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Biotic and paleoceanographic changes across the Late Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 in the southern high latitudes (IODP sites U1513 and U1516, SE Indian Ocean)

Published 29 September 2022 Science Closed
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Abstract

Oceanic Anoxic Event 2, spanning the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary (93.9 Ma), was an episode of major perturbations in the global carbon cycle. To investigate the response of biota and the paleoceanographic conditions across this event, we present data from International Ocean Discovery Program sites U1513 and U1516 in the Mentelle Basin (offshore SW Australia; paleolatitude 59°–60°S in the mid-Cretaceous) that register the first complete records of OAE 2 at southern high latitudes. Calcareous nannofossils provide a reliable bio-chronostratigraphic framework. The distribution and abundance patterns of planktonic and benthic foraminifera, radiolaria, and calcispheres permit interpretation of the dynamics of the water mass stratification and provide support for the paleobathymetric reconstruction of the two sites, with Site U1513 located northwest of the Mentelle Basin depocenter and at a deeper depth than Site U1516. The lower OAE 2 interval is characterized by reduced water mass stratification with alternating episodes of enhanced surface water productivity and variations of the thickness of the mixed layer as indicated by the fluctuations in abundance of the intermediate dwelling planktonic foraminifera. The middle OAE 2 interval contains lithologies composed almost entirely of radiolaria reflecting extremely high marine productivity; the low CaCO3 content is consistent with marked shoaling of the Carbonate Compensation Depth and ocean acidification because of CaCO3 undersaturation. Conditions moderated after deposition of the silica-rich, CaCO3-poor rocks as reflected by the microfossil changes indicating a relatively stable water column although episodes of enhanced eutrophy did continue into the lower Turonian at Site U1516.

Key Points

  • Documentation of first complete record of the Late Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE 2) at southern high latitudes (60°S) in the Indian Ocean
  • Dynamics of the water mass stratification inferred from distribution patterns of foraminifera, radiolaria, calcispheres
  • OAE 2 is characterized by alternating episodes of enhanced surface water productivity and variations of the thickness of the mixed layer
Continue reading ‘Biotic and paleoceanographic changes across the Late Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 in the southern high latitudes (IODP sites U1513 and U1516, SE Indian Ocean)’

Response of calcareous nannoplankton to the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum in the Paratethys seaway (Tarim Basin, West China)

Published 15 September 2022 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • A new, shallow marine Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) record was discovered in the eastern Tethys.
  • High-resolution calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy across the PETM was established.
  • The PETM “excursion taxa” are marker species for identifying PETM record in the eastern Tethys.
  • Low pre- and syn-PETM carbonate contents were attributed to ocean acidification and terrestrial dilution.
  • Marine productivity increased during the PETM due to elevated nutrient input from continental weathering.

Abstract

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a rapid global warming occurred 56 million years ago and has been widely viewed as an ancient analogue to the ongoing warming driven by anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The complete and continuous Paleogene shallow marine strata well preserved and outcropped in the Tarim Basin, northwestern China are ideal to study the paleoenvironmental change of the Paratethys Seaway during the PETM. To date, no high-resolution calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy has been performed for the PETM interval in the Tarim Basin. Outcrop samples taken from the Qimugen Formation in the Kuzigongsu section contain abundant, moderately well preserved calcareous nannofossils allows for the establishment of a high-resolution biostratigraphic framework. Overall, 73 species of calcareous nannofossils from 33 genera were observed, with the dominant species including Coccolithus pelagicus, various Toweius species, Pontosphaera exilis, and Micrantholithus flos. The five calcareous nannofossil datums allow for the recognization of nannofossil Zone NP6 through Zone NP10. The common occurrence of shallow-water taxa (Micrantholithus) throughout the section suggests a middle to outer neritic setting for depositional environment of the Kuzigongsu section. The stratigraphic distribution of “excursion taxa” (Coccolithus bownii, Discoaster araneus, D. acutus, Rhomboaster spp.) is consistent with the range of negative excursion in δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb, indicating that these excursion taxa are micropaleontological means for identifying the presence of the PETM in the Paratethys Seaway. During the PETM, the deteriorated preservation and extremely low abundance of nannofossils and near-zero wt% CaCO3 values suggest that ocean acidification occurred in the shallow water of the Paratethys Seaway. In addition, a significant increase in the species Neochiastozygus junctus, which is a high productivity indicator indicates increased surface ocean productivity. Higher primary productivity may be triggered by enhanced continental weathering delivering increased nutrient through river runoff.

