Massive Burps of Carbon Dioxide Led to Oxygen-less Ocean Environments in the Deep Past
New research from the University of California, Davis, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Texas A&M University reveals that massive emissions, or burps, of carbon dioxide from natural earth systems led to significant decreases in ocean oxygen concentrations some 300 million years ago.
Combining geochemical analyses of sediment cores and advanced climate modeling, the study, published June 23 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights five periods when significant decreases in ocean oxygen levels (by 4% to 12%) coincided with significant increases in levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Such oxygen-less, or anoxic, events are known for their detrimental effects on marine life and biodiversity.
Despite their roots in the deep past, the findings are relevant to the current global climate and its future. If events of a similar scale were to happen today, they would likely affect coastal areas that are important for fisheries and marine biodiversity.