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Lithium isotope evidence for enhanced continental weathering triggering the late Paleozoic greenhouse-to-icehouse

Feifei Zhang1, Guang-Yi Wei1, Pierre Maffre2

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Critical Earth Material Cycling and Mineral Deposits, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, and Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.

National Science Review
|May 20, 2026
PubMed
Summary

The Early Mississippian transition to an icehouse climate was driven by increased continental weathering, which removed CO₂. This study uses lithium isotopes to confirm enhanced weathering and its role in the Late Paleozoic Ice Age onset.

Keywords:
Late Paleozoic Ice Agecarbon cycle perturbationcontinental weatheringdeep-time Earth system modelinglithium isotope

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Published on: June 4, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Paleoclimatology
  • Geochemistry
  • Carbon Cycle Research

Background:

  • The Early Mississippian (approx. 359-347 Ma) saw a significant climate shift from greenhouse to icehouse conditions, potentially initiating the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA).
  • This climate transition is linked to the mid-Tournaisian carbon isotope excursion (TICE), but the underlying causes, particularly enhanced continental weathering, lacked direct evidence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the causes of the Early Mississippian climate transition and the positive mid-Tournaisian carbon isotope excursion (TICE).
  • To provide direct evidence for intensified continental silicate weathering during this critical period of Earth's climate history.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of lithium isotope (δ⁷Li) variations in carbonate sections from the Early Mississippian period.
  • Integration of δ⁷Li data with carbon cycle models (GEOCLIM and COPSE) to quantify weathering rates and atmospheric CO₂ levels.

Main Results:

  • A significant decline of approximately 12‰ in lithium isotope (δ⁷Li) values was observed during the TICE event.
  • Silicate chemical weathering rates are estimated to have increased by about 30% during the TICE event.
  • Atmospheric CO₂ levels are inferred to have decreased by approximately 1000 ppmv due to enhanced weathering.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides direct evidence linking enhanced continental silicate weathering to the CO₂ drawdown observed during the Early Mississippian.
  • Increased weathering, possibly driven by tectonic uplift or vegetation expansion, played a crucial role in the climate transition and the onset of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA).
  • This research clarifies a key mechanism driving major late Paleozoic climate change.