Continue reading ‘Response of calcareous nannoplankton to the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum in the Paratethys seaway (Tarim Basin, West China)’

The cold-water coral Solenosmilia variabilis as a paleoceanographic archive for the reconstruction of intermediate water mass temperature variability on the Brazilian continental margin

Published 9 September 2022 Science Closed
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Recent oceanographic observations have identified significant changes of intermediate water masses characterized by increased temperatures, lowered pH and deoxygenation. In order to improve our understanding as to how these changes may impact deep-sea ecosystems one important strategy is to reconstruct past oceanic conditions. Here we examine the applicability of the scleractinian cold-water coral Solenosmilia variabilis as a marine archive for the reconstructions of past intermediate water mass temperatures by using Lithium (Li)/Magnesium (Mg) ratios. In particular, our study addresses 1) the calibration of Li/Mg ratios against in-situ temperature data, 2) the reconstruction of past intermediate water mass temperatures using scleractinian coral fossil samples from the Brazilian continental margin and 3) the identification of intraspecies variability within the coral microstructure. Results showed that Li/Mg ratios measured in the skeletons of S. variabilis fit into existing Li/Mg-T calibrations of other cold-water scleractinian. Furthermore, the coral microstructure exhibits interspecies variability of Li/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios were also similar to what has been observed in other cold-water scleractinian corals, suggesting a similar biomineralization control on the incorporation of Li and Mg into the skeleton. However, the Li/Mg based temperature reconstruction using fossil samples resulted in unexpectedly high variations >10°C, which might not be solely related to temperature variations of the intermediate water mass over the last 160 ka on the Brazilian continental margin. We speculate that such temperature variability may be caused by vertical movements of the aragonite saturation horizon and the associated seawater pH changes, which in turn influence the incorporation of Li and Mg into the coral skeleton. Based on these results it is recommended that future studies investigating past oceanic conditions need to consider the carbonate system parameters and how they might impact the mechanisms of Li and Mg being incorporated into skeletons of cold-water coral species such as S. variabilis.

Continue reading ‘The cold-water coral Solenosmilia variabilis as a paleoceanographic archive for the reconstruction of intermediate water mass temperature variability on the Brazilian continental margin’

Geochemical significance of Acropora death assemblages in the northern South China Sea: implications for environmental reconstruction using branching corals

Published 30 August 2022 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • Acropora-derived SST reconstruction using Sr/Ca has registered SST shifts around 4–5 ka BP and the modern warming.
  • The universal Li/Mg-SST calibration tends to underestimate the SST reconstruction.
  • Reduced pHcf is found for the post-industrial corals compared to the ancient corals.
  • Coral DICcf exhibits a progressive decrease since the mid-Holocene.
  • Skeletal δ13C is intrinsically linked to the coral CF carbonate chemistry.

Abstract

The geochemistry preserved in coral skeletons provides access to pre-instrumental records of environmental changes. While a variety of proxies have been established for coral paleoclimatology, their applications to the use of Acropora to generate longer-term reconstructions have been studied less. Here, we examine the geochemical proxies (i.e., Sr/Ca, Li/Mg, δ18O, δ13C, δ11B, and B/Ca) of dead Acropora assemblages collected from a fringing reef off Hainan Island in the northern South China Sea. These samples have been precisely dated using Usingle bondTh isotopes and record reef development episodes since the mid-Holocene, allowing us to assess their potential as paleoclimate archives. The sea surface temperature (SST) trend reconstructed by Sr/Ca and Li/Mg exhibits better consistency with each other, and they have recorded the SST shifts around 5–4 ka BP and the subdued variability during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA), whereas the δ18O-SST record exhibits less clear variations over the past 7000 years. However, the universal Li/Mg-SST calibration tends to underestimate the SST reconstruction from tropical corals, highlighting the importance of using a site- and species-specific calibration of the Li/Mg-SST. Boron systematics are used to reconstruct the carbonate chemistry of coral calcifying fluid (CF), which reveals significant differences between the ancient and modern corals. The pH of the coral CF (pHcf) is significantly lower in the modern Acropora compared to the ancient corals, with a mean difference of ~0.08 pH, corroborating the pronounced influence of ocean acidification on the coral CF chemistry. The dissolved inorganic carbon of the coral CF (DICcf) is also lower for modern Acropora, and this decreasing trend seems to have persisted over the past 7000 years. In addition, the skeletal δ13C is closely related to the CF carbonate chemistry, highlighting the intrinsic relationship between the coral internal carbon pool used for calcification and the up-regulation of the pHcf.

