Oxygenation of the Mesoproterozoic ocean and the evolution of complex eukaryotes

Zhang, Kan; Zhu, Xiangkun; Wood, Rachel; Shi, Yao; Gao, Zhaofu; Poulton, Simon W.

doi:10.1038/s41561-018-0111-y

Cited by 152 publications

(98 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Sulfur isotope studies from the same interval also suggested a small sulfate pool related to low oxygen levels in the atmosphere‐ocean system at that time (Guo et al, 2015; Luo et al, 2015). Recently, Zhang et al (2018) reported persistently negative Ce anomalies in REE patterns in the Gaoyuzhuang Member III in the Jixian section, which, along with a prominent negative carbonate δ 13 C excursion, was interpreted as evidence for a significant oxygenation event. This inference is further consolidated by the elevated I/(Ca + Mg) values from the same interval in the Gan'gou section, Yanqing area (Shang et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Supporting evidence comes from the circa 1.60–1.54 Ga Gaoyuzhuang Formation (Lu et al, 2008; Li et al, 2010), North China. Recently, Zhang et al (2018) reported an integrated study of rare earth elements (REEs), Fe speciation, and inorganic carbon isotopes (δ 13 C carb ) from the Gaoyuzhuang Formation. The moderately negative Ce anomalies in the Member III of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation were interpreted as an imprint of significant oxygenation at circa 1.56 Ga. A negative δ 13 C carb excursion in the lower part of Member III was attributed to the oxidation of 13 C‐depleted organic carbon in response to the oxygen rise (Zhang et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, Zhang et al (2018) reported an integrated study of rare earth elements (REEs), Fe speciation, and inorganic carbon isotopes (δ 13 C carb ) from the Gaoyuzhuang Formation. The moderately negative Ce anomalies in the Member III of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation were interpreted as an imprint of significant oxygenation at circa 1.56 Ga. A negative δ 13 C carb excursion in the lower part of Member III was attributed to the oxidation of 13 C‐depleted organic carbon in response to the oxygen rise (Zhang et al, 2018). Importantly, this inferred oxygenation event at circa 1.56 Ga is broadly coincident with the early diversification of eukaryotes and the occurrence of decimeter‐scale multicellular eukaryotes (Shi et al, 2017; Zhu et al, 2016), suggesting a possible causal link between them.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coupled Nitrate and Phosphate Availability Facilitated the Expansion of Eukaryotic Life at Circa 1.56 Ga

Wang

Shi

et al. 2020

JGR Biogeosciences

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Recent geochemical and paleontological studies have revealed a significant ocean oxygenation episode and an evolutionary leap of eukaryotes at the onset of the Mesoproterozoic. However, the potential role of nitrogen availability and its interaction with other nutrients in these environmental and biological events have not been investigated. Here we present an integrated study of nitrogen isotopes (δ 15 N), organic carbon isotopes (δ 13 C org ), and major and trace element concentrations from Member III of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the central North China Craton where the earliest macroscopic multicellular eukaryotic fossils were reported. The enrichments of redox-sensitive elements (Mo, U, and V), coupled with Mo-U covariations, δ 13 C org , and I/(Ca + Mg), indicate that the Gaoyuzhuang Member III in the study area was deposited in largely suboxic-anoxic environments with ephemeral occurrences of euxinia. These data reinforce previous inferences of a strongly redox stratified ocean during the early Mesoproterozoic, but a pulsed oxygenation event may have resulted in deepening of the chemocline. The high δ 15 N values from the study section are interpreted as a result of aerobic N cycling and the presence of a fairly stable nitrate pool in the surface oxic layer, possibly due to the combined effects of oxygenation and low primary productivity. Increased availability of nitrate could have contributed to the expansion of eukaryotic life at this time. However, our data also suggest that nitrate alone was not the only trigger. Instead, this evolutionary leap was likely facilitated by multiple environmental factors, including a rise in O 2 levels and increasing supplies of phosphorus and other bio-essential trace elements.Plain Language Summary The oldest macroscopic eukaryotes (algae) first appeared in ancient oceans about 1.56 billion years ago. Before that, only simple and microscopic fossils have been discovered. The reason behind this evolutionary leap is, however, still puzzling scientists. Here we use multiple proxies to study the change of nutrient and oxygen levels during this critical period. Our results demonstrate the availability of the nutrient nitrogen (in form of nitrate) in the oxic surface ocean owing largely to restrictive consumption by organic carbon decomposition, providing favorable N substance for bio-utilization. Furthermore, we also found evidence for the joint increase of O 2 level, seawater phosphorus, and some bio-essential trace elements along with the occurrence of these earliest algae. Our study provides important clues for untangling the triggers of biological innovation at circa 1.56 Ga.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coupled Nitrate and Phosphate Availability Facilitated the Expansion of Eukaryotic Life at Circa 1.56 Ga

