Global synchronous changes in the carbon isotopic composition of carbonate sediments unrelated to changes in the global carbon cycle
Open accessAbstract
The carbon isotopic (delta(13)C) composition of bulk carbonate sediments deposited off the margins of four carbonate platforms/ramp systems (Bahamas, Maldives, Queensland Plateau, and Great Australian Bight) show synchronous changes over the past 0 to 10 million years. However, these variations are different from the established global pattern in the delta(13)C measured in the open oceans over the same time period. For example, from 10 Ma to the present, the delta(13)C of open oceanic carbonate has decreased, whereas platform margin sediments analyzed here show an increase. It is suggested that the delta(13)C patterns in the marginal platform deposits are produced through admixing of aragonite-rich sediments, which have relatively positive delta(13)C values, with pelagic materials, which have lower delta(13)C values. As the more isotopically positive shallow-water carbonate sediments are only produced when the platforms are flooded, there is a connection between changes in global sea level and the delta(13)C of sediments in marginal settings. These data indicate that globally synchronous changes in delta(13)C can take place that are completely unrelated to variations in the global carbon cycle. Fluctuations in the delta(13)C of carbonate sediments measured during previous geological periods may also be subject to similar processes, and global synchroniety of delta(13)C can no longer necessarily be considered an indicator that such changes are related to, or caused by, variati…
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Modern Bahama Bank water masses and related carbonate sediments are up to 5% enriched in 13C compared to the adjacent open ocean.
“For example, the water masses, and related carbonate sediments, on modern Bahama Bank are up to 5% enriched in 13C compared to the adjacent open ocean (Swaart, 2008).”
From Evolution of Sedimentary Rocks (2014) · cites this paper as Swaart, 2008
Cites
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“It has been proposed that there has been a change in the dominant type of calcium carbonate precipitated inorganically and by shallow-water carbonate secreting organisms from LMC to aragonite (50) related to the changing Mg/Ca of the oceans (51).”
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“Methods Samples of sediment (5 cm3) from the cores were freeze-dried, and a portion of the bulk sample was analyzed for 13C by using a Finnigan-MAT 251 after dissolution in phosphoric acid by using a common-acid bath technique (54).”
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Evolution of Sedimentary Rocks
Veizer, J., & Mackenzie, F. T. (2014) · Treatise on Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-095975-7.00715-4 · Cited by 1,592 · see citing works
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“In response to this, chemostratigraphy has been suggested as 70 some doubt regarding the application of chemostratigraphic data (Swart and Eberli 2005; 72 Swart 2008; Parkhaev, 2014).”
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Organic Carbon Cycling and the Lithosphere
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- Authors
- Swart, P. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- Corresponding author
- Swart, Peter K.
- ORCID
- Swart, Peter K.
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2008-09-16
- Volume
- 105
- Issue
- 37
- Pages
- 13741-13745
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC2544524
- OpenAlex
- W2065756726
- Cited by
- 234
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 4.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Earth-Surface Processes › Geological formations and processes
- Keywords
- carbon isotopes, carbonate sediments, carbonate platform, carbonate ramp, aragonite, pelagic carbonates, sediment mixing, global sea level change, organic carbon burial, carbon cycle, Bahamas, Maldives, Queensland Plateau, Great Australian Bight, Miocene-Pliocene
- MeSH terms
- Calcium Carbonate, Carbon, Carbon Isotopes, Carbonates, X-Ray Diffraction, Ecosystem, Geologic Sediments
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