Diagenesis is the suite of physical, chemical, and biological processes that alter unconsolidated sediments and organic matter after deposition and during burial, but prior to metamorphism. It includes compaction, cementation, dissolution, recrystallization, and mineral authigenesis, driven by changes in temperature, pressure, pore-fluid composition, and microbial activity. Diagenetic reactions modify porosity, permeability, mineralogy, and geochemical signatures, thereby controlling reservoir quality in sedimentary basins and the preservation of fossils and biomarkers. Diagenesis also mediates early lithification, redox transformations, and element cycling, and is a key consideration in interpreting sedimentary records, isotopic proxies, and diagenetic fronts in both siliciclastic and carbonate systems.
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