges
Shell CaCO3:
Chemical Type: Calcium Carbonate
Mineral(s): Aragonite, calcite
Chemical Formula: CaCO3
Crystallinity: Hexagonal or orthorhombic
Variations: Several polymorphs including aragonite and calcite
Appearance: White, dense, shiny
Found in: Lime, limestone, marble
Made by: Lots of invertebrates
Define biomineralization
Process by which living organisms produce organic/inorganic composite materials, often achieving remarkable material properties from a limited range of building blocks.
Why do organisms biomineralize?
Protection, Structural support, Food gathering, Defence, Offence, Reproduction protection, Mineral storage, Reduction of drag
At what cost do organisms biomineralize?
Take energy from growth and reproduction, can increase weight and drag, when moulting can increase vulnerability to predation
Short essay on biomineralisation evolving in the Cambrian
Biomineralization evolved in the Cambrian:
Biomineralization, the process by which organisms produce mineralized structures, underwent a significant evolution during the Cambrian period, approximately 541-485 million years ago. This period saw a rapid diversification of animal life, including the emergence of many biomineralizing organisms.
Evidence for this comes from the fossil record, which shows a dramatic increase in the abundance and diversity of mineralized skeletons during the Cambrian. For example, the small shelly fauna, a collection of tiny mineralized fossils, appears in the Early Cambrian. These include the earliest known mollusks, brachiopods, and echinoderms with mineralized parts.
The evolution of biomineralization in the Cambrian is important because it marks a major transition in the history of life. Mineralized structures provided animals with protection against predators, support for larger body sizes, and new opportunities for diverse lifestyles.
Examples of marine invertebrates that evolved biomineralization during this period include:
Trilobites, with their calcified exoskeletons
Brachiopods, with their calcium carbonate or calcium phosphate shells
Early mollusks like Helcionellids, with their calcium carbonate shells
Short essay on Biomineralizing invertebrates are vulnerable to future changes on this planet
Biomineralizing invertebrates are vulnerable to future changes on this planet:
Biomineralizing marine invertebrates face significant threats from ongoing and future environmental changes, particularly ocean acidification and warming associated with climate change.
Evidence for this vulnerability comes from numerous studies on the effects of reduced pH and increased temperatures on calcifying organisms. For instance, experiments have shown that many coral species experience reduced calcification rates under acidified conditions. Similarly, studies on pteropods (marine snails) have demonstrated shell dissolution in more acidic waters.
This vulnerability is important because biomineralizing invertebrates play crucial roles in marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. Their decline could have far-reaching consequences for marine food webs, carbon cycling, and ocean biodiversity.
Temperature higher and pH lower makes it harder to precipitate carbonate from sea water, reduces availability of CO3 ions, dead shells more likely to dissolve, it is predicted if ocean pH reached 7.4 biocalcification will be impossible
Examples of vulnerable biomineralizing marine invertebrates include:
Reef-building corals, which are sensitive to both warming and acidification
Bivalve mollusks, many species of which show reduced shell growth under acidified conditions
Understanding these vulnerabilities is crucial for predicting and potentially mitigating the impacts of global change on marine ecosystems.
Short essay on Biomineralizers being biodiversity indicators
Preserved bio minerals tell scientists something from the past and may help us predict the future. Biominerals are environmental indictors, changes within a skeleton can tell us about growth and change during the life of an organism. The relative quantity of different minerals can tell us something about the environment and the chemistry of the seawater when they were alive. Mg/Ca ratio can be an indicator of sea temperature. Brachiopods are a good source of paleo-thermometry because the fossil record goes back to the Cambrian, there are live ones to test, sessile so they record one place.
Describe 3 ways in which organisms benefit from results of biomeralisation (shells/skeletons/tests)
Protection - shells and skeletons act as physical barriers as protection from predators
Structural Support - allows organism to maintain their shape and resist external forces like currents or waves
Reduction of Drag - Make a more streamlined form for them to move through the water
