Mercury Anomalies Link to Extensive Volcanism Across the Late Devonian Frasnian–Famennian Boundary in South China

The Late Devonian Frasnian–Famennian (F–F) mass extinction has been long-time debated by non-volcanic causes, extra-terrestrial impacts, and large igneous province (LIP) eruptions. To better understand the ultimate cause of the F–F mass extinction, here we investigate the chemostratigraphy of mercury (Hg) and total organic carbon (TOC) on two marine F–F strata in the Dushan area, South China. In both sections, high Hg and Hg/TOC anomalies were observed near the F–F boundary. These anomalies are in line with those recently observed in Morocco, Germany, Poland, and north Russia, suggesting a global Hg flux. The Late Devonian LIP eruptions, which are believed to have emitted massive amounts of Hg, could be responsible for the global Hg and Hg/TOC anomalies around the F–F boundary. The observed Hg and Hg/TOC anomalies coincide with the extinction of Frasnian fauna in the Dushan area, implying a causal link between the Viluy, Kola, and Pripyat-Dnieper-Donets LIP eruptions and the F–F mass extinction.

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Mercury fluxes record regional volcanism in the South China craton prior to the end-Permian mass extinction

Geology ◽

10.1130/g48501.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jun Shen ◽

Jiubin Chen ◽

Thomas J. Algeo ◽

Qinglai Feng ◽

Jianxin Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South China ◽

Mass Extinction ◽

Large Igneous Province ◽

Upper Permian ◽

The South ◽

Triassic Boundary ◽

Siberian Traps ◽

Igneous Province ◽

South China Craton ◽

Permian Mass Extinction

Enhanced regional subduction-related volcanism in the South China craton concurrent with Siberian Traps large igneous province magmatism was a likely contributor to major biotic and environmental stresses associated with the Permian-Triassic boundary (ca. 252 Ma) mass extinction. However, the timing, intensity, and duration of this regional volcanic activity remain uncertain. We analyzed mercury (Hg) concentrations in three widely separated marine sections in the South China craton (Shangsi, Ganxi, and Chaohu) as well as Hg isotopic compositions in one section (Shangsi) from the Upper Permian (Changhsingian) through the lowermost Triassic (Induan) in order to track volcanic inputs. Four mercury enrichment (ME) intervals, dating to the lowermost Changhsingian (ME1), mid–Clarkina changxingensis zone (ME2), upper C. changxingensis to lower C. yini zones (ME3), and latest Permian mass extinction (LPME) interval (ME4), were recognized on the basis of elevated Hg/total organic carbon ratios. These records provide evidence of strong volcanism in the Tethyan region starting ~2 m.y. before the LPME, whereas only the ME4 event is recorded in extra-Tethyan sections. Mercury isotopes support the inference that pre-LPME Hg peaks were related to regional subduction-related volcanism, and that Hg emissions at the LPME were the result of Siberian Traps large igneous province intrusions into organic-rich sediments. This study demonstrates the feasibility of distinguishing flood-basalt from subduction-related volcanic inputs on the basis of marine sedimentary Hg records.

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Mercury anomalies associated with three extinction events (Capitanian Crisis, Latest Permian Extinction and the Smithian/Spathian Extinction) in NW Pangea

Geological Magazine ◽

10.1017/s0016756815000436 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 153 (2) ◽

pp. 285-297 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

STEPHEN E. GRASBY ◽

BENOIT BEAUCHAMP ◽

DAVID P.G. BOND ◽

PAUL B. WIGNALL ◽

HAMED SANEI

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Mass Extinction ◽

Large Igneous Province ◽

Early Triassic ◽

Igneous Province ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Permian Extinction ◽

Extinction Events ◽

Mass Extinction Events ◽

Mercury Loading

AbstractStrata of Permian – Early Triassic age that include a record of three major extinction events (Capitanian Crisis, Latest Permian Extinction and the Smithian/Spathian Extinction) were examined at the Festningen section, Spitsbergen. Over thec. 12 Ma record examined, mercury in the sediments shows relatively constant background values of 0.005–0.010 μg g–1. However, there are notable spikes in Hg concentration over an order of magnitude above background associated with the three extinctions. The Hg/total organic carbon (TOC) ratio shows similar large spikes, indicating that they represent a true increase in Hg loading to the environment. We argue that these represent Hg loading events associated with enhanced Hg emissions from large igneous province (LIP) events that are synchronous with the extinctions. The Hg anomalies are consistent across the NW margin of Pangea, indicating that widespread mercury loading occurred. While this provides utility as a chemostratigraphic marker the Hg spikes may also indicate loading of toxic metals to the environment, a contributing cause to the mass extinction events.

