Liu, Y., Bowyer, F.T., Zhu, M. et al. (6 more authors) (2024) Marine redox and nutrient dynamics linked to the Cambrian radiation of animals. Geology, 52 (9). pp. 729-734. ISSN 0091-7613
Abstract
The early Cambrian witnessed an increase in metazoan ecosystem complexity, likely linked to enhanced oxygen and nutrient availability. However, while improved stratigraphic and geochemical records suggest that the Cambrian explosion occurred under highly dynamic redox conditions, mechanistic links to nutrient availability and early Cambrian evolutionary innovations are poorly constrained. Here, we report paleoredox and nutrient data for two drill cores documenting late Cambrian Stage 2 to Stage 3 (ca. 522−514 Ma) strata from the Yangtze block, South China. The development of water-column euxinia during Cambrian Stage 2 led to extensive recycling of P, fueling elevated primary production and hence an increase in atmospheric and shallow-marine oxygen concentrations. The resulting expansion of oxygenated shelf area promoted sedimentary P retention and, in combination with a diminished supply of P from upwelling, drove a transition to oligotrophic shallow-marine conditions during Cambrian Stage 3. Reduced primary production and limited water-column oxygen consumption allowed for the stabilization of oxygenated continental shelf habitats that supported a burgeoning biotic complexity.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 Geological Society of America. This is an author produced version of an article accepted for publication in Geology. 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/T008458/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 02 Aug 2024 16:35 |
Last Modified: | 30 Sep 2024 13:29 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Geological Society of America |
Identification Number: | 10.1130/G52220.1 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:214998 |