Continue reading ‘Geochemical significance of Acropora death assemblages in the northern South China Sea: implications for environmental reconstruction using branching corals’

Shallow water records of the PETM: novel insights From NE India (eastern Tethys)

Published 4 August 2022 Science Closed
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Abstract

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is associated with major extinctions in the deep ocean, and significant paleogeographic and ecological changes in surface ocean and terrestrial environments. However, the impact of the associated environmental change on shelf biota is less well understood. Here, we present a new PETM record of a low paleolatitude shallow-marine carbonate platform from Meghalaya, NE India (eastern Tethys). The biotic assemblage was distinctly different to other Tethyan PETM records dominated by larger benthic foraminifera and calcareous algae both in the Paleocene and Eocene. A change in taxa and forms indicating deeper waters with a concurrent decrease in abundance of shallow water algae suggests a sea-level rise during the onset of the PETM. The record is lacking the ecological change from corals to larger foraminiferal assemblages and the Lockhartia dominance, characteristic of several other sections in the Tethys. Comparison with a global circulation model (GCM) indicates high regional temperatures in the Thanetian which may have excluded corals from the region. Furthermore, the regional circulation pattern is isolating the site from the wider Paratethys. Our study highlights the need for a diverse global perspective on shallow-marine response to the PETM and the strength of coupling data to global climate models for interpretation.

Key Points

  • Shallow-marine Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) successions are rare; here, we presented from the low paleolatitude NE India (eastern Tethys)
  • The absence of coral reefs in NE India, in contrast to other Tethyan records, was driven by very high temperatures
  • Linking biotic records of this section with climate modeling allow to interpret the biotic differences across the Tethyan region
Continue reading ‘Shallow water records of the PETM: novel insights From NE India (eastern Tethys)’

The changing ocean carbon sink in the earth system

Published 3 August 2022 Science Closed
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Eunice Foote, who was the first to measure the solar heating of CO2 in her early experiments already in the 1850s noted: “An atmosphere of that gas would give to our Earth a high temperature“ (Foote, 1856). Indeed, our planet is warming unprecedently fast due to rising anthropogenic CO2 emissions (Masson-Delmotte et al., 2021). Next to catastrophic floodings, wildfires and droughts on land, with tragic consequences for people, the ocean silently suffers from the ongoing heating, acidification, and deoxygenation with tragic impacts for marine systems.

The ocean plays an essential role in regulating Earth’s climate; it is also essential for regulating the Earth’s carbon cycle. The ocean contains around 38,000 Gt of carbon. This is 16 times more than the terrestrial biosphere (plant and the underlying soils), and about 60 times more than the pre-industrial atmosphere (Canadell et al., 2021). Therefore, even a small perturbation to the ocean carbon content by changing its capacity to store carbon would impact atmospheric CO2 concentrations (Fig.1.1), making the ocean carbon sink a major regulator of the Earth’s climate on a time scale of hundreds to thousands of years. As the ocean currently continuously absorbs anthropogenic carbon from the atmosphere, it thereby has a key role in moderating ongoing climate change.

Based on the Global Carbon Budget (GCB) estimates (Friedlingstein et al., 2020), the global ocean has already taken up about one third of the cumulative anthropogenic CO2 emissions (Fig.1.2). The strength of the ocean carbon sink is determined by chemical reactions in seawater (carbonate system), biological processes (photosynthesis, export flux, and remineralization by aerobic and anaerobic respiration), and physical processes (including ocean circulation and vertical mixing). But even though these key mechanisms are identified (Landschutzer et al., 2021), there are considerable uncertainties regarding their interannual and decadal variations, as well as their susceptibility to ongoing climate change. Here, a major uncertainty arises from the lack of knowledge regarding the contribution of the natural variability of the climate system (Ilyina, 2016).

…

In this essay, I present my research contributions based on my papers explicitly mentioned in the text. My research was guided by the following questions:

  1. How do ocean biogeochemical cycles accommodate perturbations brought about by anthropogenic activities or natural forcings?
  2. What are the predictability horizons of variations in the ocean carbon sink?
  3. What is the potential of the ocean carbon sink, artificially enhanced by ocean alkalinity additions, to mitigate climate change?

