Bryostromatolites are found in stressed environments from the Paleozoic to the Recent. They are formed by alternating layers of bryozoans and microbes. This study investigates recent bryostromatolites in brackish ponds in the Netherlands to better understand ancient analogues and the environments which hosted them. They formed a fringing reef at the site Ronde Weel and a barrier reef at Kaaskenswater. The ponds had low biodiversity with only one bivalve species, two gastropod species, one ostracod species, and three diatom species comprising most of the easily fossilizable taxa; one isopod species, one decapod species, and two polychaete species were also present. Observations of microbial layers and cementation practices indicate that an alternation of bryozoan-favouring conditions and microbe-favouring conditions is essential to forming bryostromatolites. The collected bryostromatolites only had tiny living bryozoan patches. Water tests confirmed a brackish environment but with enriched arsenic and titanium concentrations and periodic euxinia. The extreme environment explains the lack of biodiversity and may provide information about the environments in which past bryostromatolites formed.

苔藓叠层石存在于从古生代到近代的压力环境中。它们由苔藓虫和微生物的交替层形成。这项研究调查了荷兰咸水池塘中最近的苔藓叠层石，以更好地了解古代类似物和它们的栖息环境。它们在 Ronde Weel 遗址形成了一个边缘礁，在 Kaaskenswater 形成了一个堡礁。池塘生物多样性低，只有一种双壳类、两种腹足类、一种介形类和 3 种硅藻，其中大部分容易形成化石的分类群；还存在一种等足动物、一种十足动物和两种多毛动物。对微生物层和胶结实践的观察表明，苔藓虫有利条件和微生物有利条件的交替对于形成苔藓叠层石至关重要。收集到的苔藓叠层石只有微小的苔藓动物斑块。水测试证实了一个微咸的环境，但富含砷和钛，以及周期性的euxinia。极端环境解释了生物多样性的缺乏，并可能提供有关过去苔藓叠层石形成环境的信息。