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A lithium-isotope perspective on the evolution of carbon and silicon cycles

Author

Listed:
  • Boriana Kalderon-Asael

    (Yale University)

  • Joachim A. R. Katchinoff

    (Yale University)

  • Noah J. Planavsky

    (Yale University)

  • Ashleigh v. S. Hood

    (School of Earth Sciences, Parkville)

  • Mathieu Dellinger

    (Durham University)

  • Eric J. Bellefroid

    (Yale University)

  • David S. Jones

    (Amherst College Geology Department)

  • Axel Hofmann

    (University of Johannesburg)

  • Frantz Ossa Ossa

    (University of Johannesburg
    University of Tuebingen)

  • Francis A. Macdonald

    (University of California Santa Barbara)

  • Chunjiang Wang

    (College of Geosciences)

  • Terry T. Isson

    (Yale University
    University of Waikato)

  • Jack G. Murphy

    (Princeton University)

  • John A. Higgins

    (Princeton University)

  • A. Joshua West

    (University of Southern California)

  • Malcolm W. Wallace

    (School of Earth Sciences, Parkville)

  • Dan Asael

    (Yale University)

  • Philip A. E. Pogge von Strandmann

    (University College London and Birkbeck, University of London
    Johannes Gutenberg University)

Abstract

The evolution of the global carbon and silicon cycles is thought to have contributed to the long-term stability of Earth’s climate1–3. Many questions remain, however, regarding the feedback mechanisms at play, and there are limited quantitative constraints on the sources and sinks of these elements in Earth’s surface environments4–12. Here we argue that the lithium-isotope record can be used to track the processes controlling the long-term carbon and silicon cycles. By analysing more than 600 shallow-water marine carbonate samples from more than 100 stratigraphic units, we construct a new carbonate-based lithium-isotope record spanning the past 3 billion years. The data suggest an increase in the carbonate lithium-isotope values over time, which we propose was driven by long-term changes in the lithium-isotopic conditions of sea water, rather than by changes in the sedimentary alterations of older samples. Using a mass-balance modelling approach, we propose that the observed trend in lithium-isotope values reflects a transition from Precambrian carbon and silicon cycles to those characteristic of the modern. We speculate that this transition was linked to a gradual shift to a biologically controlled marine silicon cycle and the evolutionary radiation of land plants13,14.

Suggested Citation

  • Boriana Kalderon-Asael & Joachim A. R. Katchinoff & Noah J. Planavsky & Ashleigh v. S. Hood & Mathieu Dellinger & Eric J. Bellefroid & David S. Jones & Axel Hofmann & Frantz Ossa Ossa & Francis A. Mac, 2021. "A lithium-isotope perspective on the evolution of carbon and silicon cycles," Nature, Nature, vol. 595(7867), pages 394-398, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:595:y:2021:i:7867:d:10.1038_s41586-021-03612-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03612-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Fei Zhang & Mathieu Dellinger & Robert G. Hilton & Jimin Yu & Mark B. Allen & Alexander L. Densmore & Hui Sun & Zhangdong Jin, 2022. "Hydrological control of river and seawater lithium isotopes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Andre Baldermann & Santanu Banerjee & György Czuppon & Martin Dietzel & Juraj Farkaš & Stefan Lӧhr & Ulrike Moser & Esther Scheiblhofer & Nicky M. Wright & Thomas Zack, 2022. "Impact of green clay authigenesis on element sequestration in marine settings," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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