…

Continue reading ‘The changing ocean carbon sink in the earth system’

Coralline algae at the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum in the southern Pyrenees (N Spain)

Published 7 July 2022 Science Closed
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During the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum, ~55.6 Ma, the Earth experienced the warmest event of the last 66 Ma due to a massive release of CO2. This event lasted for ~100 thousands of years with the consequent ocean acidification (estimated pH = 7.8-7.6). In this paper, we analyze the effects of this global environmental shift on coralline algal assemblages in the Campo and Serraduy sections, in the south-central Pyrenees (Huesca, N Spain), where the PETM is recorded within coastal-to-shallow marine carbonate and siliciclastic deposits. In both sections, coralline algae occur mostly as fragments, although rhodoliths and crusts coating other organisms are also frequent. Rhodoliths occur either dispersed or locally forming dense concentrations (rhodolith beds). Distichoplax biserialis and geniculate forms (mostly Jania nummulitica) of the order Corallinales dominated the algal assemblages followed by Sporolithales and Hapalidiales. Other representatives of Corallinales, namely Spongites, Lithoporella as well as Neogoniolithon, Karpathia, and Hydrolithon, are less abundant. Species composition does not change throughout the Paleocene/Eocene boundary but the relative abundance of coralline algae as components of the carbonate sediments underwent a reduction. They were abundant during the late Thanetian but became rare during the early Ypresian. This abundance decrease is due to a drastic change in the local paleoenvironmental conditions immediately after the boundary. A hardground at the top of the Thanetian carbonates was followed by continental sedimentation. After that, marine sedimentation resumed in shallow, very restricted lagoon and peritidal settings, where muddy carbonates rich in benthic foraminifera, e.g., milioliids (with abundant Alveolina) and soritids, and eventually stromatolites were deposited. These initial restricted conditions were unfavorable for coralline algae. Adverse conditions continued to the end of the study sections although coralline algae reappeared and were locally frequent in some beds, where they occurred associated with corals. In Serraduy, the marine reflooding was also accompanied by significant terrigenous supply, precluding algal development. Therefore, the observed changes in coralline algal assemblages during the PETM in the Pyrenees were most likely related to local paleoenvironmental shifts rather than to global oceanic or atmospheric alterations.

Continue reading ‘Coralline algae at the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum in the southern Pyrenees (N Spain)’

Environmental change and carbon-cycle dynamics during the onset of Cretaceous oceanic anoxic event 1a from a carbonate-ramp depositional system, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Published 30 June 2022 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • Negative δ13C excursion at onset of OAE1a recorded in carbonate-ramp deposits.
  • Time-series analysis shows relative complete record of C3 segment of OAE1a.
  • Evidence for short-lived carbonate dissolution event at the negative δ13C peak of C3.
  • Discussion of effects of seawater temperature, pH, and diagenesis on δ18O record.

Abstract

We report the first high-resolution sedimentological and geochemical record of the negative carbon-isotope excursion (CIE) at the onset of the early Aptian oceanic anoxic event (OAE) 1a from a carbonate-ramp depositional environment, analysed from a well core from c. 2500 m depth, 100 km offshore Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Time-series analysis of stable oxygen isotope values and concentrations of Si, Al, and Ti resulted in durations of the C3 and C4 segments of the CIE that support relative completeness of the C3 segment and high sediment preservation rates of c. 13 cm/kyr of the studied sedimentary sequence. Stable oxygen-isotope ratios of bulk carbonates are interpreted to indicate two episodes of cooling, separated by rapid warming during the peak of the negative CIE. The contributions of diagenesis and seawater pH on the bulk oxygen-isotope record will have affected the palaeoclimatic signal and are critically discussed. A major shift in oxygen isotope values at the peak of the negative CIE in the C3 segment coincides with relatively carbonate-poor, marly deposits, time-equivalent with other, global evidence for a reduction of carbonate saturation of sea-surface water. According to our chemo- and cyclostratigraphic calibration, this episode of low carbonate saturation of seawater reflects a pulse of major volcanic CO2 release from the Ontong-Java large igneous province that was sufficiently short to have escaped internal buffering by the dynamics of the ocean lysocline.

Continue reading ‘Environmental change and carbon-cycle dynamics during the onset of Cretaceous oceanic anoxic event 1a from a carbonate-ramp depositional system, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.’

Environmental change and carbon-cycle dynamics during the onset of Cretaceous oceanic anoxic event 1a from a carbonate-ramp depositional system, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Published 10 June 2022 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • Negative δ13C excursion at onset of OAE1a recorded in carbonate-ramp deposits.
  • Time-series analysis shows relative complete record of C3 segment of OAE1a.
  • Evidence for short-lived carbonate dissolution event at the negative δ13C peak of C3.
  • Discussion of effects of seawater temperature, pH, and diagenesis on δ18O record.

