Guilbaud, R, Poulton, SW orcid.org/0000-0001-7621-189X, Thompson, J et al. (5 more authors) (2020) Phosphorus-limited conditions in the early Neoproterozoic ocean maintained low levels of atmospheric oxygen. Nature Geoscience, 13. pp. 296-301. ISSN 1752-0894
Abstract
The redox chemistry of anoxic continental margin settings evolved from widespread sulfide-containing (euxinic) conditions to a global ferruginous (iron-containing) state in the early Neoproterozoic era (from ~1 to 0.8 billion years ago). Ocean redox chemistry exerts a strong control on the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus, a limiting nutrient, and hence on primary production, but the response of the phosphorus cycle to this major ocean redox transition has not been investigated. Here, we use a geochemical speciation technique to investigate the phase partitioning of phosphorus in an open marine, early Neoproterozoic succession from the Huainan Basin, North China. We find that effective removal of bioavailable phosphorus in association with iron minerals in a globally ferruginous ocean resulted in oligotrophic (nutrient limited) conditions, and hence a probable global decrease in primary production, organic carbon burial and, subsequently, oxygen production. Nevertheless, phosphorus availability and organic carbon burial were sufficient to maintain an oxidizing atmosphere. These data imply substantial nutrient-driven variability in atmospheric oxygen levels through the Proterozoic, rather than the stable levels commonly invoked.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2020. This is an author produced version of an article published in Nature Geoscience. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Earth Surface Science Institute (ESSI) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) NE/I005862/2 Royal Society WM150108 NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) NE/P013627/1 Leverhulme Trust Not Known |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 04 Feb 2020 12:58 |
Last Modified: | 22 Jul 2022 13:05 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Nature Research |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s41561-020-0548-7 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:156389 |