For much of the Mesozoic record there has been an inconclusive debate on the possible global significance of isotopic proxies for environmental change and of sequence stratigraphic depositional ...sequences. We present a carbon and oxygen isotope and elemental record for part of the Early Jurassic based on marine benthic and nektobenthic molluscs and brachiopods from the shallow marine succession of the Cleveland Basin, UK. The invertebrate isotope record is supplemented with carbon isotope data from fossil wood, which samples atmospheric carbon. New data elucidate two major global carbon isotope events, a negative excursion of ∼2‰ at the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian boundary, and a positive excursion of ∼2‰ in the Late Pliensbachian. The Sinemurian–Pliensbachian boundary event is similar to the slightly younger Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event and is characterized by deposition of relatively deepwater organic‐rich shale. The Late Pliensbachian strata by contrast are characterized by shallow marine deposition. Oxygen isotope data imply cooling locally for both events. However, because deeper water conditions characterize the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian boundary in the Cleveland Basin the temperature drop is likely of local significance; in contrast a cool Late Pliensbachian shallow seafloor agrees with previous inference of partial icehouse conditions. Both the large‐scale, long‐term and small‐scale, short‐duration isotopic cycles occurred in concert with relative sea level changes documented previously from sequence stratigraphy. Isotope events and the sea level cycles are concluded to reflect processes of global significance, supporting the idea of an Early Jurassic in which cyclic swings from icehouse to greenhouse and super greenhouse conditions occurred at timescales from 1 to 10 Ma.
Key Points
New Early Jurassic d13C and d18O records reveal positive and negative excursions
Oxygen‐isotopes imply cooling during the Late Pliensbachian
Warming and cooling events occurred together with relative sea‐level
The Jurassic (∼201-145 Myr ago) was long considered a warm 'greenhouse' period; more recently cool, even 'icehouse' episodes have been postulated. However, the mechanisms governing transition between ...so-called Warm Modes and Cool Modes are poorly known. Here we present a new large high-quality oxygen-isotope dataset from an interval that includes previously suggested mode transitions. Our results show an especially abrupt earliest Middle Jurassic (∼174 Ma) mid-latitude cooling of seawater by as much as 10 °C in the north-south Laurasian Seaway, a marine passage that connected the equatorial Tethys Ocean to the Boreal Sea. Coincidence in timing with large-scale regional lithospheric updoming of the North Sea region is striking, and we hypothesize that northward oceanic heat transport was impeded by uplift, triggering Cool Mode conditions more widely. This extreme climate-mode transition provides a counter-example to other Mesozoic transitions linked to quantitative change in atmospheric greenhouse gas content.
Global perturbations to the Early Jurassic environment (∼201 to ∼174 Ma), notably during the Triassic–Jurassic transition and Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event, are well studied and largely associated ...with volcanogenic greenhouse gas emissions released by large igneous provinces. The long-term secular evolution, timing, and pacing of changes in the Early Jurassic carbon cycle that provide context for these events are thus far poorly understood due to a lack of continuous high-resolution δ13C data. Here we present a δ13CTOC record for the uppermost Rhaetian (Triassic) to Pliensbachian (Lower Jurassic), derived from a calcareous mudstone succession of the exceptionally expanded Llanbedr (Mochras Farm) borehole, Cardigan Bay Basin, Wales, United Kingdom. Combined with existing δ13CTOC data from the Toarcian, the compilation covers the entire Lower Jurassic. The dataset reproduces large-amplitude δ13CTOC excursions (>3‰) recognized elsewhere, at the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian transition and in the lower Toarcian serpentinum zone, as well as several previously identified medium-amplitude (∼0.5 to 2‰) shifts in the Hettangian to Pliensbachian interval. In addition, multiple hitherto undiscovered isotope shifts of comparable amplitude and stratigraphic extent are recorded, demonstrating that those similar features described earlier from stratigraphically more limited sections are nonunique in a long-term context. These shifts are identified as long-eccentricity (∼405-ky) orbital cycles. Orbital tuning of the δ13CTOC record provides the basis for an astrochronological duration estimate for the Pliensbachian and Sinemurian, giving implications for the duration of the Hettangian Stage. Overall the chemostratigraphy illustrates particular sensitivity of the marine carbon cycle to long-eccentricity orbital forcing.
