The Early Life Traces and Evolution - Astrobiology research group performs research on the evolution of the early biosphere in marine environments, with emphasis on the topics palaeobiogeology (the study of the early traces and evolution of life and the evolution of the interaction between the biosphere and the geosphere during the Precambrian) and astrobiology (biosignatures and habitability).
The group studies the following marine topics:
- evolution of the Precambrian biosphere (4 to 0.5 billion years ago) in relation with environmental changes (redox conditions, glaciations, tectonics, nutrient availability, etc.);
- origin, evolution, palaeobiology and palaeoecology of early eukaryotes and diversification of prokaryotes, in particular cyanobacteria;
- macro- to nano-scale analyses (microscopy, microchemistry) of fossilisation processes and determination of biological affinities of microfossils;
- geobiology: microbial mats in siliciclastics from recent extreme environments (Antarctica) to the Precambrian (prokaryotes and protists) and preservation of biosignatures (diagenesis, metamorphosis);
- characterisation of biosignatures for palaeobiology and astrobiology.
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