Abstract

We report the first high-resolution sedimentological and geochemical record of the negative carbon-isotope excursion (CIE) at the onset of the early Aptian oceanic anoxic event (OAE) 1a from a carbonate-ramp depositional environment, analysed from a well core from c. 2500 m depth, 100 km offshore Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Time-series analysis of stable oxygen isotope values and concentrations of Si, Al, and Ti resulted in durations of the C3 and C4 segments of the CIE that support relative completeness of the C3 segment and high sediment preservation rates of c. 13 cm/kyr of the studied sedimentary sequence. Stable oxygen-isotope ratios of bulk carbonates are interpreted to indicate two episodes of cooling, separated by rapid warming during the peak of the negative CIE. The contributions of diagenesis and seawater pH on the bulk oxygen-isotope record will have affected the palaeoclimatic signal and are critically discussed. A major shift in oxygen isotope values at the peak of the negative CIE in the C3 segment coincides with relatively carbonate-poor, marly deposits, time-equivalent with other, global evidence for a reduction of carbonate saturation of sea-surface water. According to our chemo- and cyclostratigraphic calibration, this episode of low carbonate saturation of seawater reflects a pulse of major volcanic CO2 release from the Ontong-Java large igneous province that was sufficiently short to have escaped internal buffering by the dynamics of the ocean lysocline.

Continue reading ‘Environmental change and carbon-cycle dynamics during the onset of Cretaceous oceanic anoxic event 1a from a carbonate-ramp depositional system, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.’

Increased ocean acidification by upwelling intensification in southern Tethyan margin during the PETM: implication for foraminiferal record

Published 3 June 2022 Science Closed
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The upper Thanetian–lowermost Ypresian succession in Tunisia is part of an extensive high-productivity upwelling regime in the southern Tethyan margin. As in several modern coastal upwelling systems, the upwelling strengthening regionally accentuated sustained acidification conditions, which prevailed in the Roman Bridge area (Central Tunisia). The poor-carbonate sedimentation, associated with the bad preservation state of calcifiers, points to the expansion of carbonate undersaturation in the water column and deep-sea sediments. The upwelling of deep CO32− and dissolved oxygen-depleted water significantly put calcifiers under chemically stressed habitats. Foraminiferal dwarfism, decrease in abundance and diversity, and especially occurrence of abundant dissolved and fragmented shells could account for the severe carbonate-corrosive waters. The spoiled primary morphological characteristics of benthic foraminifera emphasize the alkalinity increase in the deep marine waters. The well-preserved organic matter in the Roman Bridge sediments suggested a relatively minor role of remineralization in CaCO3-unsaturated waters. The expansion of carbonate-depleted water in the Roman Bridge area was principally driven by upwelled deep depleted-carbonate waters. These findings highlight the challenge to predict the response of the marine ecosystem to rising ocean acidification in upwelling strengthening regions in the future.

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Global record of “ghost” nannofossils reveals plankton resilience to high CO2 and warming

Published 20 May 2022 Science Closed
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RELATED PERSPECTIVE

Fossil imprints from oceans of the past

Ghosts of the past

The marine geological records of some past global warming events contain relatively few nannoplankton fossils, the lack which some interpret as being evidence of the impact of ocean acidification and/or related environmental factors on biocalcification. Slater et al. present a global record of imprint, or “ghost,” nannofossils throughout several of those intervals during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods (see the Perspective by Henderiks). This finding implies that a literal interpretation of the fossil record can be misleading, and demonstrates that nannoplankton were more resilient to past warming events than traditional fossil evidence would suggest. —HJS

Abstract

Predictions of how marine calcifying organisms will respond to climate change rely heavily on the fossil record of nannoplankton. Declines in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and nannofossil abundance through several past global warming events have been interpreted as biocalcification crises caused by ocean acidification and related factors. We present a global record of imprint—or “ghost”—nannofossils that contradicts this view, revealing exquisitely preserved nannoplankton throughout an inferred Jurassic biocalcification crisis. Imprints from two further Cretaceous warming events confirm that the fossil records of these intervals have been strongly distorted by CaCO3 dissolution. Although the rapidity of present-day climate change exceeds the temporal resolution of most fossil records, complicating direct comparison with past warming events, our findings demonstrate that nannoplankton were more resilient to past events than traditional fossil evidence suggests.

