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Cited by 184Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsGeological and Geochemical AnalysisGeochemistry and Elemental Analysis

Highly fractionated chromium isotopes in Mesoproterozoic-aged shales and atmospheric oxygen

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Canfield, Donald E., Zhang, Shuichang, Frank, Anja B., Wang, Xiaomei, Wang, Huajian, Su, Jin, Ye, Yuntao, Frei, Robert·2018·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-05263-9PMC PMC6054612
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Abstract

The history of atmospheric oxygen through the Mesoproterozoic Era is uncertain, but may have played a role in the timing of major evolutionary developments among eukaryotes. Previous work using chromium isotopes in sedimentary rocks has suggested that Mesoproterozoic Era atmospheric oxygen levels were too low in concentration (<0.1% of present-day levels (PAL)) for the expansion of eukaryotic algae and for the evolution of crown-group animals that occurred later in the Neoproterozoic Era. In contrast, our new results on chromium isotopes from Mesoproterozoic-aged sedimentary rocks from the Shennongjia Group from South China is consistent with atmospheric oxygen concentrations of >1% PAL and thus the possibility that a permissive environment existed long before the expansion of various eukaryotic clades.

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  • Tectonic models related to rifting during breakup of the Nuna supercontinent at ∼1.4 Ga could provide a mechanism for periods of enhanced organic burial and related transient oxygenation.

    “Tectonic models during this interval as specifically related to rifting during breakup of the Nuna supercontinent at ∼1.4 Ga could provide a mechanism for periods of enhanced organic burial and related transient oxygenation (Zhang et al., 2012; Canfield et al., 2018; Diamond and Lyons, 2018; Large et al., 2019; Steadman et al., 2020).”

    From Oxygenation, Life, and the Planetary System during Earth's Middle History: An Overview (2021) · cites this paper as Canfield et al., 2018

    The Discussion reports atmospheric oxygen above 4% of present-day levels at about 1390 Ma, supporting oxygenation near the claimed time. It describes elevated oxygen as persistent, however, and does not link it to Nuna rifting or enhanced organic burial; those proposed mechanisms and the transient characterization are not supported by this paper. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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References 71 · Cited by 184

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Authors
Canfield, D. E., Zhang, S., Frank, A. B., Wang, X., Wang, H., Su, J., Ye, Y., & Frei, R.
Affiliations
  • University of Southern Denmark (DK)
  • Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development (CN)
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
Corresponding author
Canfield, Donald E.
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2018-07-20
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
2871-2871
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-018-05263-9
PMC
PMC6054612
OpenAlex
W2884889610
Cited by
184
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 1
FWCI
15.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Villum Fonden (41530317, 16518, 00016518, XDA14010101, 2016ZX05004-001, 2016A-0204, 00007292)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (XDA14010101, 2016A-0204, 41530317, 2016ZX05004001)
  • Ministeriet for Forskning Innovation og Videregående Uddannelser (11-103378)
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (2016ZX05004-001, 2016A-0204, XDA14010101, 41530317)
  • China National Petroleum Corporation (2016A‐0204, 41530317, 2016ZX05004-001, XDA14010101)
  • National Science and Technology Major Project (2016ZX05004-001)
  • Forsknings- og Innovationsstyrelsen
  • Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education (11-103378)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geophysics › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
Keywords
chromium isotopes, Mesoproterozoic, atmospheric oxygen, paleo-oxygenation, eukaryotic evolution, eukaryotic algae, sedimentary rock
MeSH terms
Atmosphere, China, Chromium, Chromium Isotopes, Eukaryotic Cells, Biological Evolution, Fossils, Geography, Minerals, Oxygen, Trace Elements, Geologic Sediments

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