Marine oxygen production and open water supported an active nitrogen cycle during the Marinoan Snowball Earth

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dc.contributor.authorJohnson, Benjamin W.
dc.contributor.authorPoulton, Simon W.
dc.contributor.authorGoldblatt, Colin
dc.date.accessioned2019-02-03T21:45:37Z
dc.date.available2019-02-03T21:45:37Z
dc.date.copyright2017en_US
dc.date.issued2017
dc.description.abstractThe Neoproterozoic Earth was punctuated by two low-latitude Snowball Earth glaciations. Models permit oceans with either total ice cover or substantial areas of open water. Total ice cover would make an anoxic ocean likely, and would be a formidable barrier to biologic survival. However, there are no direct data constraining either the redox state of the ocean or marine biological productivity during the glacials. Here we present iron-speciation, redox-sensitive trace element, and nitrogen isotope data from a Neoproterozoic (Marinoan) glacial episode. Iron-speciation indicates deeper waters were anoxic and Fe-rich, while trace element concentrations indicate surface waters were in contact with an oxygenated atmosphere. Furthermore, synglacial sedimentary nitrogen is isotopically heavier than the modern atmosphere, requiring a biologic cycle with nitrogen fixation, nitrification and denitrification. Our results indicate significant regions of open marine water and active biologic productivity throughout one of the harshest glaciations in Earth history.en_US
dc.description.reviewstatusRevieweden_US
dc.description.scholarlevelFacultyen_US
dc.identifier.citationJohnson, B. W.; Poulton, S. W.; & Goldblatt, C. (2017). Marine oxygen production and open water supported an active nitrogen cycle during the Marinoan Snowball Earth. Nature Communications, 8(1316). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01453-zen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01453-z
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/10577
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherNature Communicationsen_US
dc.titleMarine oxygen production and open water supported an active nitrogen cycle during the Marinoan Snowball Earthen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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