Wang

Shi

et al. 2020

JGR Biogeosciences

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“…The ca. 1560 Ma Gaoyuzhuang Formation from the Yanliao rift of the North China Craton has revealed fossil evidence for early eukaryote multicellularity (Zhu et al., ) and additional biogeochemical evidence for expanded ocean‐water oxygenation contemporaneous with the eukaryotic fossils (Zhang et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paleoenvironmental proxies and what the Xiamaling Formation tells us about the mid‐Proterozoic ocean

et al. 2019

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The Mesoproterozoic Era (1,600–1,000 million years ago, Ma) geochemical record is sparse, but, nevertheless, critical in untangling relationships between the evolution of eukaryotic ecosystems and the evolution of Earth‐surface chemistry. The ca. 1,400 Ma Xiamaling Formation has experienced only very low‐grade thermal maturity and has emerged as a promising geochemical archive informing on the interplay between climate, ecosystem organization, and the chemistry of the atmosphere and oceans. Indeed, the geochemical record of portions of the Xiamaling Formation has been used to place minimum constraints on concentrations of atmospheric oxygen as well as possible influences of climate and climate change on water chemistry and sedimentation dynamics. A recent study has argued, however, that some portions of the Xiamaling Formation deposited in a highly restricted environment with only limited value as a geochemical archive. In this contribution, we fully explore these arguments as well as the underlying assumptions surrounding the use of many proxies used for paleo‐environmental reconstructions. In doing so, we pay particular attention to deep‐water oxygen‐minimum zone environments and show that these generate unique geochemical signals that have been underappreciated. These signals, however, are compatible with the geochemical record of those parts of the Xiamaling Formation interpreted as most restricted. Overall, we conclude that the Xiamaling Formation was most likely open to the global ocean throughout its depositional history. More broadly, we show that proper paleo‐environmental reconstructions require an understanding of the biogeochemical signals generated in all relevant modern analogue depositional environments. We also evaluate new data on the δ98Mo of Xiamaling Formation shales, revealing possible unknown pathways of molybdenum sequestration into sediments and concluding, finally, that seawater at that time likely had a δ98Mo value of about 1.1‰.

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“…If so, that was the first time (or possibly the first time since the Lomagundi excursion) that N-rich organic ocean floor sediment came into widespread contact with oxygenated water. This contact released organic N, leading to atmospheric O 2 increase, after which O 2 levels dropped once again 29,30 to the value imposed by the nitrogenase limit. Nitrogenase inhibition returns O 2 to low levels following O 2 increases, thus explaining an otherwise puzzling aspect of Proterozoic O 2 variation.…”

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confidence: 99%

Nitrogenase inhibition limited oxygenation of the Proterozoic atmosphere

Allen

Thake²,

Martin

2018

Preprint

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Cyanobacteria produced the atmospheric O2 that began accumulating 2.4 billion years ago1, leading to Earth’s Great Oxidation Event (GOE)2. For nearly 2 billion years following the GOE, O2 production was restricted and atmospheric oxygen remained low2–5. Oxygen rose again sharply with the advent of land plants roughly 450 million years ago, which increased atmospheric O2 through carbon burial4–5. Why did the O2 content of the atmosphere remain constant and low for more than a billion years despite the existence of O2-producing cyanobacteria? While geological limitations have been explored2–7, the limiting factor may have been biological, and enzymatic. Here we propose that O2 was kept low by oxygen inhibition of nitrogenase activity. Nitrogenase is the sole N2-fixing enzyme on Earth, and is inactive in air containing 2% or more O2 by volume8. No O2-resistant nitrogenase enzyme is known9–12. We further propose that nitrogenase inhibition by O2 kept atmospheric O2 low until upright terrestrial plants physically separated O2 production in aerial photosynthetic tissues from N2 fixation in soil, liberating nitrogenase from inhibition by atmospheric O2.

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Oxygenation of the Mesoproterozoic ocean and the evolution of complex eukaryotes

Cited by 152 publications

References 42 publications

Coupled Nitrate and Phosphate Availability Facilitated the Expansion of Eukaryotic Life at Circa 1.56 Ga

Coupled Nitrate and Phosphate Availability Facilitated the Expansion of Eukaryotic Life at Circa 1.56 Ga

Paleoenvironmental proxies and what the Xiamaling Formation tells us about the mid‐Proterozoic ocean

Nitrogenase inhibition limited oxygenation of the Proterozoic atmosphere

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