Seawater barium and sulfide removal improved marine habitability for the Cambrian Explosion of early animals

作者：Wei Wei, Lin-Hui Dong, Shuhai Xiao, Yi-Bo Lin, Lingang Xu, Guang‐Yi Wei, Wenzhong Wang, Lan‐Lan Tian, Hai–Zhen Wei, Fang Huang · 发表于：National Science Review · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1093/nsr/nwae237 · 被引用次数：20 · 研究领域：Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils、Astro and Planetary Science、Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis

ABSTRACT An increase in atmospheric pO2 has been proposed as a trigger for the Cambrian Explosion at ∼539–514 Ma but the mechanistic linkage remains unclear. To gain insights into marine habitability for the Cambrian Explosion, we analysed excess Ba contents (Baexcess) and isotope compositions (δ138Baexcess) of ∼521-Myr-old metalliferous black shales in South China. The δ138Baexcess values vary within a large range and show a negative logarithmic correlation with Baexcess, suggesting a major (>99%) drawdown of oceanic Ba inventory via barite precipitation. Spatial variations in Baexcess and δ138Baexcess indicate that Ba removal was driven by sulfate availability that was ultimately derived from the upwelling of deep seawaters. Global oceanic oxygenation across the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition may have increased the sulfate reservoir via oxidation of sulfide and concurrently decreased the Ba reservoir by barite precipitation. The removal of both H2S and Ba that are deleterious to animals could have improved marine habitability for early animals.