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Early Wuchiapingian (Lopingian, late Permian) drowning event in the South China block suggests a late eruptive phase of Emeishan large Igneous Province

Global and Planetary Change ◽

10.1016/j.gloplacha.2018.07.013 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 169 ◽

pp. 119-132 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Borhan Bagherpour ◽

Hugo Bucher ◽

Dong-xun Yuan ◽

Marc Leu ◽

Chao Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South China ◽

Large Igneous Province ◽

South China Block ◽

Late Permian ◽

The South ◽

Emeishan Large Igneous Province ◽

Igneous Province

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The Willouran basic province of South Australia: Its relation to the Guibei large igneous province in South China and the breakup of Rodinia

Lithos ◽

10.1016/j.lithos.2010.08.011 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 119 (3-4) ◽

pp. 569-584 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Xuan-Ce Wang ◽

Xian-Hua Li ◽

Zheng-Xiang Li ◽

Ying Liu ◽

Yue-Heng Yang

Keyword(s):

South China ◽

South Australia ◽

Large Igneous Province ◽

Igneous Province

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THE CHOIYOI SILICIC LARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCE OF ARGENTINA AND CHILE AND A THREE PHASE VOLCANISM-MASS EXTINCTION MODEL FOR THE END-PALEOZOIC BIOTIC CRISIS

10.1130/abs/2017am-308148 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

David L. Kimbrough ◽

◽

J. Brian Mahoney ◽

José F. Mescua ◽

Laura Giambiagi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Extinction ◽

Large Igneous Province ◽

Biotic Crisis ◽

Three Phase ◽

Igneous Province ◽

Extinction Model

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Ocean sulfate scarcity as a pre-condition for Large Igneous Province driven mass extinction

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-16391 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Robert J. Newton ◽

Tianchen He ◽

Jacopo Dal Corso ◽

Paul Wignall ◽

Ben Mills ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Extinction ◽

Isotope Composition ◽

Feedback Mechanism ◽

Large Igneous Province ◽

Mass Extinctions ◽

Anoxic Waters ◽

Igneous Province ◽

Marine Realm ◽

Extinction Events ◽

Increasing Temperature

Records of sulfur cycling during mass extinction events increasingly show that they are associated with rapid shifts in the sulfur isotope composition of seawater indicative of low concentrations of ocean sulfate [1-4]. These events are also often associated with the spread of anoxic conditions in the marine realm. We propose a feedback mechanism whereby the production of methane in marine sediments increases in proportion to decreasing sulfate and consumes bottom water oxygen, thus acting as a positive feedback on spread of anoxic waters. This can be further amplified via increased weathering or recycled fluxes of phosphate enhancing productivity [e.g. 5], the effects of increasing temperature on the rate of methanogenesis and the additional suppression of marine sulfate via increased pyrite burial.We propose that sulfate drawdown occurs prior to climate forcing and other extinction drivers imposed by large igneous province (LIP) eruption. The likely mechanism for the drawdown of sulfate prior to these extinction is the removal of sulfate from the oceans as gypsum in evaporite deposits. Several large mid-Phanerozoic mass extinctions have clear evidence of increased evaporite deposition prior to, or approximately coincidental with LIP eruption and extinction.If this idea is correct, the biological impact of a LIP will partly depend on the sulfate status of the ocean at the time of its eruption, and may at least partly explain the observation that whilst many mass extinctions are associated temporally with a LIP, not all LIPs seem to cause mass extinctions.1. Newton, R.J., et al., Geology, 2011. 39(1): p. 7-10.2. Song, H., et al., Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2014. 128(0): p. 95-113.3. Witts, J.D., et al., Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2018. 230: p. 17-45.4. He, T., et al., Science Advances, 2020. 6(37): p. eabb6704.5. Schobben, M., et al., Nature Geoscience, 2020.&#160;

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