Massive expansion of marine archaea during a mid-Cretaceous oceanic anoxic event.
Biogeochemical and stable carbon isotopic analysis of black-shale sequences deposited during an Albian oceanic anoxic event (approximately 112 million years ago) indicate that up to 80 weight percent of sedimentary organic carbon is derived from marine, nonthermophilic archaea. The carbon-13 content of archaeal molecular fossils indicates that these archaea were living chemoautotrophically. Their massive expansion may have been a response to the strong stratification of the ocean during this anoxic event. Indeed, the sedimentary record of archaeal membrane lipids suggests that this anoxic event marks a time in Earth history at which certain hyperthermophilic archaea adapted to low-temperature environments.
Kuypers
M M
MM
Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Post Office Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands.
Blokker
P
P
Erbacher
J
J
Kinkel
H
H
Pancost
R D
RD
Schouten
S
S
Sinninghe Damste
J S
JS
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001105:Archaea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005580:Fossils; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010933:Plankton / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D002244:Carbon; D010100:Oxygen