Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Secular variation in carbon isotope ratios from Upper Proterozoic successions of Svalbard and East Greenland

Nature volume 321, pages 832–838 (1986)Cite this article

Abstract

Analyses of stratigraphically continuous suites of samples from Upper Proterozoic sedimentary successions of East Greenland, Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet (Svalbard) provide an approximation to the secular variation in carbon isotope ratios during a geologically and biologically important period of change from around 900 million years ago to the beginning of the Cambrian period. Late Riphean carbonates and organic material show a stratigraphically useful pattern of enrichment in 13C relative to Phanerozoic or earlier Proterozoic samples. Isotopic compositions of isolated samples from other localities are consistent with a worldwide extended interval of enhanced organic burial and consequent net survival of oxidized material, probably O2, just before the initial radiation of metazoans.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Holser, W. T. in Patterns of Change in Earth Evolution (eds Holland, H. D. & Trendall, A. F.) 123–143 (Springer, Berlin, 1984).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Shackleton, N. J., Hall, M. A., Line, J. & Chang Shuxi Nature 306, 319–322 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Arthur, M. A. in Climate in Earth History (eds Berger, W. H. & Crowell, J. C.) 55–67 (National Academy Press, Washington, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Veizer, J., Holser, W. T. & Wilgus, C. K. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 44, 579–587 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Schidlowski, M., Hayes, J. M. & Kaplan, I. R. in Earth's Earliest Biosphere (ed. Schopf, J. W.) 149–185 (Princeton University Press, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kulling, O. Geogr. Annlr 16, 161–254 (1934).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Wilson, C. B. Geol. Mag. 45, 305–327 (1958).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Wilson, C. B. Geol. Mag. 48, 89–116 (1961).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Wilson, C. B. & Harland, W. G. Geol. Mag. 101, 198–219 (1964).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hambrey, M. J. Geol. Mag. 119, 527–642 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Swett, K. Geol. Mag. 118, 225–336 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Flood, B., Gee, D. G., Hjelle, A., Siggerud, T. & Winsnes, T. S. Norsk Polarinst. Skr. 146, 1–139 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Haller, J. Geology of the East Greenland Caledonides (Wiley, New York, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Eha, S. Meddr Grønland 11, 1–1095 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Vidal, G. Grønl. Geol. Unders. Bull. 134, 1–40 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Knoll, A. H. Geol. Mag. 119, 269–279 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Knoll, A. H. & Swett, K. Palaeontology 28, 451–473 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Raaben, M. Ye & Zabrodin, V. Ye. Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 184, 676–679 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Swett, K. & Knoll, A. H. J. sedim. Petrol. (in the press).

  20. Downie, C. Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh. 72, 257–285 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Knoll, A. H. & Swett, K. J. Paleont. (in the press).

