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Algal δ13C reveals climate changes during the Cambrian Explosion.
Chao Chang1, Mingyu Zhao2, Pengcheng Ju3
1State Key Laboratory of Continental Evolution and Early Life, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environments, and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an, PR China. changchao@nwu.edu.cn.
Nature Communications
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels fluctuated significantly during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. These changes, driven by tectonic activity, likely influenced early animal diversification.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Geochemistry
- Paleontology
Background:
- Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is crucial for Earth's climate regulation.
- CO2 levels during the Cambrian Explosion are not well understood.
- The Ediacaran-Cambrian transition (~553-508 Ma) was a period of significant biological innovation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct atmospheric CO2 variations (pCO2) during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition.
- To investigate the relationship between pCO2, marine strontium isotopes, and tectonic activity.
- To understand the potential impact of climate change on early animal evolution.
Main Methods:
- Carbon isotope analysis of algal fossils from eight fossil deposits.
- Reconstruction of pCO2 using carbon isotope signatures.
- Earth system biogeochemical box modeling.
Main Results:
- pCO2 increased from ~3-9 to ~9-21 PAL (~553-529 Ma).
- pCO2 subsequently declined to ~5-17 PAL (~517 Ma) and ~3-8 PAL (~508 Ma).
- Temporal pCO2 changes correlated with marine strontium isotope shifts.
Conclusions:
- Tectonically driven carbon and strontium cycles likely modulated pCO2.
- A three-stage greenhouse-hypergreenhouse-greenhouse climate influenced marine environments.
- These climate shifts may have impacted the diversification of early animals during the Cambrian Explosion.
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