Phosphorus-cycle disturbances during the Late Devonian anoxic events

L.M.E. Percival; D.P.G. Bond; M. Rakociński; L. Marynowski; A.V.S. Hood; T. Adatte; J.E. Spangenberg; K.B. Föllmi

doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.103070

Phosphorus-cycle disturbances during the Late Devonian anoxic events

L.M.E. Percival, D.P.G. Bond, M. Rakociński, L. Marynowski, A.V.S. Hood, T. Adatte, J.E. Spangenberg, K.B. Föllmi

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The Late Devonian was marked by repeated faunal crises and episodes of geographically widespread marine anoxia, and featured one of the ‘Big Five’ mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic Aeon during the Frasnian–Famennian transition. However, the processes responsible for causing the numerous anoxic events remain unclear. This study highlights the occurrence of disturbances to the phosphorus cycle during several Late Devonian crises by investigating sedimentary concentrations of the element (Ptot) as a tracer of nutrient influx, as well as its ratio with total organic carbon (TOC) to infer the recycling of the element from marine sediments. Increased TOC/Ptot ratios in the Frasnian–Famennian Lower and Upper Kellwasser horizons and upper Famennian Annulata and Hangenberg levels suggest that such nutrient recycling occurred across extensive areas of the marine shelf in Laurentia and both Rheic Ocean margins at those times, helping to sustain reducing conditions in those environments. Elevated Ptot values in the Upper Kellwasser, Annulata, and Hangenberg levels are consistent with an enhanced nutrient influx as the initial trigger for the anoxia. Correlation of phosphorus trends with other geochemical indicators of weathering/detrital influx (osmium-isotope, silicon/aluminum, and titanium/aluminium ratios) support a scenario in which terrestrial runoff provided these nutrients both to marine shelves and the oceanic inventory. Upwelling of oceanic deep-water bodies may have then brought the phosphorus to areas that had not featured major direct inputs of terrigenous material. The exception is the Lower Kellwasser Event, during which there was no increase in phosphorus delivery to marine areas and no evidence for terrestrial influx at the studied sections, invoking a different mechanism for the development of water-column anoxia. Clearly, the Late Devonian marine realm was unusually susceptible to becoming anoxic through various possible triggers, including nutrient influx from land and/or deep-water upwelling, and the recycling of phosphorus from newly deposited sediments.

Original language	English
Article number	103070
Journal	Global and Planetary Change
Volume	184
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.103070
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2020
Externally published	Yes

Funding

We greatly appreciate constructive and insightful comments that have improved this manuscript, from Paul Wignall and two anonymous reviewers, laboratory assistance given by Jean-Claude Lavanchy, and Olivier Reubi, and we also thank Grzegorz Racki, Agnieszka Pisarzowska, David De Vleeschouwer, Anne-Christine da Silva, Malcolm Wallace, Alice Shuster, and Ronnie Guthrie for scientific discussions and help collecting geological samples in the field. Additional thanks go to Brahimsamba Bomou and Dominik Fleitmann for analysis of phosphorus contents and carbon-isotope compositions of the Erfoud samples, respectively, and Gerta Keller and the 2008 University of Princeton graduate student class to Morocco for assistance collecting the Moroccan samples. We gratefully acknowledge the National Science Centre – Poland (MAESTRO grant 2013/08/A/ST10/00717 , including M.R. and L.M.), the Natural Environment Research Council (grant number NE/J01799X/1 to D.P.G.B.), the Baragwanath Research Fund , Australia (A.v.S.H.) and the University of Lausanne (L.M.E.P.) for funding. We greatly appreciate constructive and insightful comments that have improved this manuscript, from Paul Wignall and two anonymous reviewers, laboratory assistance given by Jean-Claude Lavanchy, and Olivier Reubi, and we also thank Grzegorz Racki, Agnieszka Pisarzowska, David De Vleeschouwer, Anne-Christine da Silva, Malcolm Wallace, Alice Shuster, and Ronnie Guthrie for scientific discussions and help collecting geological samples in the field. Additional thanks go to Brahimsamba Bomou and Dominik Fleitmann for analysis of phosphorus contents and carbon-isotope compositions of the Erfoud samples, respectively, and Gerta Keller and the 2008 University of Princeton graduate student class to Morocco for assistance collecting the Moroccan samples. We gratefully acknowledge the National Science Centre ? Poland (MAESTRO grant 2013/08/A/ST10/00717, including M.R. and L.M.), the Natural Environment Research Council (grant number NE/J01799X/1 to D.P.G.B.), the Baragwanath Research Fund, Australia (A.v.S.H.) and the University of Lausanne (L.M.E.P.) for funding.

