Marine siliceous ecosystem decline led to sustained anomalous Early Triassic warmth.

Authors
Lau, Kimberly V 
Rauzi, Sofia 

Change log
Abstract

In the wake of rapid CO2 release tied to the emplacement of the Siberian Traps, elevated temperatures were maintained for over five million years during the end-Permian biotic crisis. This protracted recovery defies our current understanding of climate regulation via the silicate weathering feedback, and hints at a fundamentally altered carbon and silica cycle. Here, we propose that the development of widespread marine anoxia and Si-rich conditions, linked to the collapse of the biological silica factory, warming, and increased weathering, was capable of trapping Earth's system within a hyperthermal by enhancing ocean-atmosphere CO2 recycling via authigenic clay formation. While solid-Earth degassing may have acted as a trigger, subsequent biotic feedbacks likely exacerbated and prolonged the environmental crisis. This refined view of the carbon-silica cycle highlights that the ecological success of siliceous organisms exerts a potentially significant influence on Earth's climate regime.

Publication Date
2022-06-18
Online Publication Date
2022-06-18
Acceptance Date
2022-06-06
Keywords
Article, /704/106/413, /704/47/4113, /119/118, /145, article
Journal Title
Nat Commun
Journal ISSN
2041-1723
2041-1723
Volume Title
13
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (Royal Marsden) (MFP-UOW2010)