Volcanic CO2 degassing postdates thermogenic carbon emission during the end-Permian mass extinction

Yuyang Wu, Ying Cui, Daoliang Chu, Haijun Song, Jinnan Tong, Jacopo Dal Corso, Andy Ridgwell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Massive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are widely assumed to be the driver of the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). However, the rate of and total CO2 released, and whether the source changes with time, remain poorly understood, leaving a key question surrounding the trigger for the EPME unanswered. Here, we assimilate reconstructions of atmospheric PCO2 and carbonate δ13C in an Earth system model to unravel the history of carbon emissions and sources across the EPME. We infer a transition from a CO2 source with a thermogenic carbon isotopic signature associated with a slower emission rate to a heavier, more mantle-dominated volcanic source with an increased rate of emissions. This implies that the CO2 degassing style changed as the Siberian Traps emplacement evolved, which is consistent with geochemical proxy records. Carbon cycle feedbacks from terrestrial ecosystem disturbances may have further amplified the warming and the severity of marine extinctions.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbereabq4082
JournalScience Advances
Volume9
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2023

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Volcanic CO2 degassing postdates thermogenic carbon emission during the end-Permian mass extinction'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this