Mercury anomalies and the timing of biotic recovery following the end-Triassic mass extinction

Thibodeau, Alyson M.; Ritterbush, Kathleen A.; Yager, Joyce A.; West, A. Joshua; Ibarra, Yadira; Bottjer, David J.; Berelson, William M.; Bergquist, Bridget A.; Corsetti, Frank A.

doi:10.1038/ncomms11147

Cited by 212 publications

(180 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…The Hg trends generated in this study are also compared, in Fig. 3, with the existing New York Canyon record (35), which appears to have a subtly different trend in sedimentary Hg/TOC increase, potentially resulting from atmospheric or local sedimentological processes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent study on the Triassic-Jurassic boundary section at New York Canyon (Nevada) showed an abrupt increase in Hg concentrations and Hg/TOC ratios correlated with the negative excursion in δ 13 C org that marks the end-Triassic extinction horizon (35). These Hg excursions were attributed to volcanic processes operating during the emplacement of CAMP.…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 96%

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Mercury evidence for pulsed volcanism during the end-Triassic mass extinction

Percival

Ruhl

Hesselbo

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

220

181

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The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) has long been proposed as having a causal relationship with the end-Triassic extinction event (∼201.5 Ma). In North America and northern Africa, CAMP is preserved as multiple basaltic units interbedded with uppermost Triassic to lowermost Jurassic sediments. However, it has been unclear whether this apparent pulsing was a local feature, or if pulses in the intensity of CAMP volcanism characterized the emplacement of the province as a whole. Here, six geographically widespread Triassic–Jurassic records, representing varied paleoenvironments, are analyzed for mercury (Hg) concentrations and Hg/total organic carbon (Hg/TOC) ratios. Volcanism is a major source of mercury to the modern environment. Clear increases in Hg and Hg/TOC are observed at the end-Triassic extinction horizon, confirming that a volcanically induced global Hg cycle perturbation occurred at that time. The established correlation between the extinction horizon and lowest CAMP basalts allows this sedimentary Hg excursion to be stratigraphically tied to a specific flood basalt unit, strengthening the case for volcanic Hg as the driver of sedimentary Hg/TOC spikes. Additional Hg/TOC peaks are also documented between the extinction horizon and the Triassic–Jurassic boundary (separated by ∼200 ky), supporting pulsatory intensity of CAMP volcanism across the entire province and providing direct evidence for episodic volatile release during the initial stages of CAMP emplacement. Pulsatory volcanism, and associated perturbations in the ocean–atmosphere system, likely had profound implications for the rate and magnitude of the end-Triassic mass extinction and subsequent biotic recovery.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 96%

Mercury evidence for pulsed volcanism during the end-Triassic mass extinction

Percival

Ruhl

Hesselbo

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

220

181

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“…Mercury is an excellent proxy for periods of major volcanic activity in the geological record (Grasby et al 2015;Thibodeau et al 2016). Organic matters strongly control mercury sequestration over geological time (Grasby et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The distribution and occurrence of mercury in Chinese coals

Bai

Wang

et al. 2017

Int J Coal Sci Technol

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Mercury is one of the most concerned hazardous elements in coals. 1018 coal samples of different coal-forming periods, coal-accumulating areas and coal ranks all over the country were collected to study the distributions of mercury in Chinese coals. The modes of occurrence of mercury were studied with float-sink experiments of 10 coals from different basins in China and correlation analyses were conducted between concentrations of mercury and maceral and sulfur contents, as well as the ash yield. The theoretic concentrations and affinities of mercury in vitrinite, inertinite, clay and pyrite were then calculated following the methods proposed by Solari. The weighted average concentration of mercury in Chinese coals is 0.154 lg/g, which is similar to that in the word coals in general. The mercury concentrations vary largely in the coals of different coal-forming period and coal-accumulating areas as geological settings play key roles in determining the geochemistry of mercury. The concentrations of mercury in coals from south and southwest China and those from North China of C 3 -P 1 are relatively higher while those from North China of J 1-2 and Northeast of J 3 -K 1 relatively lower. The general distribution trends of mercury are very similar to that of ash yield, sulfur contents in coals. Pyrite is the dominant carrier of mercury in most coals, especially in some high-sulfur coals with abundant epigenetic pyrite formed during diagenesis and metamorphism. Mercury has higher affinity to vitrinite than to inertinite in most coals, which accords with the geological origin of macerals and geochemistry of mercury.