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Ichnodiversity in the eastern Canadian Arctic in the context of polar microbioerosion patterns

Published 10 May 2022 Science Closed
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Studies of marine microbioerosion in polar environments are scarce. They include our recent investigations of bioerosion traces preserved in sessile balanid skeletons from the Arctic Svalbard archipelago and the Antarctic Ross Sea. Here, we present results from a third study site, Frobisher Bay, in the eastern Canadian Arctic, together with a synthesis of our current knowledge of polar bioerosion in both hemispheres. Barnacles from 62 to 94 m water depth in Frobisher Bay were prepared using the cast-embedding technique to enable visualization of microboring traces by scanning electron microscopy. In total, six ichnotaxa of traces produced by organotrophic bioeroders were found. All recorded ichnotaxa were also present in Mosselbukta, Svalbard, and most in the Ross Sea. Frobisher Bay contrasts with Mosselbukta in that it is a siliciclastic-dominated environment and shows a lower ichnodiversity, which may be accounted for by the limited bathymetrical range and a high turbidity and sedimentation rate. We evaluate potential key ichnotaxa for the cold-temperate and polar regions, of which the most suitable are Flagrichnus baiulus and Saccomorpha guttulata, and propose adapted index ichnocoenoses for the interpretation of palaeobathymetry accordingly. Together, the three studies allow us to make provisional considerations about the biogeographical distribution of polar microbioerosion traces reflecting the ecophysiological limits of their makers.

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End-Triassic Extinction in a carbonate platform from western tethys: a comparison between extinction trends and geochemical variations

Published 29 April 2022 Science Closed
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The Triassic/Jurassic boundary section cropping out at Mt Sparagio in north-western Sicily (Italy) consists of a thick and continuous peritidal succession typical of a Tethyan carbonate platform. The combined chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic study of this section allowed us to parallel the environmental variations inferred by the isotopic records and the extinction trends recorded by the benthic organisms. In the studied section, the isotope data of C, O, and S are indicative of serious environmental perturbations related to the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) activity, as recorded worldwide. Two negative excursions in the C-curve (Initial-CIE and Main-CIE) confirm the acidification processes that affected the benthic community. Moreover, the oxygen isotopes curve indicates a strong warming-trend that corresponds to the reduction in biodiversity and size of the megalodontoids in the upper part of the Rhaetian beds, probably due to the deterioration of the photosymbiotic relationships of these pelecypods. We here present some novel isotope data (Zn, Pb, Sr) from the Mt Sparagio section that offer additional clues on a tight control of CAMP volcanism on the End-Triassic Extinction.

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Is the relative thickness of ammonoid septa influenced by ocean acidification, phylogenetic relationships and palaeogeographic position?

Published 25 April 2022 Science Closed
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The impact of increasing atmospheric CO2 and the resulting decreasing pH of seawater are in the focus of current environmental research. These factors cause problems for marine calcifiers such as reduced calcification rates and the dissolution of calcareous skeletons. While the impact on recent organisms is well established, little is known about long-term evolutionary consequences. Here, we assessed whether ammonoids reacted to environmental change by changing septal thickness. We measured the septal thickness of ammonoid phragmocones through ontogeny in order to test the hypothesis that atmospheric pCO2, seawater pH and other factors affected aragonite biomineralisation in ammonoids. Particularly, we studied septal thickness of ammonoids before and after the ocean acidification event in the latest Triassic until the Early Cretaceous. Early Jurassic ammonoid lineages had thinner septa relative to diameter than their Late Triassic relatives, which we tentatively interpret as consequence of a positive selection for reduced shell material as an evolutionary response to this ocean acidification event. This response was preserved within several lineages among the Early Jurassic descendants of these ammonoids. By contrast, we did not find a significant correlation between septal thickness and long-term atmospheric pCO2 or seawater pH, but we discovered a correlation with palaeolatitude.

Continue reading ‘Is the relative thickness of ammonoid septa influenced by ocean acidification, phylogenetic relationships and palaeogeographic position?’

Schizosphaerella size and abundance variations across the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event in the Sogno Core (Lombardy Basin, Southern Alps)

Published 11 April 2022 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • Schizospharella spp. size and abundance variations during the Jenkyns event.
  • Abundance drop caused by the failure of S. punctulata > 7 μm.
  • Size decrease due to the relative increase in abundance of small specimens.
  • Drop in abundance and size consequence of ocean acidification and global warming.
  • Presence of diagenetic crust diagnostic to distinguish S. punctulata from S. astraea

