IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v397y1999i6715d10.1038_16441.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sulphidic Mediterranean surface waters during Pliocene sapropel formation

Author

Listed:
  • Hilde F. Passier

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University
    Paleomagnetic Laboratory)

  • Hendrik-Jan Bosch

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University)

  • Ivar A. Nijenhuis

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University)

  • Lucas J. Lourens

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University)

  • Michael E. Böttcher

    (Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Oldenburg University
    Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology, Biogeochemistry)

  • Anke Leenders

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University
    Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology)

  • Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University
    Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology)

  • Gert J. de Lange

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University)

  • Jan W. Leeuw

    (Institute of Paleoenvironments and Paleoclimate Utrecht (IPPU), Geochemistry and Micropaleontology, Utrecht University
    Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology)

Abstract

Sapropels—organic-matter rich layers—are common in Neogene sediments of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The formation of these layers has been attributed to climate-related increases in organic-matter production1,2,3 and increased organic-matter preservation due to oxygen depletion in more stagnant bottom waters2,3. Here we report that eastern Mediterranean Pliocene sapropels4 contain molecular fossils of a compound (isorenieratene) known to be synthesized by photosynthetic green sulphur bacteria, suggesting that sulphidic (euxinic)—and therefore anoxic—conditions prevailed in the photic zone of the water column. These sapropels also have a high trace-metal content, which is probably due to the efficient scavenging of these metals by precipitating sulphides in a euxinic water column. The abundance and sulphur-isotope composition of pyrite are consistent with iron sulphide formation in the water column. We conclude that basin-wide water-column euxinia occurred over substantial periods during Pliocene sapropel formation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and that the ultimate degradation of the increased organic-matter production was strongly influential in generating and sustaining the euxinic conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Hilde F. Passier & Hendrik-Jan Bosch & Ivar A. Nijenhuis & Lucas J. Lourens & Michael E. Böttcher & Anke Leenders & Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté & Gert J. de Lange & Jan W. Leeuw, 1999. "Sulphidic Mediterranean surface waters during Pliocene sapropel formation," Nature, Nature, vol. 397(6715), pages 146-149, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:397:y:1999:i:6715:d:10.1038_16441
    DOI: 10.1038/16441
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/16441
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/16441?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:397:y:1999:i:6715:d:10.1038_16441. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.