A Pulse of Oxygen Increase in the Early Mesoproterozoic Ocean at ca. 1.57–1.56 Ga

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-10-2019

Publication Title

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

Volume

527

First page number:

1

Last page number:

16

Abstract

The relationship between oxygen and evolution of early eukaryotes including algae and primitive animals in geological history has been debated, partly due to the varying estimates of oxygen levels in the mid-Proterozoic (ca. 1.8–0.8 Ga) ocean and atmosphere. The upper part of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation (ca. 1.60–1.54 Ga) in North China hosts decimeter-scale multicellular eukaryotic fossils and is documented with a decrease in cerium anomaly indicative of ocean oxygenation. However, the atmospheric oxygen level across this interval and its subsequent oxidation state require further investigation using additional redox proxies. Here we report I/(Ca+Mg) ratios, carbonate/organic carbon isotopes ( and ), and phosphorous (P) contents across the ca. 1.57–1.56 Ga fossil-bearing interval in the North China Platform. High I/(Ca+Mg) ratios.. (see full abstract in article).

Keywords

Boring billion; Oxygenation episode; Gaoyuzhuang Formation; I/(Ca+Mg); North China Platform

Disciplines

Hydrology | Paleobiology

Language

English

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