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“…Sanei et al 17 demonstrated that the Siberian Trap eruption, the largest LIP in the geologic record and also associated with the largest Phanerozoic extinction event, left a characteristic mercury spike as a fingerprint in the rock record. Subsequent work has confirmed Hg spikes associated with other LIP events associated with mass extinction intervals [18][19][20][21][22][23] . Grasby et al 21 also demonstrated that background Hg levels appear constant over geologic time, showing that Hg spikes associated with LIPs are truly anomalous features of the rock record.…”

Section: Mercury As a Proxy For Lip Eventsmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Excess mercury flux to the environment during periods of major volcanic eruption can overwhelm this natural system, creating a mercury spike relative to total organic carbon (TOC) in the rock record 17 , as a key indicator of massive volcanism. Hg stable isotope data can further verify a volcanic source of Hg spikes 20,24 . According to Blum et al 25 , Hg stable isotopes exhibit both mass-dependent fractionation (MDF, reported as δ 202 Hg) and mass-independent fractionations (MIF, reported as Δ 199 Hg) in the environment and can be used as multi-dimensional tracers to discriminate Hg sources, transport and cycling [25][26][27][28] .…”

Section: Mercury As a Proxy For Lip Eventsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mercury Spikes Suggest Volcanic Driver of the Ordovician-Silurian Mass Extinction

Qing¹,

Zhao²,

Wang³

et al. 2017

Geological Society of America Abstracts With Programs

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The second largest Phanerozoic mass extinction occurred at the Ordovician-Silurian (O-S) boundary. However, unlike the other major mass extinction events, the driver for the O-S extinction remains uncertain. The abundance of mercury (Hg) and total organic carbon (TOC) of Ordovician and early Silurian marine sediments were analyzed from four sections (Huanghuachang, Chenjiahe, Wangjiawan and Dingjiapo) in the Yichang area, South China, as a test for evidence of massive volcanism associated with the O-S event. Our results indicate the Hg concentrations generally vary in parallel with TOC, and that the Hg/TOC ratios remain low and steady state through the Early and Middle Ordovician. However, Hg concentrations and the Hg/TOC ratio increased rapidly in the Late Katian, and have a second peak during the Late Hirnantian (Late Ordovician) that was temporally coincident with two main pulses of mass extinction. Hg isotope data display little to no variation associated with the Hg spikes during the extinction intervals, indicating that the observed Hg spikes are from a volcanic source. These results suggest intense volcanism occurred during the Late Ordovician, and as in other Phanerozoic extinctions, likely played an important role in the O-S event.Refinements in radio-isotopic dating techniques has demonstrated a strong temporal link between Large Igneous Province (LIP) volcanism and four out of the five largest mass extinctions in the Phanerozoic, leading to suggestions that LIP events have devastating effects on global ecosystems that in some ways mirrors concerns over modern anthropogenic impacts on the planet [1][2][3][4] . The one anomaly is the Ordovician-Silurian (O-S) mass extinction, the second largest of the "Big Five" extinctions. In terms of species loss the O-S represented about 86% of marine life 5,6 , including the elimination of graptolites 7-9 and brachiopods 10, 11 . The triggering mechanism of the O-S mass extinction has been extensively debated, and various hypotheses have been proposed, including gamma ray burst and bolide impact 12,13 ; however, the cause still remains highly controversial. Intense Late Ordovician volcanism was also suggested as a potential extinction mechanism 14,15 , although no clear geologic record of a Late Ordovician LIP event has been demonstrated. The age of the event makes it possible that any geologic record has been lost 15 . Given this, we tested for indirect evidence of volcanism at the O-S extinction boundary by examining the Hg record from classic sections in south China. Here we show that significant spikes in Hg concentrations occur at the O-S extinction, along with Hg stable isotope data that indicate a volcanic source for these spikes. We suggest that this reflects Hg loading by a LIP event. If correct, these results demonstrate that LIP events have indeed played a critical role in the evolution of life through time. Mercury as a Proxy for LIP eventsVolcanic eruptions are the main natural source of Hg to the environment 16 . Sanei et al. 17 demonstrated that th...

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Mercury anomalies and the timing of biotic recovery following the end-Triassic mass extinction

Cited by 212 publications

References 48 publications

Mercury evidence for pulsed volcanism during the end-Triassic mass extinction

Mercury evidence for pulsed volcanism during the end-Triassic mass extinction

The distribution and occurrence of mercury in Chinese coals

Mercury Spikes Suggest Volcanic Driver of the Ordovician-Silurian Mass Extinction

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