DGRN

Deciphering the evolution of ecological interactions among the metabolic types during the early diversification of life on Earth is crucial for our understanding of the ancient biosphere. The stromatolites from the genus Conophyton cylindricus represent a datum for the Proterozoic (Meso to Neoproterozoic) on Earth. Their typical conical shape has been considered a result of a competition between microorganisms for space, light and nutrients.

Fluvial erosion of the Earth's crust creates valleys ranging from hundreds of meters to a few kilometers wide. The resulting unloading is supported by the flexural rigidity of the continental lithosphere. As a result, the bending of the lithosphere around individual river valleys is usually imperceptible in the landscape, specially in tectonically quiescent environments.