TY - JOUR

T1 - Climate-forced Hg-remobilization associated with fern mutagenesis in the aftermath of the end-Triassic extinction

AU - Bos, Remco

AU - Zheng, Wang

AU - Lindström, Sofie

AU - Sanei, Hamed

AU - Waajen, Irene

AU - Fendley, I. M.

AU - Mather, Tamsin

AU - Wang, Yang

AU - Rohovec, Jan

AU - Navratil, Tomas

AU - van de Schootbrugge, Bas

PY - 2024/4/28

Y1 - 2024/4/28

N2 - The long-term effects of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, a large igneous province connected to the end-Triassic mass-extinction (201.5 Ma), remain largely elusive. Here, we document the persistence of volcanic-induced mercury (Hg) pollution and its effects on the biosphere for ~1.3 million years after the extinction event. In sediments recovered in Germany (Schandelah-1 core), we record not only high abundances of malformed fern spores at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, but also during the lower Jurassic Hettangian, indicating repeated vegetation disturbance and stress that was eccentricity-forced. Crucially, these abundances correspond to increases in sedimentary Hg-concentrations. Hg-isotope ratios (δ202Hg, Δ199Hg) suggest a volcanic source of Hg-enrichment at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary but a terrestrial source for the early Jurassic peaks. We conclude that volcanically injected Hg across the extinction was repeatedly remobilized from coastal wetlands and hinterland areas during eccentricity-forced phases of severe hydrological upheaval and erosion, focusing Hg-pollution in the Central European Basin.

AB - The long-term effects of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, a large igneous province connected to the end-Triassic mass-extinction (201.5 Ma), remain largely elusive. Here, we document the persistence of volcanic-induced mercury (Hg) pollution and its effects on the biosphere for ~1.3 million years after the extinction event. In sediments recovered in Germany (Schandelah-1 core), we record not only high abundances of malformed fern spores at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, but also during the lower Jurassic Hettangian, indicating repeated vegetation disturbance and stress that was eccentricity-forced. Crucially, these abundances correspond to increases in sedimentary Hg-concentrations. Hg-isotope ratios (δ202Hg, Δ199Hg) suggest a volcanic source of Hg-enrichment at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary but a terrestrial source for the early Jurassic peaks. We conclude that volcanically injected Hg across the extinction was repeatedly remobilized from coastal wetlands and hinterland areas during eccentricity-forced phases of severe hydrological upheaval and erosion, focusing Hg-pollution in the Central European Basin.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Mutagenesis

KW - Hg-pollution

KW - end-Triassic mass extinction

KW - volcanism

KW - eccentricity

KW - Hg-isotopes

KW - fern spores

KW - Jurassic

KW - Hettangian

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-024-47922-0

DO - 10.1038/s41467-024-47922-0

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38678037

VL - 15

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

SN - 2041-1723

M1 - 3596

ER -