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Encyclopedia of Geobiology pp 147–167Cite as

Biomarkers (Molecular Fossils)

  • Reference work entry

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Synonyms

Biological marker molecules; Geochemical fossils; Molecular fossils

Definition

Biomarkers are the molecular fossils of lipids and other natural products. In sedimentary environments, lipids that escape the remineralization process are commonly chemically reduced to hydrocarbon skeletons. Encased in sedimentary rocks, these skeletons can remain intact over hundreds of millions of years. The structure of biomarkers is often directly related to their precursor lipids and may be diagnostic for a specific group or groups of organisms. Diagnostic biomarkers are used to obtain information about the composition of past (microbial) ecosystems or to determine the first occurrence of organisms in the geological record. As many organisms prefer specific habitats, and as lipid compositions of individual organisms are frequently adjusted to changing physical and chemical conditions,...

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  1. Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Building 61, Mills Road, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia

    Jochen J. Brocks

  2. WA Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, Deparment of Applied Chemistry, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia

    Kliti Grice

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Brocks, J.J., Grice, K. (2011). Biomarkers (Molecular Fossils). In: Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_30

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