Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42552346›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Biological contributions to manganese oxides in rock varnish at Murujuga (Western Australia).

Ying-Li Wu, John Hugh Fairweather, Matthew Campbell, Janet Hergt, Emielda Yusiharni, Michael Smirk, Aaron Dodd, Xiao Sun, Peta Clode, Alysia Hubbard and 2 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Ying-Li WuCentre for Rock Art Research and Management, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia. gravityzero.tw@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-2552-5845
John Hugh FairweatherCentre for Rock Art Research and Management, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Matthew CampbellTrace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Janet HergtSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Emielda YusiharniX-Ray Diffraction Facility, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Michael SmirkMaterials and Environmental Analysis Platform, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Aaron DoddJohn de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Xiao SunJohn de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Peta ClodeCentre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Alysia HubbardCentre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Morten Erik AllentoftTrace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Jo McDonaldCentre for Rock Art Research and Management, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.

Funding

Australian Research Council LP190100724
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Rock varnish is a ubiquitous Mn-rich coating on exposed rock surfaces in arid environments, yet the mechanisms underlying its formation remain debated. Here, we investigate rock varnish from Murujuga, Western Australia, to assess the role of microbial processes in manganese (Mn) accumulation. Bulk compositional and mineralogical analyses confirm high concentrations of Mn, Fe, Al, and Si; however, the Mn matrix is predominantly composed of amorphous to poorly crystalline phases that fall below the indexing or detection thresholds of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Nanoscale characterization reveals a Mn-rich matrix encasing discrete Fe and Al-Si grains, featuring nanometre scale laminations and particle size distribution characteristic of biogenic Mn oxides. High-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) reveal a pronounced dominance of Chroococcidiopsidaceae and Rubrobacter_F, pioneer taxa known to accumulate intracellular Mn for defence mechanisms. Furthermore, targeted functional annotation using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) confirms a widespread, community-level genomic potential for biologically influenced Mn accumulation and utilization. Because this biomineralisation is an ongoing process governed by local environmental stressors, these rock coatings have high potential as long-term paleoenvironmental and climate proxies. This is the first microbiomic characterisation of the rock varnish from the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, and an important step in unlocking the potential of this deposit as a chronological marker for this region's petroglyphs.

Indexed as

Manganese CompoundsOxidesPaintManganeseMetagenomeWestern AustraliaX-Ray DiffractionManganeseManganese Compoundsmanganese oxideOxidesBiomineralisationMetagenomic analysisMurujuga cultural landscapeRock varnish

Identifiers

PMID42552346
PMCPMC13439051

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.