Investigating the Paleoecological Consequences of Supercontinent Breakup: Sponges Clean Up in the Early Jurassic

Authors

Frank Corsetti, University of Southern California
Kathleen Ritterbush, University of Chicago
David Bottjer, University of Southern California
Sarah Greene, University of Bristol
Yadira Ibarra, Stanford University
Joyce Yager, University of Southern California
A. Joshua West, University of Southern California
William Berelson, University of Southern California
Silvia Rosas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
Thorsten Becker, University of Southern California
Naomi Levine, University of Southern California Law
Sean Loyd, California State University, Fullerton
Rowan Martindale, University of Texas at Austin
Victoria Petryshyn, University of California, Los Angeles
Nathan Carroll, University of Southern California
Elizabeth Petsios, University of Southern California
Olivia Piazza, University of Southern California
Carlie Pietsch, University of Southern CaliforniaFollow
Jessica Stellmann, University of Southern California
Jeffrey Thompson, University of Southern California
Kirstin Washington, University of Southern California
Dylan Wilmeth, University of Southern California

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

June 2015

Publication Title

The Sedimentary Record

Volume

13

Issue Number

2

First Page

4

Last Page

10

DOI

10.2110/sedred.2015.2

Abstract

The continued release of fossil fuel carbon into the atmosphere today means it is imperative to understand Earth system response to CO2 rise, and the geologic record offers unique opportunities to investigate such behavior. Stomatal and paleosol proxies demonstrate a large change in atmospheric pCO2 across the Triassic-Jurassic (T-J) transition, concomitant with the eruption and emplacement of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) and the splitting of Pangea. As one of the “big 5” mass extinctions—when the so-called modern fauna was particularly hard hit—we know the biosphere was severely affected during this time, but the details are relatively poorly understood, particularly with respect to an Earth system perspective. As part of the NSF Earth Life Transitions initiative, our team has targeted the T-J for integrative investigation to explore, among other things, alternative ecological states that may exist in the aftermath of mass extinctions. The initial findings reveal a global “sponge takeover” in the Early Jurassic following the extinction that lasted nearly 2 million years. The sponge takeover may be linked to an unusual confluence of factors, including potential ocean acidification and intense silicate weathering following the emplacement of CAMP.

Recommended Citation

Frank Corsetti, Kathleen Ritterbush, David Bottjer, Sarah Greene, Yadira Ibarra, Joyce Yager, A. Joshua West, William Berelson, Silvia Rosas, Thorsten Becker, Naomi Levine, Sean Loyd, Rowan Martindale, Victoria Petryshyn, Nathan Carroll, Elizabeth Petsios, Olivia Piazza, Carlie Pietsch, Jessica Stellmann, Jeffrey Thompson, Kirstin Washington, and Dylan Wilmeth. "Investigating the Paleoecological Consequences of Supercontinent Breakup: Sponges Clean Up in the Early Jurassic" The Sedimentary Record (2015): 4-10. https://doi.org/10.2110/sedred.2015.2

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