Biogenic speleothems: an overview

Abstract

The idea that speleothems may be somehow influenced by living organisms is rather old, but specific studies have only started in the last few decades and presently there are only a couple of systematic papers on this topic. The role of micro-organisms is perhaps the best investigated even if it is not fully understood, while studies over upper organisms and speleothems in a cavern environment are scarce and details are not always given on the involved genetic mechanisms. The aim of the present paper is to give an updated overview on these topics in order to enhance the interest of the scientific community. In fact the complex biochemical reactions involved in the development of the different cave deposits, though still not well understood, clearly have an interest and an importance far exceeding the simple speleogenetic interest.