Extinction and dawn of the modern world in the Carnian (Late Triassic)
- Author(s)
- Jacopo Dal Corso, Massimo Bernardi, Yadong Sun, Haijun Song, Leyla J. Seyfullah, Nereo Preto, Piero Gianolla, Alastair Ruffell, Evelyn Kustatscher, Guido Roghi, Agostino Merico, Sönke Hohn, Alexander R. Schmidt, Andrea Marzoli, Robert J. Newton, Paul B. Wignall, Michael J. Benton
- Abstract
The Carnian Pluvial Episode (Late Triassic) was a time of global environmental changes and possibly substantial coeval volcanism. The extent of the biological turnover in marine and terrestrial ecosystems is not well understood. Here, we present a meta-analysis of fossil data that suggests a substantial reduction in generic and species richness and the disappearance of 33% of marine genera. This crisis triggered major radiations. In the sea, the rise of the first scleractinian reefs and rock-forming calcareous nannofossils points to substantial changes in ocean chemistry. On land, there were major diversifications and originations of conifers, insects, dinosaurs, crocodiles, lizards, turtles, and mammals. Although there is uncertainty on the precise age of some of the recorded biological changes, these observations indicate that the Carnian Pluvial Episode was linked to a major extinction event and might have been the trigger of the spectacular radiation of many key groups that dominate modern ecosystems.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Palaeontology
- External organisation(s)
- University of Leeds, China University of Geosciences, Museo delle Scienze di Trento, University of Bristol, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), University of Padova, Universitá degli studi di Ferrara, Queen's University Belfast, Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Bavarian Natural History Collections, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati-Traverso", CNR, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Jacobs Universität Bremen, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
- Journal
- Science Advances
- Volume
- 6
- Pages
- 1-12
- No. of pages
- 12
- ISSN
- 2375-2548
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba0099
- Publication date
- 09-2020
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105117 Palaeobotany, 105205 Climate change, 105121 Sedimentology, 105118 Palaeontology
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 14 - Life Below Water, SDG 15 - Life on Land, SDG 13 - Climate Action
- Portal url
- https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/extinction-and-dawn-of-the-modern-world-in-the-carnian-late-triassic(17a1b074-787e-4c4c-b75c-4bef2e6f5ac3).html