The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) has long been proposed as having a causal relationship with the end-Triassic extinction event (∼201.5 Ma). In North America and northern Africa, CAMP is ...preserved as multiple basaltic units interbedded with uppermost Triassic to lowermost Jurassic sediments. However, it has been unclear whether this apparent pulsing was a local feature, or if pulses in the intensity of CAMP volcanism characterized the emplacement of the province as a whole. Here, six geographically widespread Triassic–Jurassic records, representing varied paleoenvironments, are analyzed for mercury (Hg) concentrations and Hg/total organic carbon (Hg/TOC) ratios. Volcanism is a major source of mercury to the modern environment. Clear increases in Hg and Hg/TOC are observed at the end-Triassic extinction horizon, confirming that a volcanically induced global Hg cycle perturbation occurred at that time. The established correlation between the extinction horizon and lowest CAMP basalts allows this sedimentary Hg excursion to be stratigraphically tied to a specific flood basalt unit, strengthening the case for volcanic Hg as the driver of sedimentary Hg/TOC spikes. Additional Hg/TOC peaks are also documented between the extinction horizon and the Triassic–Jurassic boundary (separated by ∼200 ky), supporting pulsatory intensity of CAMP volcanism across the entire province and providing direct evidence for episodic volatile release during the initial stages of CAMP emplacement. Pulsatory volcanism, and associated perturbations in the ocean–atmosphere system, likely had profound implications for the rate and magnitude of the end-Triassic mass extinction and subsequent biotic recovery.
During the Mesozoic (250–64Ma) intervals of about 0.5Myr were subject to severe environmental changes, including high sea-surface temperature and very low oxygen content of marine water. These ...Oceanic Anoxic Events, or OAEs, occurred simultaneously with profound disturbance to the carbon cycle. The carbon-isotope anomaly in the Early Jurassic that marks the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) at ~182Ma is characterized in marine sections by a series of dramatic steps towards lighter values. Herein we present new carbon-isotope data from terrestrial organic matter (phytoclast separates), collected through a Late Pliensbachian–Middle Toarcian coastal and marginal marine succession in the Polish Basin, a setting where hinterland climate and sea-level change are well recorded. The results show that the shift to light carbon-isotope values in the woody organic matter, and therefore also in atmospheric carbon dioxide, similarly occurred in major steps. The steps are here correlated with those identified from marine organic matter, where they have previously been attributed to 100kyr eccentricity forcing of climate. The results provide strong support for orbitally and climatically controlled release of isotopically light carbon from gas hydrates into the ocean–atmosphere system in a series of rapid bursts. Additionally, a link between the carbon-isotope steps and shoreline movements can be demonstrated. Individual peaks of the negative excursion are mostly associated with facies indicative of sea-level rise (flooding surfaces). However, at the same time inferred higher atmospheric carbon-dioxide content may be expected to have resulted in increased rainfall and temperature, leading to accelerated weathering and erosion, and consequently increased sediment supply, progradation and regression, causing some mismatches between isotope shifts and inferred sea-level changes. Enhanced abundance of megaspores derived from hydrophilic plant groups, and marked increase in kaolinite, are coincident with the overall development of the negative isotope excursion. The combined data suggest that each 100-kyr cycle in carbon-isotope values was characterized by increasingly severe palaeoclimatic change, culminating in extremely hot and humid conditions co-incident with the peak of the final most negative carbon-isotope excursion. The chemostratigraphic correlation allows very precise dating of the Late Pliensbachian–Middle Toarcian coastal and marginal marine sedimentary succession in the Polish Basin.
► We present new carbon-isotope data from woody organic matter from the Early Jurassic, Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event. ► Shifts occur to light carbon-isotope values occur in a series of steps. Steps correlate with those identified from marine materials and have previously been attributed to astronomical forcing (100kyr periodicity). ► Results support orbitally and climatically controlled release of carbon from hydrates into the ocean–atmosphere system in series of rapid bursts.
The Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE; ∼183 million y ago) is possibly the most extreme episode of widespread ocean oxygen deficiency in the Phanerozoic, coinciding with rapid atmospheric p CO ₂ ...increase and significant loss of biodiversity in marine faunas. The event is a unique past tipping point in the Earth system, where rapid and massive release of isotopically light carbon led to a major perturbation in the global carbon cycle as recorded in organic and inorganic C isotope records. Modern marine ecosystems are projected to experience major loss in biodiversity in response to enhanced ocean anoxia driven by anthropogenic release of greenhouse gases. Potential consequences of this anthropogenic forcing can be approximated by studying analog environmental perturbations in the past such as the T-OAE. Here we present to our knowledge the first organic carbon isotope record derived from the organic matrix in the calcite rostra of early Toarcian belemnites. We combine both organic and calcite carbon isotope analyses of individual specimens of these marine predators to obtain a refined reconstruction of the early Toarcian global exogenic carbon cycle perturbation and belemnite paleoecology. The organic carbon isotope data combined with measurements of oxygen isotope values from the same specimens allow for a more robust interpretation of the interplay between the global carbon cycle perturbation, environmental change, and biotic response during the T-OAE. We infer that belemnites adapted to environmental change by shifting their habitat from cold bottom waters to warm surface waters in response to expanded seafloor anoxia.
