Interpretation of the nitrogen isotopic composition of Precambrian sedimentary rocks: Assumptions and perspectives

Ader, Magali; Thomazo, Christophe; Sansjofre, Pierre; Busigny, Vincent; Papineau, Dominic; Laffont, Rémi; Cartigny, Pierre; Halverson, Galen P.

doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.02.010

Cited by 157 publications

(198 citation statements)

References 221 publications

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“…The isotope shift by metamorphism can induce preferential release of 14 N from the OM. However, the low metamorphic grade of the Gunflint Formation (below greenschist facies) cannot be responsible for a significant fractionation, up to 5 ‰ (e.g., Haendal et al, 1986, Ader et al, 2016. The lack of systematic correlation between δ 15 N values and C/N ratios among kerogen samples expected by the metamorphism (e.g., Haendal et al, 1986) supports the above argument ( Fig.…”

Section: Nitrogen Isotope Heterogeneity In Gunflint Kerogensupporting

confidence: 67%

“…The nitrogen isotope compositions (δ 15 N values) of organic matter (OM) found in ancient sedimentary rocks are used as proxies for reconstructing the microbial nitrogen cycle and the palaeo-oceanic environment (e.g., Beaumont andRobert, 1999, Shen et al, 2006;Ader et al, 2016;Stüeken et al, 2016). OM in sedimentary rock is considered to be a complex mixture of several organisms, however, they are poorly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial nitrogen cycle enhanced by continental input recorded in the Gunflint Formation

Ishida¹,

Hashizume

Kakegawa

2017

Geochem. Persp. Let.

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Nitrogen isotope compositions (δ 15 N values) of kerogen in the sedimentary rocks from the 1878 Ma Gunflint Formation were analysed to understand the relationships among microbial activities, ocean chemistry, and tectonic evolution in the Animikie Basin. In the present study, the stepwise combustion analysis, performed on 13 kerogen samples, indicates that the δ 15 N values of kerogen can be sub-divided into two fractions with discrete values depending on the combustion temperatures: a lower-temperature fraction (from 500 to 575 ˚C), and a higher-temperature fraction (higher than 575 ˚C). A positive correlation was observed between the δ 15 N values of the lower-temperature fractions and Pr/Sm ratios, which represent contributions from the continental input. In contrast, no correlation was observed between the δ 15 N values of the higher-temperature fractions and the Pr/Sm ratios. This relationship between the δ 15 N values and the continental inputs is explained by the isotopic fractionation effects of the biological nitrogen cycle associated with the enhanced microbial activity, triggered by the active tectonic settings in the Animikie basin.

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Section: Nitrogen Isotope Heterogeneity In Gunflint Kerogensupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial nitrogen cycle enhanced by continental input recorded in the Gunflint Formation

Ishida¹,

Hashizume

Kakegawa

2017

Geochem. Persp. Let.

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“…However, the overall effect is variable and not always expressed (Busigny et al, 2003;Plessen et al, 2010;Yui et al, 2009), which prohibits precise corrections. However, the effect appears to be insignificant below greenschist facies (<1‰) and minor within the greenschist facies (1-2‰) (reviewed by Ader et al, 2016;Thomazo and Papineau, 2013). Rocks from upper greenschist to amphibolite facies or above may be metamorphically altered by several permil and are therefore generally avoided in studies aiming to reconstruct biogeochemical nitrogen cycling in deep time.…”

Section: Preservation Of Nitrogen Isotopes In the Rock Recordmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A major challenge in nitrogen isotope studies of ancient rocks is the potential for diagenetic and metamorphic alteration (reviewed by Ader et al, 2016;Robinson et al, 2012). Diagenetic effects differ markedly between anoxic and oxic depositional environments.…”

Section: Preservation Of Nitrogen Isotopes In the Rock Recordmentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolution of Earth's biogeochemical nitrogen cycle

Stüeken

Kipp

Koehler

et al. 2016

Earth-Science Reviews

328

287

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Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for all life on Earth and it acts as a major control on biological productivity in the modern ocean. Accurate reconstructions of the evolution of life over the course of the last four billion years therefore demand a better understanding of nitrogen bioavailability and speciation through time. The biogeochemical nitrogen cycle has evidently been closely tied to the redox state of the ocean and atmosphere. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that the Earth"s surface has passed in a non-linear fashion from an anoxic state in the Hadean to an oxic state in the later Phanerozoic. It is therefore likely that the nitrogen cycle has changed markedly over time, with potentially severe implications for the productivity and evolution of the biosphere. Here we compile nitrogen isotope data from the literature and review our current understanding of the evolution of the nitrogen cycle, with particular emphasis on the Precambrian. Combined with recent work on redox conditions, trace metal availability, sulfur and iron cycling on the early Earth, we then use the nitrogen isotope record as a platform to test existing and new hypotheses about biogeochemical pathways that may have controlled nitrogen availability through time. Among other things, we conclude that (a) abiotic nitrogen sources were likely insufficient to sustain a large biosphere, thus favoring an early origin of biological N 2 fixation, (b) evidence of nitrate in the Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic confirm current views of increasing surface oxygen levels at those times, (c) abundant ferrous iron and sulfide in the midPrecambrian ocean may have affected the speciation and size of the fixed nitrogen reservoir, and (d) nitrate availability alone was not a major driver of eukaryotic evolution.

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“…Nitrogen isotope compositions of ancient sedimentary rocks, especially some low‐grade metamorphic organic‐rich samples with dominant organic‐N such as black shale which have long been studied by geochemists, are usually used to reconstruct the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle over time . There are two general methods for the measurement of stable nitrogen isotope ratios by gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS): the offline Dumas dual‐inlet method and continuous‐flow elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bulk δ¹⁵N measurements of organic‐rich rock samples by elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry with enhanced oxidation ability

Han

Liu

et al. 2016

Rapid Comm Mass Spectrometry

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Interpretation of the nitrogen isotopic composition of Precambrian sedimentary rocks: Assumptions and perspectives

Cited by 157 publications

References 221 publications

Microbial nitrogen cycle enhanced by continental input recorded in the Gunflint Formation

Microbial nitrogen cycle enhanced by continental input recorded in the Gunflint Formation

The evolution of Earth's biogeochemical nitrogen cycle

Bulk δ¹⁵N measurements of organic‐rich rock samples by elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry with enhanced oxidation ability

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Interpretation of the nitrogen isotopic composition of Precambrian sedimentary rocks: Assumptions and perspectives

Cited by 157 publications

References 221 publications

Microbial nitrogen cycle enhanced by continental input recorded in the Gunflint Formation

Microbial nitrogen cycle enhanced by continental input recorded in the Gunflint Formation

The evolution of Earth's biogeochemical nitrogen cycle

Bulk δ15N measurements of organic‐rich rock samples by elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry with enhanced oxidation ability

Contact Info

Product

Resources

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Bulk δ¹⁵N measurements of organic‐rich rock samples by elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry with enhanced oxidation ability