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Assessing kinetic fractionation in brachiopod calcite using clumped isotopes
David Bajnai1, Jens Fiebig2, Adam Tomašových3
1Institut für Geowissenschaften, J. W. Goethe-Universität, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. david.bajnai@em.uni-frankfurt.de.
Scientific Reports
|January 12, 2018
Summary
Brachiopod shells record past ocean conditions, but kinetic effects during shell growth can alter isotope compositions. Understanding these effects is crucial for accurate paleoclimate reconstructions.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Geochemistry
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Brachiopod shells are vital archives for reconstructing Phanerozoic seawater temperature and oxygen isotope composition.
- The assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium during brachiopod shell precipitation remains uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of kinetic effects on the oxygen and clumped isotope composition of modern brachiopod shells.
- To assess the impact of growth rate on isotopic departures from equilibrium.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of oxygen and clumped isotope compositions in modern brachiopod shells.
- Correlation of isotopic data with taxon-specific growth rates.
Main Results:
- Brachiopod shell isotope compositions deviate from thermodynamic equilibrium.
- Growth rate-induced kinetic effects, linked to CO2 hydration/hydroxylation, cause these deviations.
- Clumped and oxygen isotopes show departures from equilibrium.
Conclusions:
- Kinetic effects significantly impact brachiopod shell isotope geochemistry.
- Accurate paleoceanographic reconstructions require considering taxon-specific growth rates alongside clumped and bulk oxygen isotope data.
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