Devonian climate and reef evolution: insights from oxygen isotopes in apatite.

Joachimski M, Breisig S, Buggisch W, Talent J, Mawson R, Gereke M, Morrow J, Day J, Weddige K (2009)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2009

Journal

Earth and Planetary Science Letters Elsevier

Publisher: Elsevier

Book Volume: 284,

Pages Range: 599-609

DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2009.05.028

Abstract

Conodonts, microfossils composed of carbonate-fluor apatite, are abundant in Palaeozoic-Triassic sediments and have a high potential to preserve primary oxygen isotope signals. In order to reconstruct the palaeotemperature history of the Devonian, the oxygen isotope composition of apatite phosphate was measured on 639 conodont samples from sequences in Europe, North America and Australia. The Early Devonian (Lochkovian; 416-411 Myr) was characterized by warm tropical temperatures of around 30 °C. A cooling trend started in the Pragian (410 Myr) with intermediate temperatures around 23 to 25 °C reconstructed for the Middle Devonian (397-385 Myr). During the Frasnian (383-375 Myr), temperatures increased again with temperatures to 30 °C calculated for the Frasnian-Famennian transition (375 Myr). During the Famennian (375-359 Myr), surface water temperatures slightly decreased. Reconstructed Devonian palaeotemperatures do not support earlier views suggesting the Middle Devonian was a supergreenhouse interval, an interpretation based partly on the development of extensive tropical coral-stromatoporoid communities during the Middle Devonian. Instead, the Devonian palaeotemperature record suggests that Middle Devonian coral-stromatoporoid reefs flourished during cooler time intervals whereas microbial reefs dominated during the warm to very warm Early and Late Devonian. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Authors with CRIS profile

Michael Joachimski Lehrstuhl für Geologie (Exogene Dynamik) Werner Buggisch Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät

Involved external institutions

Macquarie University AU Australia (AU) Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum DE Germany (DE) San Diego State University US United States (USA) (US) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Joachimski, M., Breisig, S., Buggisch, W., Talent, J., Mawson, R., Gereke, M.,... Weddige, K. (2009). Devonian climate and reef evolution: insights from oxygen isotopes in apatite. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 284,, 599-609. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.05.028

MLA:

Joachimski, Michael, et al. "Devonian climate and reef evolution: insights from oxygen isotopes in apatite." Earth and Planetary Science Letters 284, (2009): 599-609.

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