Proxy records for iron, sulfur and nitrogen cycling in the Tarfaya upwelling system

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1. Verfasser: Scholz, Florian
Format: Dataset Open Access
Sprache:en
Veröffentlicht: PANGAEA 2019
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author Scholz, Florian
author_facet Scholz, Florian
collection Datos científicos de ciencias marinas y ambientales
contents Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs) in Earth's history are regarded as analogues for current and future ocean deoxygenation, potentially providing information on its pacing and internal dynamics. In order to predict the Earth system's response to changes in greenhouse gas concentrations and radiative forcing, a sound understanding of how biogeochemical cycling differs in modern and ancient marine environments is required. Here, we report proxy records for iron (Fe), sulfur and nitrogen cycling in the Tarfaya upwelling system in the Cretaceous Proto-North Atlantic before, during and after OAE2 (∼93 Ma). We apply a novel quantitative approach to sedimentary Fe speciation, which takes into account the influence of terrigenous weathering and sedimentation as well as authigenic Fe (non-terrigenous, precipitated onsite) rain rates on Fe-based paleo-redox proxies. Generally elevated ratios of reactive Fe (i.e., bound to oxide, carbonate and sulfide minerals) to total Fe (FeHR/FeT) throughout the 5 million year record are attributed to transport-limited chemical weathering under greenhouse climate conditions. Trace metal and nitrogen isotope systematics indicate a step-wise transition from oxic to nitrogenous to euxinic conditions over several million years prior to OAE2. Taking into consideration the low terrigenous sedimentation rates in the Tarfaya Basin, we demonstrate that highly elevated FeHR/FeT from the mid-Cenomanian through OAE2 were generated with a relatively small flux of additional authigenic Fe. Evaluation of mass accumulation rates of reactive Fe in conjunction with the extent of pyritization of reactive Fe reveals that authigenic Fe and sulfide precipitation rates in the Tarfaya Basin were similar to those in modern upwelling systems. Because of a smaller seawater nitrate inventory, however, chemolithoautotrophic sulfide oxidation with nitrate was less efficient in preventing hydrogen sulfide release into the water column. As terrigenous weathering and sediment flux determine how much authigenic Fe is required to generate an anoxic euxinic or ferruginous proxy signature, we emphasize that both have to be taken into account when interpreting Fe-based paleo-redox proxies.
format Dataset Open Access
id pangaea_https___doi_org_10_1594_PANGAEA_906320
institution PANGAEA
language en
publishDate 2019
publisher PANGAEA
record_format pangaea
spellingShingle Proxy records for iron, sulfur and nitrogen cycling in the Tarfaya upwelling system
Scholz, Florian
Climate - Biogeochemistry Interactions in the Tropical Ocean; SFB754
Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs) in Earth's history are regarded as analogues for current and future ocean deoxygenation, potentially providing information on its pacing and internal dynamics. In order to predict the Earth system's response to changes in greenhouse gas concentrations and radiative forcing, a sound understanding of how biogeochemical cycling differs in modern and ancient marine environments is required. Here, we report proxy records for iron (Fe), sulfur and nitrogen cycling in the Tarfaya upwelling system in the Cretaceous Proto-North Atlantic before, during and after OAE2 (∼93 Ma). We apply a novel quantitative approach to sedimentary Fe speciation, which takes into account the influence of terrigenous weathering and sedimentation as well as authigenic Fe (non-terrigenous, precipitated onsite) rain rates on Fe-based paleo-redox proxies. Generally elevated ratios of reactive Fe (i.e., bound to oxide, carbonate and sulfide minerals) to total Fe (FeHR/FeT) throughout the 5 million year record are attributed to transport-limited chemical weathering under greenhouse climate conditions. Trace metal and nitrogen isotope systematics indicate a step-wise transition from oxic to nitrogenous to euxinic conditions over several million years prior to OAE2. Taking into consideration the low terrigenous sedimentation rates in the Tarfaya Basin, we demonstrate that highly elevated FeHR/FeT from the mid-Cenomanian through OAE2 were generated with a relatively small flux of additional authigenic Fe. Evaluation of mass accumulation rates of reactive Fe in conjunction with the extent of pyritization of reactive Fe reveals that authigenic Fe and sulfide precipitation rates in the Tarfaya Basin were similar to those in modern upwelling systems. Because of a smaller seawater nitrate inventory, however, chemolithoautotrophic sulfide oxidation with nitrate was less efficient in preventing hydrogen sulfide release into the water column. As terrigenous weathering and sediment flux determine how much authigenic Fe is required to generate an anoxic euxinic or ferruginous proxy signature, we emphasize that both have to be taken into account when interpreting Fe-based paleo-redox proxies.
title Proxy records for iron, sulfur and nitrogen cycling in the Tarfaya upwelling system
topic Climate - Biogeochemistry Interactions in the Tropical Ocean; SFB754
url https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.906320