Nature 308, 231 - 236 (15 March 1984); doi:10.1038/308231a0

Phosphorus, phosphorites and skeletal evolution at the Precambrian—Cambrian boundary

Peter J. Cook & John H. Shergold

Division of Continental Geology, Bureau of Mineral Resources, PO Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia

Clustering of sedimentary phosphate deposits around the Precambrian−Cambrian boundary is related to a global phosphogenic event. This event probably resulted from a complex interplay of factors and had a profound effect on the biota, with high concentrations of phosphorus in the photic zone producing an increase in the total shallow marine biomass, faunal diversification, the precipitation of skeletal structures and explosive evolution.

References

1.	Brasier, M. D. Systematics Ass. Spec. Vol. 12, 103−159 (Academic, London, 1979).
2.	Cloud, P. E. Science 160, 729−736 (1968). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
3.	Walker, J. C. G. Evolution of the Atmosphere (Macmillan, New York, 1977).
4.	Matthews, S. C. & Cowie, J. W. J. geol. Soc. Lond. 136, 133−135 (1979).
5.	Brasier, M. D. Precamb. Res. 17, 105−123 (1982). | Article | ISI |
6.	Yanshin, A. L. in Geology of Phosphorite Deposits and Problems of Phosphorite Genesis, 13−14 (USSR Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 1982).
7.	Rhodes, F. H. T. & Bloxam, T. W. in Proc. North Am. Paleont. Conv. Pt K, 1485−1513 (Alien, Lawrence, Kansas, 1968).
8.	Sheldon, R. P. U. S. geol Surv. Prof. Pap. 501C, 106−113 (1964).
9.	Baturin, G. N. Nature phys. Sci. 232, 61−62 (1971). | ISI | ChemPort |
10.	Baturin, G. N. Phosphorites on the Sea Floor, Origin, Composition and Distribution (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1982).
11.	Kazakov, A. V. Trans. Sci. Inst. Fertil. Insecto-fungicides 142, 95−113 (1937).
12.	McKelvey, V. E., Swanson, R. W. & Sheldon, R. P. Int. geol. Congr. 19th Sess. Algiers 11, 45−65 (1953).
13.	Cook, P. J. & McElhinny, M. W. Econ. Geol. 74, 315−330 (1979). | ISI | ChemPort |
14.	Ziegler, A. M., Parrish, J. & Humphreville, R. in Proterozoic-Cambrian Phosphorites (eds 50. Cook, P. J. & Shergold, J. H.) 21 (Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1979).
15.	Ziegler, A. M., Scotese, C. R., MacKerrow, W. S., Johnson, M. E. & Bambach, R. K. A. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 473−502 (1979). | Article |
16.	Arthur, M. A. & Jenkyns, H. C. Oceanol. Acta, 45, 83−96 (1981).
17.	Fischer, A. G. & Arthur, M. A. SEPM Spec. Publ. 25, 19−50 (1977).
18.	Proterozoic-Cambrian Phosphorites (eds Cook, P. J. & Shergold, J. H.) 13 (Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1979).
19.	Notholt, A. J. G. in Proterozoic-Cambrian Phosphorites (eds Cook, P. J. & Shergold, J. H.) 71−86 (Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1979).
20.	Bushinski, G. E. Old Phosphorites of Asia and their Genesis (Israel Program for Scientific Translation, Jerusalem, 1969).
21.	Kalmykov, A. F., Sokolov, A. S. & Tushina, A. M. Trans-State Sci. Res. Inst., Min. & Chem. 7, 139−191 (1962).
22.	Lu Yenhao Cambrian Mineral Deposits in China and the Bio-Environmental Control Theory (Geological Press, Peking, 1979).
23.	Eganov, E. A. & Sovietov, Yu. I. Karatau—a Model for Phosphorite Deposition (Nauka, Novosibirsk, 1979).
24.	Ilyin, A. V. Joint Soviet-Mongolian Scientific-Research Geological Expedition Trans. Vol. 6 (Nauka, Moscow, 1973).
25.	Ilyin, A. V. & Bjamba, Z. Guidebook for Excursion to Phosphorites of the Khubsugul Basin, Mongolian People's Republic, 17−28 June, 1980 (Soviet Committee for IGCP, Geological Institute, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 1980).
26.	Bhatti, N. A., Hussain, M. T. & Hussain, M. Geol Surv. Pakistan Inf. Release 51, (1972).
27.	Affaton, P. Trav. Lab. Sci. Terre St. Jerome, Marseille 10, 1−201 (1975). | ChemPort |
28.	Trompette, R., Affaton, P., Joulia, F. & Marchand, J. Econ. Geol. 75, 62−70 (1980). | ISI | ChemPort |
29.	Ilyin, A. V. Int. Geol. Correlation Program, Project 156 (Phosphorites), Newsl. 2, 8−9 (1978).
30.	Cathcart, J. B. Trans. Soc. Amer. Inst. Min. Engr. AIME 264, 1703−1708 (1979).