  22. Harland, W. G. & Gayer, R. A. Geol. Mag. 109, 289–314 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Roberts, D. & Gale, G. H. in Evolution of the Earth's Crust (ed. Tarling, D. H.) 255–342 (Academic, London, 1978).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Wedeking, K. W., Hayes, J. M. & Matzigkeit, U. in Earth's Earliest Biosphere (ed. Schopf, J. W.) 428–442 (Princeton University Press, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Wachter, E. A. & Hayes, J. M. Chem. Geol. 52, 365–374 (1985).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Santrock, J., Studley, S. A. & Hayes, J. M. Analyt. Chem. 57, 1444–1448 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Brand, U. & Veizer, J. J. sedim. Petrol. 51, 987–997 (1981).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Hayes, J. M. in Earth's Earliest Biosphere (ed. Schopf, J. W.) 291–301 (Princeton University Press, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Irwin, H., Curtis, C. & Coleman, N. Nature 269, 209–213 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Veizer, J. & Hoefs, J. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 40, 1387–1395 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Fairchild, I. J. Nature 304, 714–716 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Magaritz, M., Anderson, R. Y., Holser, W. T., Saltsman, E. S. & Garber, J. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 66, 111–124 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Strother, P. K., Knoll, A. H. & Barghoorn, E. S. Palaeontology 26, 1–32 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Broecker, W. S. J. geophys. Res. 75, 3553–3557 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Scholle, P. A. & Arthur, M. A. Bull. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol. 64, 67–87 (1980).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Schidlowski, M., Eichmann, R. & Junge, C. E. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 40, 449–455 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Margaritz, M. Sedim. Geol. 45, 115–123 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. Margaritz, M., Holser, W. T. & Kirschvink, J. L. Nature 320, 258–259 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Tucker, M. E. Nature 319, 48–50 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Cook, P. J. & Shergold, J. H. Nature 308, 231–236 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Lasaga, A. C., Berner, R. A. & Garrels, R. M. in The Carbon Cycle and Atmospheric CO2: Natural Variations Archean to Present (eds Sundquist, E. T. & Broeker, W. S.) 397–411 (American Geophysical Union, Washington, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  42. Arthur, M. A., Dean, W. E. & Schlanger, S. O. in The Carbon Cycle and Atmospheric CO2: Natural Variations Archean to Present (eds Sundquist, E. T. & Broeker, W. S.) 504–529 (American Geophysical Union, Washington, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  43. Claypool, G. E., Holser, W. T., Kaplan, I. R., Sakai, H. & Zak, I. Chem. Geol. 28, 199–260 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Worsley, T. R., Moody, J. B. & Nance, R. D. in The Carbon Cycle and Atmospheric CO2: Natural Variations Archean to Present (eds Sundquist, E. T. & Broecker, W. S.) 561–572 (American Geophysical Union, Washington, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  45. McDuff, R. E. & Edmond, J. M. Earth planet. Sci Lett. 57, 117–132 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Walker, J. C. G. Mar. Chem. (in the press).

  47. Veizer, J., Compston, W., Clauer, N. & Schidlowski, N. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 47, 295–302 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Windley, B. F. The Evolving Continents (Wiley, London, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  49. Bond, G. C., Nickerson, P. A. & Kominz, M. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 70, 325–345 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  50. Vidal, G. & Knoll, A. H. Mem. geol. Soc. Am. 161, 265–277 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  51. Walter, M. R. Baas Becking Geobiol. Lab. A. Rep., 45–56 (1982).

  52. Raff, R. A. & Raff, E. C. Nature 228, 1003–1005b (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Runnegar, B. J. geol. Soc. Aust. 29, 395–411 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Runnegar, B. Alcheringa 6, 223–239 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Cloud, P. Paleobiology 2, 351–387 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Towe, K. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 65, 781–788 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Schidlowski, M., Eichmann, R. & Junge, C. E. Precambr. Res. 2, 1–69 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Williams, G. E. J. geol. Soc. Aust. 26, 377–386 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Tucker, M. E. Precambr. Res. 22, 293–315 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  60. Lambert, I. B., Knutson, J., Donnelly, T. H., Etminan, H. & Mason, M. Miner. Deposita 19, 266–273 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Knutson, J., Donnelly, T. H. & Tonkin, D. G. Econ. Geol. 78, 250–274 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Lambert, I. B., Donnelly, T. H. & Rowlands, M. J. Miner. Deposita 15, 1–18 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Tucker, M. E. Geology 10, 7–12 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Lambert, I. B., Donnelly, T. H., Etminan, H. & Rowlands, N. J. Econ. Geol. 79, 461–475 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Hoering, T. C. Yb. Carnegie Instn Wash. 61, 190–191 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  66. Beeunas, M. A. & Knauth, L. P. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 96, 737–745 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Rye, D. & Williams, N. E. Econ. Geol. 76, 1–26 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Lindh, T. B. thesis, Univ. Miami (1983).

  69. Popp, B. N., Anderson, T. F. & Sandberg, P. A. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA

    A. H. Knoll

  2. Biogeochemical Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Geology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405-5101, USA

    J. M. Hayes & A. J. Kaufman

  3. Department of Geology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, USA

    K. Swett

  4. Baas Becking Geobiological Laboratory, PO Box 378, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    I. B. Lambert

Authors
  1. A. H. Knoll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. M. Hayes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. J. Kaufman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Swett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. B. Lambert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Knoll, A., Hayes, J., Kaufman, A. et al. Secular variation in carbon isotope ratios from Upper Proterozoic successions of Svalbard and East Greenland. Nature 321, 832–838 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/321832a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/321832a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing