Robbins, LJ, Fakhraee, M, Smith, AJB et al. (8 more authors) (2023) Manganese oxides, Earth surface oxygenation, and the rise of oxygenic photosynthesis. Earth-Science Reviews, 239. 104368. ISSN 0012-8252
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis is arguably the most important biological innovation in Earth's history, facilitating the transition to a habitable planet for complex life. Dating the emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis, however, has proven difficult with estimates spanning a billion years. Sedimentary manganese (Mn) enrichments represent a potentially important line of evidence given the high redox potentials necessary to oxidize Mn in natural environments. However, this view has been challenged by abiotic and anaerobic Mn oxidation pathways that decouple Mn enrichments from oxygenation. With these in mind, we review Mn oxidation pathways and Mn enrichments and evaluate their relation to Earth's oxygenation. We argue that despite possible alternative pathways, shallow oxygenated seawater is a prerequisite for generating and, importantly, preserving significant sedimentary Mn enrichments (and associated geochemical signals). This implies that Mn enrichments indeed track Earth's oxygenation and oxygenic photosynthesis emerged 100 s of millions of years prior to irreversible atmospheric oxygenation.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2023 Elsevier B.V. This is an author produced version of an article published in Earth-Science Reviews. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Manganese oxides, Manganese carbonates, Oxygen, Oxidative pathways, Iron formations, Evolution, Dissimilatory manganese reduction |
Dates: |
|
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) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 16 Mar 2023 15:06 |
Last Modified: | 02 Mar 2024 01:13 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104368 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:197126 |
Download
Filename: AAM_ Robbins-Fakhraee-Mn-ESR-authoracceptedversion.pdf
Licence: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0