An early Cambrian greenhouse climate

Science Advances
Thomas W HearingYannick Donnadieu

Abstract

The oceans of the early Cambrian (~541 to 509 million years ago) were the setting for a marked diversification of animal life. However, sea temperatures-a key component of the early Cambrian marine environment-remain unconstrained, in part because of a substantial time gap in the stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) record before the evolution of euconodonts. We show that previously overlooked sources of fossil biogenic phosphate have the potential to fill this gap. Pristine phosphatic microfossils from the Comley Limestones, UK, yield a robust δ18O signature, suggesting sea surface temperatures of 20° to 25°C at high southern paleolatitudes (~65°S to 70°S) between ~514 and 509 million years ago. These sea temperatures are consistent with the distribution of coeval evaporite and calcrete deposits, peak continental weathering rates, and also our climate model simulations for this interval. Our results support an early Cambrian greenhouse climate comparable to those of the late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic, offering a framework for exploring the interplay between biotic and environmental controls on Cambrian animal diversification.

References

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Jan 12, 2008·Science·André BornemannThomas Wagner
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Jan 24, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·David EvansHagit P Affek

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Citations

Aug 29, 2019·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Björn KrögerChristian M Ø Rasmussen
Apr 21, 2019·Scientific Reports·Thomas WotteArtem Kouchinsky
Feb 3, 2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Samuel L GoldbergKristin D Bergmann
Apr 9, 2021·Science Advances·Axelle ZacaïThomas Servais
Jun 25, 2021·Nature Communications·Thomas W Wong HearingThijs R A Vandenbroucke
Oct 6, 2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Richard G StockeyErik A Sperling

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
scanning electron microscopy
optical microscopy

Software Mentioned

BugPlates
Fast Ocean Atmosphere Model ( FOAM )
GEOCARB
CCM3

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