Abstract

Abundance and size variations of nannofossil Schizosphaerella punctulata were quantified in the uppermost Pliensbachian–Lower Toarcian succession recovered with the Sogno Core (Lombardy Basin, Northern Italy). High-resolution nannofossil biostratigraphy and C-isotopic chemostratigraphy identified the Jenkyns Event within the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE) interval. Absolute abundances and morphometric changes of “small S. punctulata” (< 7 μm), S. punctulata (7–10 μm; 10–14 μm; > 14 μm) and “encrusted S. punctulata” (specimens with a fringing crust) show large fluctuations across the negative δ13C Jenkyns Event. The Schizosphaerella crisis is further characterized by a decrease in average valve size in the early–middle Jenkyns Event. The abundance fall was caused by the failure of S. punctulata specimens >7 μm and “encrusted S. punctulata” that along with the increased relative abundance of small specimens, produced the reduction of average dimensions also documented in the Lusitanian and Paris Basins, although with a diachronous inception. The average valve size from the Lombardy Basin is ~2 μm smaller than in these other basins. Hyperthermal conditions associated with excess CO2 and ocean acidification possibly forced the drastic reduction of S. punctulata abundance/size. In the pelagic succession of the Sogno Core there is a strong positive correlation between the S. punctulata (> 7 μm) absolute abundance/size and the CaCO3 content, with a negligible contribution by small specimens (< 7 μm). Encrusted specimens testify selective neomorphic processes: the diagenetic crust seems diagnostic to separate S. punctulata from S. astraea.

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Unraveling ecological signals from a global warming event of the past

Published 23 March 2022 Science Closed
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This article has related content: Isotopic filtering reveals high sensitivity of planktic calcifiers to Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum warming and acidification Brittany N. Hupp, D. Clay Kelly, John W. Williams

As we face the increasing threat of global warming and its associated effects, paleontologists and paleoclimatologists alike look to the geological record to investigate how rapid, natural global warming events of the past have impacted the Earth system. One of the most important archives for investigating climate change in the geological past is the marine sediment record (1). In the open oceans, sediment particles, organic matter, and the shells of marine microorganisms, are constantly raining down on the seafloor and accumulating as marine sediments (1). In the relative quiescence of the deep sea, these sediments can build up relatively undisturbed for millions of years (1). Analysis of the chemical signals in these sediments that are influenced by temperature has allowed for the reconstruction of changing global climates throughout the last 70 million years (2).

The first half of the Cenozoic (66 million years to 34 million years ago) was characterized by “hothouse” and “warmhouse” climates, when global temperatures were between 5 °C and 10 °C warmer than the present day (2), and atmospheric CO2 was estimated to be between 500 and 3,000 parts per million (3). Against this backdrop of an already warm world, between 56 million and 46 million years ago, there were a series of rapid global warming events called “hyperthermals” (2). These hyperthermal events are geologically brief, typically <200,000 y in duration, and associated with sharp negative carbon isotope excursions (2). The Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM), which occurred ∼56 million years ago, was the largest of these events (2). It was first discovered in the early 1990s as a pronounced shift in the climate records of a deep-sea sediment core from the Southern Ocean (4). Since that time, the PETM has become the most studied Cenozoic hyperthermal, and, due to its potential analogy to anthropogenic climate change, it remains a key interval of Earth history for climatological research.

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Surface ocean warming and acidification driven by rapid carbon release precedes Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

Published 17 March 2022 Science Closed
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The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is recognized by a major negative carbon isotope (δ13C) excursion (CIE) signifying an injection of isotopically light carbon into exogenic reservoirs, the mass, source, and tempo of which continue to be debated. Evidence of a transient precursor carbon release(s) has been identified in a few localities, although it remains equivocal whether there is a global signal. Here, we present foraminiferal δ13C records from a marine continental margin section, which reveal a 1.0 to 1.5‰ negative pre-onset excursion (POE), and concomitant rise in sea surface temperature of at least 2°C and a decline in ocean pH. The recovery of both δ13C and pH before the CIE onset and apparent absence of a POE in deep-sea records suggests a rapid (< ocean mixing time scales) carbon release, followed by recovery driven by deep-sea mixing. Carbon released during the POE is therefore likely more similar to ongoing anthropogenic emissions in mass and rate than the main CIE.

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Isotopic filtering reveals high sensitivity of planktic calcifiers to Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum warming and acidification

Published 9 March 2022 Science Closed
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Significance

Human-induced carbon emissions are causing global temperatures to rise and oceans to acidify. To understand how these rapid perturbations affect marine calcifying communities, we investigate a similar event in Earth’s geologic past, the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM). We introduce a method, isotopic filtering, to mitigate the time-averaging effects of sediment mixing on deep-sea microfossil records. Contrary to previous studies, we find that tropical planktic foraminifers in the central Pacific ocean were adversely affected by PETM conditions, as evidenced by a decrease in local diversity, extratropical migration, and impaired calcification. While these species survived the PETM through migration to cooler waters, it is unclear whether marine calcifiers can withstand the rapid changes our oceans are experiencing today.

