Death and taphonomy of Holocene stromatolites from Lagoa Vermelha, Brazil

Stromatolites are laminated rocks, comprising both authigenic and allochthonous materials, which arise under strong influence of microorganisms environmental conditions. Growing stromatolites rare nowadays, limiting our understanding on how microbial mats produce stromatolites. from Lagoa Vermelha in Brazil were claimed as living, lithifying structures several years ago, but recently have been reported dead, bleached skeletons. Here we confirm that they currently not forming new laminae. This was confirmed by the absence mat coat, enabling colonization exposed surfaces barnacles, boring cyanobacteria, burrowing metazoans, contributed to erosion loss some original features while adding new, distinct biomarkers.