A biosedimentary approach to identifying geochemical fluxes and tectonic events in the terminal Triassic

The End-Triassic mass extinction event is increasingly relevant to Modern climate change models, as this catastrophe was likely caused by widespread volcanic emplacement of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province during the rifting of Pangea. Volcanic degassing released greenhouse gases which warmed the atmosphere and acidified the oceans; however, significant evidence exists for a tectonic rifting event preceding the main volcanic phase by ~4 million years, which changes the carbon budget for this event and represents an important opportunity for evaluating the early response of ocean systems to shifting temperature and acidification baselines. Here I will outline the sedimentary and geochemical evidence for a degassing/volcanic interval across the Norian-Rhaetian boundary, and introduce a biosedimentary assemblage approach to identifying and characterizing significant geochemical perturbations in the oceans.

For more information about Lydia’s research, please see her Researchgate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lydia-Tackett