31.	Earth's Pre-Pleistocene Glacial Record (eds Hambrey, M. J. & Harland, W. B.) (Cambridge University Press, 1981).
32.	Wang Yangeng The Phosphate-bearing Strata of the Late Precambrian to Cambrian in Upper Yangtze Region, China (Geological Bureau of Guizhou, Huishui, China, 1982).
33.	Holser, W. T. & Kaplan, I. R. Chem. Geol. 1, 160−172 (1965).
34.	Holser, W. T. Nature 267, 403−408 (1977). | ISI | ChemPort |
35.	Blishovsky, V. Z., Grinenko, V. A., Migdisov, A. A., Savina, L. I. & Vernadsky, V. I. Geochem. Int. 14, 148−155 (1973).
36.	Veizer, J., Holser, W. T., & Wilgus, C. K. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 44, 579−587 (1980). | Article | ISI | ChemPort |
37.	Holland, H. D. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 36, 637−657 (1972). | Article | ISI | ChemPort |
38.	Degens, E. T. & Stoffers, P. Nature 263, 22−27 (1976). | ISI | ChemPort |
39.	Berry, W. B. N. & Wilde, P. Am. J. Sci. 278, 257−275 (1978). | ISI |
40.	Sandstrom, M. W. in The Cycling of Carbon, Nitrogen, Sulfur and Phosphorus in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems (eds Galbally, I. W. & Freney, J.) 133−142 (Australian Academy of Sciences, Canberra, 1982). | ChemPort |
41.	Cloud, P. E. Am. J. Sci. 272, 537−548 (1972). | ISI | ChemPort |
42.	Cloud, P. E. Paleobiology 2, 351−387 (1976). | ChemPort |
43.	Lowenstam, H. A. Precamb. Res. 11, 89−91 (1980). | Article | ISI | ChemPort |
44.	Lowenstam, H. A. & Margulis, L. Biosystems 12, 27−41 (1980). | Article | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
45.	Cloud, P. E. & Glaessner, M. F. Science 217 (4562), 783−792 (1982). | ISI |
46.	Runnegar, B. N. J. geol. Soc. Aust. 29, 395−411 (1982). | ISI |
47.	Lowenstam, H. A. & Weiner, S. in Biomineralisation and Biological Metal Accumulation (eds Westbrock, P. & de Jong, E. W.), 191−203 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1983). | ChemPort |
48.	Simkiss, K. Biol. Rev. 39, 487−505 (1964). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
49.	Black, M. Palaeontology 11, 793−813 (1961).
50.	Harland, W. B. et al. A Geologic Time Scale (Cambridge University Press, 1982).
51.	Compston, W. & Zhang Zi-Chau in Abstr. 6th Aust. Geol. Convn. Canberra 1983 Vol. 9, 235 (1983).
52.	Borello, A. V. in Lower Palaeozoic Rocks of the World Vol. 1 (ed. Holland, C. H.) 385−438 (London, 1971).
53.	Viland, J. C. Notes Mém. Serv. Mines Carte géol. Maroc. 13−22 (1977). | ChemPort |
54.	Bertrand-Sarfati, J. Newsl Stratigraphy 10, 20−26 (1981).
55.	Poulsen, C. Mat. Fys. Meddr. K. Danske, Videnskab. Selsk 32(7), 3−12 (1960).
56.	Bassot, J. P. Mém. BRGM 40, 1−322 (1966).
57.	Sougy, J. Am. Fac. Sci. Univ. Dakar 15(12), 1−695 (1964).
58.	Sougy, J. Notes Mém. Serv. geol. Maroc 236, 95−103 (1972).
59.	Rozanov, A. Yu. in Boundaries of Geological Systems (ed. Peive, A. V.) 31−53 (Nauka Publishing House, Moscow, 1976).
60.	Eganov, E. A. in Proterozoic-Cambrian Phosphorites (eds Cook, P. J. & Shergold, J. H.) 22−25 (Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1979).
61.	Missarzhevsky, V. V. & Mambetov, A. M. USSR Acad. Sci. Trans. geol Inst. 326, 1−90 (1982).
62.	Phosphorites and apatites of Siberia (eds Kazarinov, V. P. & Krasilnikova, N. A.) 1−232 (USSR Acad. Sci. Siberian Division, Inst. Geol. Geophys, Novosibirsk 1980).
63.	Bjamba, Z. Kwart. geol. 17(4), 853−877 (1973).
64.	Hasan, M. T., Ghaznavi, M. I. & Hayat, A. S. Geol. Surv. Pakist. Inf. Release 74, (1974).
65.	Shah, S. M. I. (ed.) Mem. geol. Surv. Pakist. 12, (1977).
66.	Luo huilin, Jiang Zhiwen, Zu Zhongjiu, Song Xuiliang & Zue Ziaofeng Acta geol. sinica 2, 95−111 (1980).
67.	Chang, W. T. J. geol. Soc. Aust. 27, 137−150 (1980).
68.	Callen, R. A. Min. Resour. Rev. S. Aust. 130, 9−34, 80−94, 110−120 (1969).
69.	Fleming, P. J. G. Publ. geol. Surv. Qld 3641, (1977).
70.	Knight, C. L. (ed.) Economic Geology of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 4 (Monogr. 4, Australasian Inst. Miner. Metall., Parkville, Victoria 1976).
71.	Claypool, G. E., Holser, W. T., Kaplan, I. R., Sakai, H. & Zak, I. Chem. Geol. 28, 199−259 (1980). | Article | ISI | ChemPort |
72.	Stanley, S. M. Am. J. Sci. 276, 56−76 (1975). | ISI |
73.	Runnegar, B. N. & Pojeta, J. Science 186, 311−317.