SESSION 9
Biogeomorphology: The Role of biota in Shaping Continental Surface and Subsurface Systems.
Laurent Bruxelles1, Carlo Mologni2 , Céline Pisapia3
1 – CNRS – IFAS, Johannesburg
2 - GEOAZUR-UMR7329, Univ. Côte d’Azur, CNRS, OCA, IRD, Valbonne.
3 - Institut de Physique du Globe, Université Paris Cité, Paris
laurent.bruxelles@cnrs.fr
Since the origin of the Earth, living organisms have played a fundamental role in shaping and transforming continental surfaces. Through geological time, interactions between the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere have progressively led to the establishment of the planet’s habitability. During the Quaternary, these interactions became increasingly complex, tightly linking biological, geochemical, and climatic dynamics.
This session aims to explore the role and impact of life — from microbes to ecosystems — on the evolution of continental landscapes, across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales and processes.
We invite contributions addressing:
- the role of microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, and algae in mineral weathering and precipitation, biofilm and crust formation, and the genesis of carbonate structures (stromatolites, travertines, microbialites);
- bio–geochemical interactions in soils and rocks, including pedogenesis, biocorrosion, and biological weathering processes;
- the influence of vegetation on surface stabilization, erosion, alteration, and organic matter production within the Critical Zone;
- the contribution of macro-organisms and ecosystem engineers (termites, worms, rodents, mammals, bats, etc.) to bioturbation, karstification, sedimentation, and elemental redistribution;
- integrated approaches (field-based, experimental, geochemical, isotopic, geophysical, and modelling) for quantifying these interactions and identifying their signatures in geological and palaeoenvironmental archives.
We also welcome studies focused on the characterization of geo–biological objects or fossil bio-structures, and on how these can help reconstruct the evolution of continental environments and past climates.
This session seeks to bring together the community working at the interface between geomorphology, biology, geochemistry, pedology, and palaeosciences, to discuss the coupling between life and Earth surface dynamics in an integrated, modern, and palaeogeographical perspective.
Keywords: Geobiology, Biogeomorphology, Critical Zone, Bio–geo–chemical weathering, Biocorrosion, Microbialites, Pedogenesis, Biosedimentation, Bioturbation, Bioerosion, Karstification, Ecosystem engineers.
