| Title | On the causes of mass extinctions |
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| Author | Bond, D; Grasby, S E |
| Source | Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology vol. 478, 2017 p. 3-29, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.11.005  Open Access |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2017 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20160231 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Subjects | paleontology; extinctions, biotic; volcanism; carbon isotopes; acid rain; meteorites; atmospheric geochemistry; paleoclimates; marine ecology; marine environments; Large Igneous Province (LIP);
Phanerozoic; Cambrian; Ordovician; Silurian; Devonian; Permian; Jurassic |
| Illustrations | tables; stratigraphic charts; schematic diagrams; location maps |
| Program | GEM2: Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals Western Arctic, High Arctic LIP |
| Released | 2016 11 11 |
| Abstract | The temporal link between large igneous province (LIP) eruptions and at least half of themajor extinctions of the Phanerozoic implies that large scale volcanism is the main driver of mass extinction.
Here we review almost twenty biotic crises between the early Cambrian and end Cretaceous and explore potential causal mechanisms. Most extinctions are associated with global warming and proximal killers such as marine anoxia (including the
Early/Middle Cambrian, the Late Ordovician, the intra-Silurian, intra-Devonian, end-Permian, and Early Jurassic crises). Many, but not all of these are accompanied by large negative carbon isotope excursions, supporting a volcanogenic origin. Most
post-Silurian biocrises affected both terrestrial and marine biospheres, suggesting that atmospheric processes were crucial in driving global extinctions. Volcanogenic-atmospheric kill mechanisms include ocean acidification, toxic metal poisoning,
acid rain, and ozone damage and consequent increased UV-B radiation, volcanic darkness, cooling and photosynthetic shutdown, each of which has been implicated in numerous events. Intriguingly, some of themost voluminous LIPs such as the oceanic
plateaus of the Cretaceous
were emplacedwith minimal faunal losses and so volume of magma is not the only factor governing LIP lethality. Themissing link might be continental configuration because the best examples of the LIP/extinction
relationship occurred during the time of Pangaea. Many of the proximal kill mechanisms in LIP/extinction scenarios are also potential effects of bolide impact, including cooling, warming, acidification and ozone destruction. However, the absence of
convincing temporal links between impacts and extinctions other than the Chicxulub-Cretaceous example, suggests that impacts are not themain driver of extinctions.With numerous competing extinction scenarios,
and the realisation that some of the
purported environmental stresses may once again be driving mass extinction, we explore how experimental biology might inform our understanding of ancient extinctions as well as future crises. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Mass extinctions have occurred numerous times through Earth history but the causes of these have remained uncertain. Work in the Canadian Arctic has shed
new light on some contributing factors which has led to and overview study of major Earth events that cause mass extinction. I leading driving is massive volcanic eruptions known as Large Igneous Provinces (LIP) events. One such is the High Artic
Large Igneous Province (HALIP). How these large eruptions drive mass extinction was studied, including factors such as gas generation (CO2, methane, halogens) by emplacement of volcanic rock into sedimentary basins. The impact that these gases have
on global climate and environment are seen as main extinction drivers. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 299348 |
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