Abstract

Ocean warming and acidification driven by anthropogenic carbon emissions pose an existential threat to marine calcifying communities. A similar perturbation to global carbon cycling and ocean chemistry occurred ∼56 Ma during the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM), but microfossil records of the marine biotic response are distorted by sediment mixing. Here, we use the carbon isotope excursion marking the PETM to distinguish planktic foraminifer shells calcified during the PETM from those calcified prior to the event and then isotopically filter anachronous specimens from the PETM microfossil assemblages. We find that nearly one-half of foraminifer shells in a deep-sea PETM record from the central Pacific (Ocean Drilling Program Site 865) are reworked contaminants. Contrary to previous interpretations, corrected assemblages reveal a transient but significant decrease in tropical planktic foraminifer diversity at this open-ocean site during the PETM. The decrease in local diversity was caused by extirpation of shallow- and deep-dwelling taxa as they underwent extratropical migrations in response to heat stress, with one prominent lineage showing signs of impaired calcification possibly due to ocean acidification. An absence of subbotinids in the corrected assemblages suggests that ocean deoxygenation may have rendered thermocline depths uninhabitable for some deeper-dwelling taxa. Latitudinal range shifts provided a rapid-response survival mechanism for tropical planktic foraminifers during the PETM, but the rapidity of ocean warming and acidification projected for the coming centuries will likely strain the adaptability of these resilient calcifiers.

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Environmental crises at the Permian–Triassic mass extinction

Published 8 March 2022 Science Closed
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The link between the Permian–Triassic mass extinction (252 million years ago) and the emplacement of the Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province (STLIP) was first proposed in the 1990s. However, the complex cascade of volcanically driven environmental and biological events that led to the largest known extinction remains challenging to reconstruct. In this Review, we critically evaluate the geological evidence and discuss the current hypotheses surrounding the kill mechanisms of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction. The initial extrusive and pyroclastic phase of STLIP volcanism was coeval with a widespread crisis of terrestrial biota and increased stress on marine animal species at high northern latitudes. The terrestrial ecological disturbance probably started 60–370 thousand years before that in the ocean, indicating different response times of terrestrial and marine ecosystems to the Siberian Traps eruptions, and was related to increased seasonality, ozone depletion and acid rain, the effects of which could have lasted more than 1 million years. The mainly intrusive STLIP phase that followed is linked with the final collapse of terrestrial ecosystems and the rapid (around 60 thousand years) extinction of 81–94% of marine species, potentially related to a combination of global warming, anoxia and ocean acidification. Nevertheless, the ultimate reasons for the exceptional severity of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction remain debated. Improved geochronology (especially of terrestrial records and STLIP products), tighter ecological constraints and higher-resolution Earth system modelling are needed to resolve the causal relations between volcanism, environmental perturbations and the patterns of ecosystem collapse.

Key points

  • The Permian–Triassic mass extinction (252 million years ago) substantially reduced global biodiversity, with the extinction of 81–94% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate families.
  • Sedimentary, palaeontological and geochemical records of the mass extinction indicate that a cascade of environmental changes caused the extinction.
  • The environmental changes can be linked (and attributed to) the effects of volcanic emissions (for example, CO2, SO2, halogens and metals) during the eruption of the Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province.
  • The inferred volcanically driven environmental perturbations include: global warming, oceanic anoxia, oceanic acidification, ozone reduction, acid rain and metal poisoning.
  • The crisis on land probably started about 60–370 thousand years before that in the ocean, indicating the different response times of terrestrial and marine ecosystems to volcanism, but the reasons for the earlier terrestrial crisis remain poorly understood.
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Machine learning identifies ecological selectivity patterns across the end-Permian mass extinction

Published 3 March 2022 Science Closed
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The end-Permian mass extinction occurred alongside a large swath of environmental changes that are often invoked as extinction mechanisms, even when a direct link is lacking. One way to elucidate the cause(s) of a mass extinction is to investigate extinction selectivity, as it can reveal critical information on organismic traits as key determinants of extinction and survival. Here we show that machine learning algorithms, specifically gradient boosted decision trees, can be used to identify determinants of extinction as well as to predict extinction risk. To understand which factors led to the end-Permian mass extinction during an extreme global warming event, we quantified the ecological selectivity of marine extinctions in the well-studied South China region. We find that extinction selectivity varies between different groups of organisms and that a synergy of multiple environmental stressors best explains the overall end-Permian extinction selectivity pattern. Extinction risk was greater for genera that had a low species richness, narrow bathymetric ranges limited to deep-water habitats, a stationary mode of life, a siliceous skeleton, or, less critically, calcitic skeletons. These selective losses directly link the extinctions to the environmental effects of rapid injections of carbon dioxide into the ocean–atmosphere system, specifically the combined effects of expanded oxygen minimum zones, rapid warming, and potentially ocean acidification.

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