Skip to main content
Log in

Earth sciences

Ups and downs of ancient oxygen

  • News & Views
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

The latest models suggest that atmospheric oxygen could have fluctuated between high and low concentrations once photosynthesis had evolved. But does the geological evidence really support this?

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Cloud, P. E. Am. J. Sci. 272, 537–548 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Holland, H. D. The Chemical Evolution of the Atmosphere and Oceans (Princeton Univ. Press, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ohmoto, H. Geology 24, 1135–1138 (1996).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Farquhar, J. et al. Science 289, 756–758 (2000).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Goldblatt, C., Lenton, T. M. & Watson, A. J. Nature 443, 683–686 (2006).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Brocks, J. J. et al. Science 285, 1033–1036 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hayes, J. M. & Waldbauer, J. R. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B 361, 931–950 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kump, L. R., Kasting, J. F. & Barley, M. E. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 2, 2000GC000114 (2001).

  9. Catling, D. C. et al. Science 293, 839–843 (2001).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Holland, H. D. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 66, 3811–3826 (2002).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ohmoto, H. et al. Nature 442, 908–911 (2006).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Ono, S. et al. S. Afr. J. Geol. (in the press).

  13. Peters, M. et al. Eos Trans. AGU 86, 52, Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstr. V21F-06 (2005).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Minter, W. E. L. in Evolution of Early Earth's Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere — Constraints from Ore Deposits (Geol. Soc. Am. Mem. Vol. 198) (eds Kesler, S. E. & Ohmoto, H.) 105–109 (2006).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  15. Goldman, S. & Kasting, J. F. Eos Trans. AGU 86, 52, Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstr. PP41D-07 (2005).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kasting, J. Ups and downs of ancient oxygen. Nature 443, 643–645 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/443643a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/443643a

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation