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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Geochemical cycles
  • Tectonophysics: Evolution of the Earth
  • Information Related to Geologic Time: General or miscellaneous
  • Mathematical Geophysics: Nonlinear dynamics
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions

Abstract

Cambrian explosion triggered by geosphere-biosphere feedbacks

Werner von Bloh

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany

Christine Bounama

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany

Siegfried Franck

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany

A new hypothesis for the cause of the Cambrian explosion is presented. For that the evolution of the planet Earth is described by the co-evolution of the geosphere-biosphere system. Here we specify our previously published Earth system model for the long-term carbon cycle by introducing three different types of biosphere: procaryotes, eucaryotes, and complex multicellular life. They are characterized by different global temperature tolerance windows. The biotic enhancement of silicate weathering by complex multicellular life adds an additional feedback to the system and triggers the Cambrian explosion. The Cambrian explosion is characterized by a sudden increase of biomass and a rapid cooling, which amplified the spread of complex multicellular life. Cooling events in the Neoproterozoic, however, could force a premature appearance of complex multicellular life.

Received 10 June 2003; accepted 11 August 2003; published 27 September 2003.

Citation: von Bloh, W., C. Bounama, and S. Franck (2003), Cambrian explosion triggered by geosphere-biosphere feedbacks, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30(18), 1963, doi:10.1029/2003GL017928.

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