Constraints on Paleoproterozoic atmospheric oxygen levels

Bellefroid, Éric; Hood, Ashleigh v.S.; Hoffman, Paul F.; Thomas, Matthew; Reinhard, Christopher T.; Planavsky, Noah J.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1806216115

Cited by 99 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 64 publications

(84 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…1.9 and ca. 1.45 Ga benthic carbonates suggests a p O 2 of 0.1%–1% PAL (Bellefroid et al, ; Bellefroid, Planavsky, Hood, Halverson, & Spokas, ). Finally, recent work on rare oxygen isotopes (∆ 17 O) recorded in ca.…”

Section: Point–counterpoint Argumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, the intermediate‐complexity Earth system model cGENIE has been utilized by several groups to explore marine redox structure leading up to and during the rise and diversification of metazoans (Reinhard et al, ), and more recently to explore the potential impacts of marine nutrient levels on eukaryotic trophic ecology (Reinhard et al, accepted). As an alternative approach, estimates of marine physical dynamics at various climate states from higher resolution GCMs have been coupled with marine biogeochemical models (Bellefroid et al, ). This method allows for stochastic approaches to quantify unavoidable uncertainties when modeling Proterozoic environments.…”

Section: Point–counterpoint Argumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

On the co‐evolution of surface oxygen levels and animals

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Few topics in geobiology have been as extensively debated as the role of Earth's oxygenation in controlling when and why animals emerged and diversified. All currently described animals require oxygen for at least a portion of their life cycle. Therefore, the transition to an oxygenated planet was a prerequisite for the emergence of animals. Yet, our understanding of Earth's oxygenation and the environmental requirements of animal habitability and ecological success is currently limited; estimates for the timing of the appearance of environments sufficiently oxygenated to support ecologically stable populations of animals span a wide range, from billions of years to only a few million years before animals appear in the fossil record. In this light, the extent to which oxygen played an important role in controlling when animals appeared remains a topic of debate. When animals originated and when they diversified are separate questions, meaning either one or both of these phenomena could have been decoupled from oxygenation. Here, we present views from across this interpretive spectrum—in a point–counterpoint format—regarding crucial aspects of the potential links between animals and surface oxygen levels. We highlight areas where the standard discourse on this topic requires a change of course and note that several traditional arguments in this “life versus environment” debate are poorly founded. We also identify a clear need for basic research across a range of fields to disentangle the relationships between oxygen availability and emergence and diversification of animal life.

show abstract

Section: Point–counterpoint Argumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Point–counterpoint Argumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the co‐evolution of surface oxygen levels and animals

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A vague picture of the temporally and/or spatially confined nature of these pulses may be drawn from a cluster of ca. 1.9–1.8 Ga paleosols and marine sediments from Canada, which show quite different ranges of δ 53 Cr (Figure ), as well as variable Fe mobility (Babechuk et al, ; Bellefroid et al, ; Frei & Polat, ; Toma, Holmden, Shakotko, Pan, & Ootes, ). The redox conditions that prevailed in any one of these paleosols appear to have been localized in time and/or space, as the majority of Proterozoic paleosols as well as marine records indicate that the background state was one of limited (<1% PAL) atmospheric oxygen.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The last decade of research has led to a more nuanced view of atmospheric pO 2 , which recognizes that pO 2 may have risen to Phanerozoic-like levels in the Paleoproterozoic (Canfield, 2005;Lyons et al, 2014;Partin et al, 2013) and crashed to levels much lower than traditionally envisioned in the mid-Proterozoic (e.g., Bellefroid et al, 2018;Canfield, 1998;Cole et al, 2016;Crockford et al, 2018;Gilleaudeau et al, 2016;Hardisty et al, 2017;Li et al, 2015;Lyons et al, 2014;Planavsky et al, 2014;Scott et al, 2011;Tang, Shi, Wang, & Jiang, 2016). Evidence for inhibited Cr oxidation in the mid-Proterozoic (Cole, O'Connell, & Planavsky, 2018;Cole et al, 2016;Planavsky et al, 2014) also supports the case for low surface oxygen levels.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A paleosol record of the evolution of Cr redox cycling and evidence for an increase in atmospheric oxygen during the Neoproterozoic

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Atmospheric oxygen levels control the oxidative side of key biogeochemical cycles and place limits on the development of high‐energy metabolisms. Understanding Earth's oxygenation is thus critical to developing a clearer picture of Earth's long‐term evolution. However, there is currently vigorous debate about even basic aspects of the timing and pattern of the rise of oxygen. Chemical weathering in the terrestrial environment occurs in contact with the atmosphere, making paleosols potentially ideal archives to track the history of atmospheric O2 levels. Here we present stable chromium isotope data from multiple paleosols that offer snapshots of Earth surface conditions over the last three billion years. The results indicate a secular shift in the oxidative capacity of Earth's surface in the Neoproterozoic and suggest low atmospheric oxygen levels (<1% PAL pO2) through the majority of Earth's history. The paleosol record also shows that localized Cr oxidation may have begun as early as the Archean, but efficient, modern‐like transport of hexavalent Cr under an O2‐rich atmosphere did not become common until the Neoproterozoic.

show abstract

“…Neoproterozoic. Estimates for Mesoproterozoic atmospheric oxygen partial pressure ( O2) 627 suggest a decline to levels between ~0.01 to 0.1 PAL following the Lomagundi Event, with 628 persistent low values until the Late Neoproterozoic (Daines et al, 2017;Bellefroid et al, 2018;629 Crockford et al, 2018). Since there was limited, if any, variation in the terrestrial flux of sulfate 630 to the oceans in the aftermath of the GOE, the primary control on seawater sulfate 631 concentration must have been the expansive drawdown of sulfate (as pyrite) into sulfidic 632 environments in the water column and pore waters .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%