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Charcoal evidence that rising atmospheric oxygen terminated Early Jurassic ocean anoxia

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah J. Baker

    (wildFIRE Lab, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter)

  • Stephen P. Hesselbo

    (Deep time global change research group, Camborne School of Mines and Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter)

  • Timothy M. Lenton

    (Earth System Science Group)

  • Luís V. Duarte

    (MARE, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Coimbra)

  • Claire M. Belcher

    (wildFIRE Lab, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter)

Abstract

The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) was characterized by a major disturbance to the global carbon(C)-cycle, and depleted oxygen in Earth’s oceans resulting in marine mass extinction. Numerical models predict that increased organic carbon burial should drive a rise in atmospheric oxygen (pO2) leading to termination of an OAE after ∼1 Myr. Wildfire is highly responsive to changes in pO2 implying that fire-activity should vary across OAEs. Here we test this hypothesis by tracing variations in the abundance of fossil charcoal across the T-OAE. We report a sustained ∼800 kyr enhancement of fire-activity beginning ∼1 Myr after the onset of the T-OAE and peaking during its termination. This major enhancement of fire occurred across the timescale of predicted pO2 variations, and we argue this was primarily driven by increased pO2. Our study provides the first fossil-based evidence suggesting that fire-feedbacks to rising pO2 may have aided in terminating the T-OAE.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah J. Baker & Stephen P. Hesselbo & Timothy M. Lenton & Luís V. Duarte & Claire M. Belcher, 2017. "Charcoal evidence that rising atmospheric oxygen terminated Early Jurassic ocean anoxia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15018
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15018
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    Cited by:

    1. Rayanne Vitali & Claire M. Belcher & Jed O. Kaplan & Andrew J. Watson, 2022. "Increased fire activity under high atmospheric oxygen concentrations is compatible with the presence of forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

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