The Early Jurassic was marked by multiple periods of major global climatic and palaeoceanographic change, biotic turnover and perturbed global geochemical cycles, commonly linked to large igneous ...province volcanism. This epoch was also characterised by the initial break-up of the super-continent Pangaea and the opening and formation of shallow-marine basins and ocean gateways, the timing of which are poorly constrained. Here, we show that the Pliensbachian Stage and the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian global carbon-cycle perturbation (marked by a negative shift in δ13C of 2–4‰), have respective durations of ∼8.7 and ∼2 Myr. We astronomically tune the floating Pliensbachian time scale to the 405 Kyr eccentricity solution (La2010d), and propose a revised Early Jurassic time scale with a significantly shortened Sinemurian Stage duration of 6.9±0.4 Myr. When calibrated against the new time scale, the existing Pliensbachian seawater 87Sr/86Sr record shows relatively stable values during the first ∼2 Myr of the Pliensbachian, superimposed on the long-term Early Jurassic decline in 87Sr/86Sr. This plateau in 87Sr/86Sr values coincides with the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian boundary carbon-cycle perturbation. It is possibly linked to a late phase of Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) volcanism that induced enhanced global weathering of continental crustal materials, leading to an elevated radiogenic strontium flux to the global ocean.
•Astronomical constraints on the duration of the complete Pliensbachian Stage and ammonite (sub)zones.•Astronomical constraints on the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian and Late Pliensbachian global carbon-cycle perturbations.•Revision of the Early Jurassic numerical (absolute) time-scale.•Observed plateau in the Lower Pliensbachian 87Sr/86Sr-record suggesting elevated global weathering rates.
Abstract
The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a period of geologically-rapid carbon release and global warming ~56 million years ago. Although modelling, outcrop and proxy records suggest ...volcanic carbon release occurred, it has not yet been possible to identify the PETM trigger, or if multiple reservoirs of carbon were involved. Here we report elevated levels of mercury relative to organic carbon—a proxy for volcanism—directly preceding and within the early PETM from two North Sea sedimentary cores, signifying pulsed volcanism from the North Atlantic Igneous Province likely provided the trigger and subsequently sustained elevated CO
2
. However, the PETM onset coincides with a mercury low, suggesting at least one other carbon reservoir released significant greenhouse gases in response to initial warming. Our results support the existence of ‘tipping points’ in the Earth system, which can trigger release of additional carbon reservoirs and drive Earth’s climate into a hotter state.
The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) in the Early Jurassic (∼
183 Ma ago) was characterized by widespread near-synchronous deposition of organic-rich shales in marine settings, as well as ...perturbations to several isotopic systems. Characteristically, two positive carbon-isotope excursions in a range of materials are separated by an abrupt negative shift. Carbon-isotope profiles from Toarcian fossil wood collected in England and Denmark have previously been shown to exhibit this large drop (∼ −
7‰) in
δ
13C values, interpreted as due to an injection of isotopically light CO
2 into the ocean–atmosphere system. However, the global nature of this excursion has been challenged on the basis of carbon-isotope data from nektonic marine molluscs (belemnites), which exhibit heavier than expected carbon-isotope values. Here we present new data, principally from fossil wood and bulk carbonate collected at centimetre scale from a hemipelagic section at Peniche, coastal Portugal. This section is low in organic carbon (average TOC
=
∼
0.5%), and the samples should not have suffered significant diagenetic contamination by organic carbon of marine origin. The carbon-isotope profile based on wood shows two positive excursions separated by a large and abrupt negative excursion, which parallels exactly the profile based on bulk carbonate samples from the same section, albeit with approximately twice the amplitude (∼ −
8‰ in wood versus ∼ −
3.5‰ in carbonate). These data indicate that the negative carbon-isotope excursion affected the atmosphere and, by implication, the global ocean as well. The difference in amplitude between terrestrial organic and marine carbonate curves can be explained by greater water availability in the terrestrial environment during the negative excursion, for which there is independent evidence from marine osmium-isotope records and, plausibly, changes in atmospheric CO
2 content, for which independent evidence is also available. The Peniche succession is also notable for the occurrence of re-deposited sediments: their lowest occurrence coincides with the base of the negative excursion and their highest occurrence coincides with its top. Thus, slope instability and sediment supply could have been strongly linked to the global environmental perturbation, an association that may misleadingly simulate the effects of sea-level fall.
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