Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland

David Wacey; Martin Brasier; John Parnell; Timothy  Culwick; Stephen Bowden; Sam Spinks; Adrian J. Boyce; Brett Davidheiser-Kroll; Heejin Jeon; Martin Saunders; Matt R. Kilburn

doi:10.1144/SP448.6

Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland

David Wacey, Martin Brasier, John Parnell, Timothy Culwick, Stephen Bowden, Sam Spinks, Adrian J. Boyce, Brett Davidheiser-Kroll, Heejin Jeon, Martin Saunders, Matt R. Kilburn

Geology and Geophysics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

5 Citations (Scopus)

11 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Oxygenation of the Proterozoic atmosphere caused the progressive build-up of dissolved sulphate on the continents and in marine environments. However, oxygen levels in the Proterozoic were low enough to allow the early burial of biological material into low redox potential environments where permineralization and the authigenic replacement of organic material, including micro-organisms, occurred by a range of minerals. Consequently, microbial sulphate reduction caused the widespread degradation of organic matter and, where iron was available, the precipitation of pyrite. By contrast, where sulphate levels were low, early preservation by other minerals (e.g. phosphate or silica) could be excellent. We show, using two Proterozoic lake sequences with low and high sulphate chemistries, but with otherwise similar characteristics, that microbial sulphate reduction caused a profound loss of morphological detail and diversity within preserved microfossils. The results could imply that there is a significant bias in the Proterozoic fossil record towards low sulphate environments, which were in reality relatively scarce.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Earth System Evolution and Early Life
Subtitle of host publication	a Celebration of the Work of Martin Brasier
Editors	A. T. Brasier, D. McIlroy, N. McLoughlin
Publisher	Geological Society of London
Pages	105-119
Number of pages	15
Volume	448
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1144/SP448.6
Publication status	Published - 2017

Publication series

Name	Geological Society Special Publications
Publisher	Geological Society
Number	1
Volume	448
ISSN (Print)	0305-8719
ISSN (Electronic)	2041-4927

Bibliographical note

We acknowledge the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility at the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, The University of Western
Australia, a facility funded by the University, State and Commonwealth Governments. DW acknowledges funding from the European Commission and the Australian Research Council. This is publication number 838 from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1144/SP448.6Licence: CC BY

Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland
This article is published under the terms of the CC-BY 3.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Final published version, 10 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Wacey, D., Brasier, M., Parnell, J., Culwick, T., Bowden, S., Spinks, S., Boyce, A. J., Davidheiser-Kroll, B., Jeon, H., Saunders, M., & Kilburn, M. R. (2017). Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland. In A. T. Brasier, D. McIlroy, & N. McLoughlin (Eds.), Earth System Evolution and Early Life: a Celebration of the Work of Martin Brasier (Vol. 448, pp. 105-119). (Geological Society Special Publications; Vol. 448, No. 1). Geological Society of London. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP448.6

Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland. / Wacey, David; Brasier, Martin; Parnell, John et al.
Earth System Evolution and Early Life: a Celebration of the Work of Martin Brasier. ed. / A. T. Brasier; D. McIlroy; N. McLoughlin. Vol. 448 Geological Society of London, 2017. p. 105-119 (Geological Society Special Publications; Vol. 448, No. 1).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Wacey, D, Brasier, M, Parnell, J, Culwick, T, Bowden, S, Spinks, S, Boyce, AJ, Davidheiser-Kroll, B, Jeon, H, Saunders, M & Kilburn, MR 2017, Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland. in AT Brasier, D McIlroy & N McLoughlin (eds), Earth System Evolution and Early Life: a Celebration of the Work of Martin Brasier. vol. 448, Geological Society Special Publications, no. 1, vol. 448, Geological Society of London, pp. 105-119. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP448.6

Wacey D, Brasier M, Parnell J, Culwick T, Bowden S, Spinks S et al. Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland. In Brasier AT, McIlroy D, McLoughlin N, editors, Earth System Evolution and Early Life: a Celebration of the Work of Martin Brasier. Vol. 448. Geological Society of London. 2017. p. 105-119. (Geological Society Special Publications; 1). Epub 2016 Sept 15. doi: 10.1144/SP448.6

Wacey, David ; Brasier, Martin ; Parnell, John et al. / Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland. Earth System Evolution and Early Life: a Celebration of the Work of Martin Brasier. editor / A. T. Brasier ; D. McIlroy ; N. McLoughlin. Vol. 448 Geological Society of London, 2017. pp. 105-119 (Geological Society Special Publications; 1).

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abstract = "Oxygenation of the Proterozoic atmosphere caused the progressive build-up of dissolved sulphate on the continents and in marine environments. However, oxygen levels in the Proterozoic were low enough to allow the early burial of biological material into low redox potential environments where permineralization and the authigenic replacement of organic material, including micro-organisms, occurred by a range of minerals. Consequently, microbial sulphate reduction caused the widespread degradation of organic matter and, where iron was available, the precipitation of pyrite. By contrast, where sulphate levels were low, early preservation by other minerals (e.g. phosphate or silica) could be excellent. We show, using two Proterozoic lake sequences with low and high sulphate chemistries, but with otherwise similar characteristics, that microbial sulphate reduction caused a profound loss of morphological detail and diversity within preserved microfossils. The results could imply that there is a significant bias in the Proterozoic fossil record towards low sulphate environments, which were in reality relatively scarce.",

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N2 - Oxygenation of the Proterozoic atmosphere caused the progressive build-up of dissolved sulphate on the continents and in marine environments. However, oxygen levels in the Proterozoic were low enough to allow the early burial of biological material into low redox potential environments where permineralization and the authigenic replacement of organic material, including micro-organisms, occurred by a range of minerals. Consequently, microbial sulphate reduction caused the widespread degradation of organic matter and, where iron was available, the precipitation of pyrite. By contrast, where sulphate levels were low, early preservation by other minerals (e.g. phosphate or silica) could be excellent. We show, using two Proterozoic lake sequences with low and high sulphate chemistries, but with otherwise similar characteristics, that microbial sulphate reduction caused a profound loss of morphological detail and diversity within preserved microfossils. The results could imply that there is a significant bias in the Proterozoic fossil record towards low sulphate environments, which were in reality relatively scarce.

AB - Oxygenation of the Proterozoic atmosphere caused the progressive build-up of dissolved sulphate on the continents and in marine environments. However, oxygen levels in the Proterozoic were low enough to allow the early burial of biological material into low redox potential environments where permineralization and the authigenic replacement of organic material, including micro-organisms, occurred by a range of minerals. Consequently, microbial sulphate reduction caused the widespread degradation of organic matter and, where iron was available, the precipitation of pyrite. By contrast, where sulphate levels were low, early preservation by other minerals (e.g. phosphate or silica) could be excellent. We show, using two Proterozoic lake sequences with low and high sulphate chemistries, but with otherwise similar characteristics, that microbial sulphate reduction caused a profound loss of morphological detail and diversity within preserved microfossils. The results could imply that there is a significant bias in the Proterozoic fossil record towards low sulphate environments, which were in reality relatively scarce.

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ER -

Contrasting microfossil preservation and lake chemistries within the 1200–1000 Ma Torridonian Supergroup of NW Scotland

Abstract

Publication series

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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