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A shallow-water oxygen minimum zone in an oligotrophic Tonian basin

Author

Listed:
  • Yunpeng Sun

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Wei Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xianguo Lang

    (Chengdu University of Technology)

  • Chengguo Guan

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qing Ouyang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ke Pang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Guangjin Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yongliang Hu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hongyi Shi

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xianye Zhao

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Chuanming Zhou

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing)

Abstract

The Tonian Period (1000–720 Ma) bore witness to the transition from a prokaryote-dominated marine ecosystem to one characterized by the proliferation of eukaryotes. This fundamental shift has generally been attributed to evolving marine redox states. Here, we present sedimentological and geochemical analyses of the early Tonian Huainan, Feishui, and Huaibei groups in the Xuhuai basin of the North China craton. Multiple redox proxies show consistent, water depth-dependent variations across the Xuhuai basin. Excess barium contents and Ba/Al ratios further highlight spatial variations in primary productivity which ultimately regulate basinal redox structures. We propose that a shallow-water oxygen minimum zone sandwiched between the oxic/suboxic mid-depth and surface layer water masses occur in the oligotrophic Xuhuai basin, which is analogous to, but much shallower than modern oxygen minimum zones. Such marine redox architectures may benefit the maintenance of a bioavailable nitrate reservoir in the ocean, foreboding the subsequent expansion of eukaryotes.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunpeng Sun & Wei Wang & Xianguo Lang & Chengguo Guan & Qing Ouyang & Ke Pang & Guangjin Li & Yongliang Hu & Hongyi Shi & Xianye Zhao & Chuanming Zhou, 2025. "A shallow-water oxygen minimum zone in an oligotrophic Tonian basin," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-55881-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55881-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Swapan K. Sahoo & Noah J. Planavsky & Brian Kendall & Xinqiang Wang & Xiaoying Shi & Clint Scott & Ariel D. Anbar & Timothy W. Lyons & Ganqing Jiang, 2012. "Ocean oxygenation in the wake of the Marinoan glaciation," Nature, Nature, vol. 489(7417), pages 546-549, September.
    2. Yafang Song & Fred T. Bowyer & Benjamin J. W. Mills & Andrew S. Merdith & Paul B. Wignall & Jeff Peakall & Shuichang Zhang & Xiaomei Wang & Huajian Wang & Donald E. Canfield & Graham A. Shields & Simo, 2023. "Dynamic redox and nutrient cycling response to climate forcing in the Mesoproterozoic ocean," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
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