Funders	Funder number
Baragwanath Research Fund
L.M.
MAESTRO
Princeton University
Natural Environment Research Council	NE/J01799X/1
National Centre for Atmospheric Science
Narodowe Centrum Nauki	2013/08/A/ST10/00717
Université de Lausanne

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title = "Phosphorus-cycle disturbances during the Late Devonian anoxic events",

abstract = "The Late Devonian was marked by repeated faunal crises and episodes of geographically widespread marine anoxia, and featured one of the {\textquoteleft}Big Five{\textquoteright} mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic Aeon during the Frasnian–Famennian transition. However, the processes responsible for causing the numerous anoxic events remain unclear. This study highlights the occurrence of disturbances to the phosphorus cycle during several Late Devonian crises by investigating sedimentary concentrations of the element (Ptot) as a tracer of nutrient influx, as well as its ratio with total organic carbon (TOC) to infer the recycling of the element from marine sediments. Increased TOC/Ptot ratios in the Frasnian–Famennian Lower and Upper Kellwasser horizons and upper Famennian Annulata and Hangenberg levels suggest that such nutrient recycling occurred across extensive areas of the marine shelf in Laurentia and both Rheic Ocean margins at those times, helping to sustain reducing conditions in those environments. Elevated Ptot values in the Upper Kellwasser, Annulata, and Hangenberg levels are consistent with an enhanced nutrient influx as the initial trigger for the anoxia. Correlation of phosphorus trends with other geochemical indicators of weathering/detrital influx (osmium-isotope, silicon/aluminum, and titanium/aluminium ratios) support a scenario in which terrestrial runoff provided these nutrients both to marine shelves and the oceanic inventory. Upwelling of oceanic deep-water bodies may have then brought the phosphorus to areas that had not featured major direct inputs of terrigenous material. The exception is the Lower Kellwasser Event, during which there was no increase in phosphorus delivery to marine areas and no evidence for terrestrial influx at the studied sections, invoking a different mechanism for the development of water-column anoxia. Clearly, the Late Devonian marine realm was unusually susceptible to becoming anoxic through various possible triggers, including nutrient influx from land and/or deep-water upwelling, and the recycling of phosphorus from newly deposited sediments.",

author = "L.M.E. Percival and D.P.G. Bond and M. Rakoci{\'n}ski and L. Marynowski and A.V.S. Hood and T. Adatte and J.E. Spangenberg and K.B. F{\"o}llmi",

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AU - Percival, L.M.E.

AU - Bond, D.P.G.

AU - Rakociński, M.

AU - Marynowski, L.

AU - Hood, A.V.S.

AU - Adatte, T.

AU - Spangenberg, J.E.

AU - Föllmi, K.B.

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N2 - The Late Devonian was marked by repeated faunal crises and episodes of geographically widespread marine anoxia, and featured one of the ‘Big Five’ mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic Aeon during the Frasnian–Famennian transition. However, the processes responsible for causing the numerous anoxic events remain unclear. This study highlights the occurrence of disturbances to the phosphorus cycle during several Late Devonian crises by investigating sedimentary concentrations of the element (Ptot) as a tracer of nutrient influx, as well as its ratio with total organic carbon (TOC) to infer the recycling of the element from marine sediments. Increased TOC/Ptot ratios in the Frasnian–Famennian Lower and Upper Kellwasser horizons and upper Famennian Annulata and Hangenberg levels suggest that such nutrient recycling occurred across extensive areas of the marine shelf in Laurentia and both Rheic Ocean margins at those times, helping to sustain reducing conditions in those environments. Elevated Ptot values in the Upper Kellwasser, Annulata, and Hangenberg levels are consistent with an enhanced nutrient influx as the initial trigger for the anoxia. Correlation of phosphorus trends with other geochemical indicators of weathering/detrital influx (osmium-isotope, silicon/aluminum, and titanium/aluminium ratios) support a scenario in which terrestrial runoff provided these nutrients both to marine shelves and the oceanic inventory. Upwelling of oceanic deep-water bodies may have then brought the phosphorus to areas that had not featured major direct inputs of terrigenous material. The exception is the Lower Kellwasser Event, during which there was no increase in phosphorus delivery to marine areas and no evidence for terrestrial influx at the studied sections, invoking a different mechanism for the development of water-column anoxia. Clearly, the Late Devonian marine realm was unusually susceptible to becoming anoxic through various possible triggers, including nutrient influx from land and/or deep-water upwelling, and the recycling of phosphorus from newly deposited sediments.

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DO - 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.103070

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SN - 0921-8181

VL - 184

JO - Global and Planetary Change

JF - Global and Planetary Change

M1 - 103070

ER -

Phosphorus-cycle disturbances during the Late Devonian anoxic events

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