Tracking the rise of eukaryotes to ecological dominance with zinc isotopes
Open accessAbstract
The biogeochemical cycling of zinc (Zn) is intimately coupled with organic carbon in the ocean. Based on an extensive new sedimentary Zn isotope record across Earth's history, we provide evidence for a fundamental shift in the marine Zn cycle ~800 million years ago. We discuss a wide range of potential drivers for this transition and propose that, within available constraints, a restructuring of marine ecosystems is the most parsimonious explanation for this shift. Using a global isotope mass balance approach, we show that a change in the organic Zn/C ratio is required to account for observed Zn isotope trends through time. Given the higher affinity of eukaryotes for Zn relative to prokaryotes, we suggest that a shift toward a more eukaryote‐rich ecosystem could have provided a means of more efficiently sequestering organic‐derived Zn. Despite the much earlier appearance of eukaryotes in the microfossil record (~1700 to 1600 million years ago), our data suggest a delayed rise to ecological prominence during the Neoproterozoic, consistent with the currently accepted organic biomarker records.
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Zn isotope data offer hints of increasing eukaryotic biomass at ∼800 Ma, supported by greater eukaryotic microfossil abundances in the same time window.
“Consistent with these organic trends, zinc (Zn) isotope data, an emerging geochemical tracer, offer tantalizing hints of increasing eukaryotic biomass at ∼800 Ma (Isson et al., 2018) supported by greater eukaryotic microfossil abundances in the same time window (Cohen and Macdonald, 2015).”
From Oxygenation, Life, and the Planetary System during Earth's Middle History: An Overview (2021) · cites this paper as Isson et al., 2018
Recent organic geochemical data suggest that bacteria continued to dominate primary production until the interglacial between the Sturtian and Marinoan glaciations starting at roughly 660 Ma, while other data indicate a proliferation of eukaryotes starting closer to 800-750 Ma.
“Some recent organic geochemical data suggest that bacteria continued to dominate primary production until the interglacial between the Sturtian and Marinoan glaciations (Brocks et al., 2017) starting at roughly 660 Ma, while other data indicate a proliferation of eukaryotes starting closer to 800–750 Ma (Brocks et al., 2017; Brocks, 2018; Isson et al., 2018).”
From Oxygenation, Life, and the Planetary System during Earth's Middle History: An Overview (2021) · cites this paper as Isson et al., 2018
Cites
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Oxygenation, Life, and the Planetary System during Earth's Middle History: An Overview
Lyons, T. W., Diamond, C. W., Planavsky, N. J., Reinhard, C. T., & Li, C. (2021) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2020.2418 · Cited by 211 · see citing works
“, 2013) from marine shales deposited under euxinic and anoxic conditions, respectively; (F) zinc isotope data from marine sedimentary sulfides (Isson et al., 2018); and (G) timeline of evolutionary milestones.”
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Isson, T. T., Love, G. D., Dupont, C. L., Reinhard, C. T., Zumberge, A. J., Asael, D., Gueguen, B., McCrow, J., Gill, B. C., Owens, J., Rainbird, R. H., Rooney, A. D., Zhao, M., Stueeken, E. E., Konhauser, K. O., John, S. G., Lyons, T. W., & Planavsky, N. J.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- University of California, Riverside (US)
- J. Craig Venter Institute (US)
- Georgia Institute of Technology (US)
- Earth Science Université de Bretagne Occidentale Brest France
- Geosciences Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia
- Florida State University (US)
- Geological Survey of Canada (CA)
- Geology and Geophysics Yale University New Haven Connecticut
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of St Andrews, St Andrews Scotland UK
- University of Alberta (CA)
- Earth Science University of Southern Carolina Los Angeles California
- Corresponding author
- Isson, Terry T.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Geobiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-06-05
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 341-352
- ISSN
- 1472-4669 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-4677
- OpenAlex
- W2806838203
- Cited by
- 101
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 6.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Geobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- NASA Astrobiology Institute
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geophysics › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Keywords
- zinc isotopes, Neoproterozoic, isotope mass balance, prokaryotes, paleoceanography
- MeSH terms
- Carbon Isotopes, Biological Evolution, Fossils, Zinc Isotopes, Geologic Sediments, Eukaryota
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